Instant Pot Meatballs

White deep dish with two meatballs, sauce and pasta - square

These Instant Pot meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make. Ground beef, breadcrumbs, and seasonings come together for a comforting dish that’s pressure-cooked to perfection in a savory tomato sauce.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword easy meatballs, instant pot meatballs, meatballs and sauce

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings meatballs

Calories 207kcal

Author Elaine Benoit

Equipment

Ingredients

For meatballs

1 pound ground beef (grass-fed if you can get it)
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder (heaping or 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (plain)

To layer

1 medium onion (or large - chopped in medium chunks)
1 medium red bell pepper (chopped in medium chunks)
10 ounces baby portobello mushrooms (sliced)
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
28 ounces diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Make the meatballs

In a mixing bowl, add ground beef, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and eggs.
1 pound ground beef, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Use your hands to mix the meat together with the other ingredients. Form the meatballs. I like my meatballs on the bigger size, so I ended up with 10 meatballs.

Start layering the rest of the ingredients

Place the onions in the instant pot container.
1 medium onion
Add the red bell peppers.
1 medium red bell pepper
Place the meatballs on the peppers.
Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt and bay leaf.
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 teaspoons basil, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 bay leaf, 28 ounces diced tomatoes
Lastly, add sliced mushrooms. Important: do not stir the ingredients together. See notes on why.
10 ounces baby portobello mushrooms
Seal instant pot, make sure the venting knob is set to the sealed position. Also make sure the pressure is set to high and the mode is set to normal.
Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 12 minutes.
Once the pressure cooker beeps that it is done, either let the pressure release naturally or do a quick release after 5 minutes. Make sure to protect yourself from the steam by putting on a oven mitt before nudging the knob to the venting position.
Either serve the meatballs and sauce from the instant pot container or transfer to a serving bowl.
Eat, smile, and enjoy.

Notes

Helpful tips

I like a chunky tomato sauce, so I use one can of diced tomatoes and one can of crushed tomatoes. For a smoother consistency, use two cans of crushed tomatoes.
Choose plain canned tomatoes without added herbs or seasonings so you can control the flavor yourself.
You can make these meatballs with a single ground meat or a blend. Beef and pork or beef and lamb work well and require no changes to the recipe.
Ground turkey or chicken also works if you prefer lighter meatballs.
I use baby portobello mushrooms, but white button mushrooms are a perfect substitute.
My mom always used green bell peppers, but I prefer red for their sweetness—use whichever you like.
When possible, I buy grass-fed beef because the flavor is richer and the price difference is minimal.
Layer the ingredients exactly as listed in the recipe card to prevent a burn warning on your pressure cooker.
Don’t stir everything together before cooking. Keeping the meatballs under the tomatoes helps them cook properly. Stir only after the cooking cycle is complete.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze for up to 5 months.
To reheat, add the meatballs and sauce to a deep skillet or saucepan and warm over low heat for 10–15 minutes.

Nutrition