Instant Pot Spaghetti with Italian Sausage Meatballs

Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 to 6
Total Time: 20 minutes
Active Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Nutritional Information per Serving (1 of 6 servings): Calories 460, Total Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Carbohydrates 36 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugar 5 g, Protein 18 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Sodium 602 mg

Craving a restaurant-quality Italian dinner without the fuss? This stunning spaghetti with sausage meatballs delivers authentic flavor in just 20 minutes, thanks to your trusty Instant Pot. There's no need for complicated meatball mixturessimply shape Italian sausage into tender balls for a naturally delicious main course. A velvety sauce made with San Marzano tomato puree, aromatic garlic, and fresh basil brings everything together beautifully. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and watch your family ask for seconds.

Ingredients

1 pound mild Italian sausage, casing removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree, ideally San Marzano
2 sprigs fresh basil
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Special equipment: A 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot multi-cooker

Instructions

Shape the sausage into 16 small balls, each roughly 1 ounce and about 1 inch wide. Set your Instant Pot to high saut mode. Pour in olive oil; once it begins to shimmer, add the meatballs and cook until one side is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Flip the meatballs, then add the sliced garlic. Continue cooking until the meatballs are browned on the other side and the garlic softens, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Arrange the broken spaghetti over the meatballs, then pour in the tomato puree, 2 cups of water, basil sprigs, red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir gently, ensuring all spaghetti noodles are covered by the sauce.
Lock the lid according to your Instant Pot manufacturer's instructions and set to pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. When the cooking cycle ends, perform a quick release following the manufacturer's steps, which should take about 2 minutes. Carefully open the pot lid away from you, then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan on top. The sauce will thicken somewhat as it cools and rests.

Note: Instant Pot settings may vary based on model; always consult the manufacturer's instructions.