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This easy and tasty Instant Pot Meatball Pasta Dinner can be on the table in under an hour! Using frozen, pre-cooked meatballs, and a jarred pasta sauce, you can let the Instant Pot do all of the work for a pressure cooker meatball pasta dinner!
Originally published 9/13/2017
Instant Pot Meatball Pasta Dinner
I love to cook. I mean, I do have a food blog! But there are those days. You know what I mean. Days that get busy with so many commitments that you finally get home and just have a stare down with your stove. Yep. Been there.
Sometimes you get take out, but if you have more than one or two mouths to feed, it can get expensive. Not to mention the time it takes to order and go get it, or have it delivered.
If you have a box of pasta, a jar of sauce, and some frozen meatballs, you can make a tasty and filling dinner for the family that won’t take too long, and won’t break the bank! This recipe makes a lot!
Instant Pot Meatball Pasta Dinner is all about layers. You just layer the ingredients in the order I’m going to show you. Don’t stir it. Set the pot and go do something else for about 30 minutes (**It can take about 20 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, but that’s no biggie as it only cooks for about 5 minutes!).
When it is done, you Quick Release the pressure, stir it. Eat dinner!
Step 1) Put frozen pre-cooked meatballs in the pot.
Step 2) Pour in a 1 lb box of pasta.
Step 3) Open a can of diced tomatoes and pour it over the pasta.
Step 4) Pour a jar of pasta sauce (Marinara is my favorite) on and completely cover the pasta.
Step 5) Fill that pasta jar with water or broth 1 and 1/4 times and pour the liquid down the inside of the side of the pot so as not to wash the sauce off of the pasta.
Step 6) Sprinkle on the spices you want. I use Marinara sauce, so I use more.
DO NOT STIR!
Just close the lid and set the time for 5 minutes, or half of what the package says to do. 5 minutes works perfect on Penne, which is my favorite! **Due to the frozen meatballs, the pot can take 20 minutes to come to pressure. But it only cooks for a few minutes, so it’s still a fast meal!** When it’s done, do a Quick Release of the pressure. Stir it. Add cheese if you want. Eat it! EASY and TASTY!
Watch this video to see how easy it is to make Instant Pot Meatball Pasta Dinner
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Instant Pot Meatball Pasta Dinner
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Frozen Cooked Meatballs (small size)
- 1 lb Uncooked Pasta (I like penne or rotini best)
- 1 (24 oz) Jar of Pasta Sauce (I use Marinara)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
- 3 ¾ cups Broth or Water (fill the sauce jar 1 and ¼ times with broth or water)
If you use Marinara, Season it with These Spices - Your Chosen Sauce May Not Need Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 3 teaspoons Dehydrated Onion
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Optional Toppings
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
Layer the Ingredients in the Pot - Do Not Stir!
- Add the meatballs to the pot.
- Pour pasta on top and spread out in an even layer.
- Pour the can of tomatoes over the pasta, evenly.
- Pour the jar of pasta sauce over, evenly, covering the pasta entirely.
- Pour the jar with the broth or water along the inside of the pot, making sure you don't pour it over the sauce and expose the pasta. Exposing the pasta may cause it to be undercooked in those areas (Remember to use 1 ¼ jars of liquid, which is 3 ¾ cups).
- Sprinkle the spices over the sauce.
Cooking
- Put the lid on the Pot and set the knob to Sealing.
- Press the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button or dial, and then the + or - button to choose 5 minutes (or half of the cooking time on the pasta package directions).
- **The pot may take up to 20 minutes to get to pressure, due to the frozen meatballs!**
- When the cooking cycle has ended, do a Controlled Quick Release* of the pressure until the pin drops.*A controlled quick release means you release the steam in short bursts, then longer bursts, until you can be sure none of the sauce spews out of the vent with the steam from the intense pressure. Then fully open the vent and let it go.
- Carefully open the lid, facing it away from you.
- Stir contents and mix in the Parmesan cheese.
- Taste and add more salt & pepper if needed.
- Top with the Mozzarella cheese, if using, and cover the pot with a lid (or just use a plate) to help the cheese melt.
- Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE Instant Pot Meatball Pasta Dinner recipe and more
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Would love to try your IP meat ball pasta dinner, my problem is that my husband does not like texture in his tomato sauce. What would I use to substitute the 14oz diced tomatoes with? Thank you
You could use tomato sauce, or more of the jarred sauce.
Or I’m wondering could I zap the chunky tomatoes in my blender to make no real texture to the sauce. Or use a mini chopper.
Yes you can.
I just made this meal and it is absolutely delicious. I used whole wheat spaghetti and will make this from now on in my instant pot. I’ve never been a fan of frozen meatballs. On busy days, frozen saves time. This recipe made them taste like homemade. Thank you!
That’s awesome, Felicia! Thank you for your review!
I don’t have diced tomatoes on hand. However, we have crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato puree, and an extra can of pasta sauce. Which would you use? I’m thinking crushed tomatoes? Thank you!
Hi Becky, yes, I’d agree that crushed tomatoes would be good. I would pour the can into a bowl and break them up a little with a fork before adding them to the pot. Don’t drain them!
I’m currently expecting baby number 6 and sometimes I just have no energy left to put together a complicated meal at the end of the day. I’ve made this recipe a few times now and am about to make it again. It has been a lifesaver every time. It comes out so well and it’s so easy. Thank you so so much for posting!
I understand! It feels so good to make a quick meal that is home cooked, even semi-homemade, and everyone likes it! Congratulations on baby number 6! Thank you for your review!
If I were to half the recipe, should I adjust anything about the liquid? Would I also half that, too?
Yes, halve the liquid as that is for the pasta.
How much water would you add if you didn’t add the pasta? The sauce plus the same in water seems like it would be too runny to me without that pasta in there to soak it up.
About 1 cup.
First of all I never comment on recipe posts but HOLY COW! This was magic. I told my boyfriend this is how I was doing doing dinner and he was very skeptical “ALL in the Instant Pot” “Oh man that seems like too much water” “It’ll really be done in 5 minutes?” Anytime I try a new IP recipe I get a little nervous as I’m relatively new to this magical device but every time I am pleasantly surprised. Honestly, I don’t think I could have cooked the penne more perfectly if I had boiled it normally. It was delicious, simple and FAST. Thanks so much for sharing!
Wow Lindsay! Thank you for the super review! It means a lot to me to know that a recipe I created makes someone’s meals a little better, or easier! Truth: I sometimes still get nervous when trying or testing a new recipe, too! Take care!
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I tried it and everything came out great except the pasta was a little on the chewy side… I’m thinking that I didn’t add enough water. I admit, I DID kind of just fill up the empty jar and throw it in! ? Do you think that’s why it came out that way?
Hi Cindy, yes, the chewiness could be from not enough liquid, or the pasta was a bit thicker/heartier than normal, or there was more used than what the recipe called for. I use 1 1/4 jars of water (or broth), and that seems to do the trick. You can also let the pot sit and naturally release pressure for a minute or two before doing the quick release, and that will cook the pasta more. Hope that helps. Thank you for your review!
I have made this at least 6 times now and it is glorious! The pasta cooks to perfection! Everyone LOVES it. The only thing I add is 4 oz of goat cheese (chevre) at the end. Once I remove the lid, I pop that in and set the lid back on top for a few minutes – enough time to let the cheese get melty. Then I stir it all in together. Yummo – makes the sauce creamy! I’m going to try doubling it this week for a work potluck. Sure hope that works. Has anyone tried that with success? Would I set it to cook the same amount of time?
Hi Angie! Goat Cheese! One of the loves of my life! I’m so happy that you want to share this with your coworkers. You shouldn’t need to increase the time as the pasta cooks in the set amount of time (do your usual time). The only thing that might change is your frozen meatballs will make it take longer to get to pressure (like a bunch of ice cubes in there!). Hope this helps! Thanks so much for your review!
You have revolutionized my pasta and meatball game. The kitchen gods as my witnesses, I shall never boil water, boil pasta, saute meatballs, heat up meatballs in sauce, and make a huge mess EVER AGAIN! This was fast and got sauce onto every part of the pasta. Thank you SO much!
Lol, Casey! I’m honored to have been a part of this pasta/meatball revolution! Thank you for the testimony! 😀