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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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Could you use frozen ravioli in place of the dried pasta? I love new Instant Pot recipes and this sounds delish!
I haven’t tried it, but it sounds delicious!
Thanks for this recipe — I added the 3-3/4 cups of water right on top of the meatballs, before the pasta and everything else, just to simplify it even further. I also took the advice of another reviewer and stirred in some ricotta (with the Parmesan) when it was finished cooking. This is a wonderful “lasagna” meal for a busy night. Great addition to my Instant Pot recipe file!
Hello! This was great and was my first pasta-in-an-Instant Pot experience. I’m single and live alone, so I halved it with a bag of Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs, 1/3 a container of spicy Rao’s tomato sauce, half a box of pasta, and a tetrapak of chopped tomatoes I had on hand. I forgot about cheese, but it was delish so no biggie.
Now I have leftovers for a few days and everything cooked perfectly. I also put the water over the meatballs before adding in the sauce and pasta. I’m new to the cooking at home for myself thing (despite being in my late 30s) and really appreciated this recipe. THANK YOU!
That’s great, Sarah! I’m so glad you could make it work for you!
If I make this in a Mini, should I half the recipe?? Thanks!
Yes, and keep the cook time the same.
Where. In the layer would you suggest adding ricotta cheese?
I would add it on top of the sauce, or just stir it in after pressure cooking.
The best pasta dish I’ve ever made in the IP. We have a family of 7 so I added an extra pound of meatballs, and an extra 14oz jar of diced tomatoes. It was filled to the full line in my 8 quart IP. Thanks so much for this recipe.
That’s great, Christy! I’m glad this recipe worked for your family. Thank you for your review!
Thank you for this recipe, I can’t wait to try it. Silly question but how do I know how much 2 lbs of frozen meatballs are?
If I buy them, I look for the weight on the bag. 16 oz is 1 pound, so I look for about 32 oz. If I’m using homemade, I actually weigh them on my kitchen scale. In my 6 qt pot 2 lbs is about 1/4 to 1/3 of the pot, depending on how large the meatballs are.
I have to say this is one of my family’s favorites! So easy at the end of the day to put everything in the IP, make a salad, maybe garlic bread and dinner is served! I like to add mushrooms and a sliced zucchini or 2 (depending on size) sliced and put on top. When it’s done, I stir in some raw, torn spinach or other green with the parmesan cheese. Sometimes I like to add a bit cream cheese, and I am going to have to try the goat cheese as suggested! Highly recommended!!
Thank you!
AMAZING!!!!! I am not new to the instant pot but have only put pasta in it when making the mac n cheese recipes, which I have now perfected to only cooking the pasta for 4 minutes. I love my pasta sauce to taste like it has been simmering on the stove all day so I always used to pour a jar sauce in with meatballs and cook for 35 minutes and then quick release. Tonight the hubby was soooooo hungry and not in the best of moods so I decided to try your recipe, and throw it all in the pot for 5 minutes. OMG~~~~~LOVED IT!!!!! So guess what no more separate pots of pasta for us! All I did was meatballs bottom, penne pasta, sauce, then the water around the edges!!!!! It really was that simple and tasted homemade! THANK YOU!
Hi LJ, I’m so thrilled that this was such a success for you!
Awesome recipe.and so easy to make everyone was raving with big smiles I just added some RICOTTA cheese to it and it was the BOMB at the dinner table his will be a regular meal at my house Thank you!!!
Awesome! Thank you!