Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

This Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce is super easy to make, and has incredible flavor. Add it to some spaghetti noodles or spaghetti squash, and you’ve got the perfect meal for busy weeknights!

Growing up, if you asked me my favorite food my answer was always spaghetti. I still love spaghetti dinner. The sauce is really what makes it. I am not above buying a jar at the grocery store; I do it often. But sometimes I want to elevate my spaghetti sauce and I make my own. Typically this will take you hours of simmering, but the Instant Pot changes all of that.

This Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce recipe has the flavor of a sauce that’s simmered on the stove all day, but is made in a fraction of the time. It takes just 10 minutes of prep time, and 30 minutes to cook. Yes, it’s a recipe you can even enjoy on busy nights when you don’t have much time to cook! 

If you love spaghetti dinner, you need to try this Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce!

Ingredients Needed:

Olive Oil- Olive oil infuses great flavor in this spaghetti sauce. Cooking with olive oil is such an easy way to get more healthy fats and antioxidants.

White Onion- White onions are packed with nutrients. They contain lots of minerals, vitamins, and fiber.

Garlic Cloves- Not only does garlic add delicious flavor, but is filled with nutrition. It contains lots of vitamins, and can help combat sickness such as a common cold.

Canned Whole Tomatoes- Canned Tomatoes have more juices which add flavor and great consistency to this sauce recipe. They contain lots of antioxidants which can help lower the risk of heart disease.

Tomato Sauce- Tomato Sauce is an essential ingredient in this homemade spaghetti sauce. It helps improve heart health, digestive health, and can make your bones stronger.

Chicken Broth- Chicken broth adds amazing flavor. You can also use vegetable broth if you’d prefer. It contains essential fatty acids and proteins.

Basil- Basil adds delicious flavor to this sauce. It can also help lower blood pressure. You can also use fresh basil in this recipe. Use about 1/4 cup fresh basil in place of the dried.

Oregano- Oregano pairs so well with the other spices in this homemade spaghetti sauce. It’s also a great antibacterial agent.

Salt and Pepper-Just a little bit is all you need to bring out the flavor here.

Tomato Paste- Tomato paste has a deep tomato flavor without all the excess water and adds an umami element. It has all the same health benefits as tomatoes such as antioxidants and vitamin c.

How to make Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil in the inner pot of your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker using the sauté function.
2. Add the chopped onion, and sauté with a wooden spoon until softened (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the crushed garlic, and sauté another 2 minutes. Press the cancel button.
4. Stir in the whole tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, chicken broth, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste. Stir together until well combined.
5. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, and make sure the pressure valve is sealed. Once it’s done, let the pressure release naturally instead of quick release. To perform a natural release, let the Instant Pot sit until the pressure goes back to normal.
6. Use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a large blender and blend to the desired consistency. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Recommendations 

1. Be sure the tomato paste is well blended with the mixture and there is none sticking to the bottom of the inner pot. This will help avoid getting a “burn notice” on your Instant Pot. Another option is to allow the tomato paste to rest on top of the mixture and stir it in after the cooking time.
2. Top it off with some parmesan cheese. A little bit goes a long way! There are a lot of recipes out there for vegan parmesan cheese, too, if you don’t eat dairy.
3. Instead of regular spaghetti noodles, serve this sauce with spaghetti squash noodles. You can easily cook squash in the instant pot, slow cooker, or oven (click here for instructions on how to cook spaghetti squash) and shred it into noodles using a fork.

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce FAQS

Do I have to use canned whole tomatoes?

You can also use canned crushed tomatoes. On this trip to a tomato canning plant, I learned how you get the best flavor from whole tomatoes, but crushed tomatoes will work, too. I don’t recommend diced tomatoes for this recipe.

Can I use fresh tomatoes? 

If you use fresh tomatoes, you’ll need to peel the skins. To do this, cut an X on the bottom of the tomatoes and submerse in boiling water. Allow to boil for 1-2 minutes – just until skin starts to loosen. Remove the tomatoes to the ice water and allow to rest in the ice water for 2-3 minutes to stop the cooking. The skin will peel off easily.

What kind of tomato sauce should I use?

Use plain, unseasoned tomato sauce for this recipe. I prefer to use tomato sauce without any added salt or sugar.

Can I make this Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe spicy?

Of course! You can add red pepper flakes if you’d like to add some spice to your spaghetti sauce.

Can I use garlic powder instead of garlic cloves?

Yes. 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder equals 1 clove garlic.So for this recipe, you would use 1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoons garlic powder. Fresh garlic will give you better flavor, so if you have it, use it!

Can I add meat to the sauce?

Absolutely! You could add some ground beef or ground turkey, or any other meat you like. You can brown the meat with the onion and continue with the recipe.

Can I make this on the stove top? 

Yes, you can. To make this on the stove top, follow the instructions as written and simmer for 1-4 hours.

What goes well with this Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce?

It would be great served over your favorite pasta, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles. If you have two Instant Pots, make this Instant Pot Pasta and you’ll have a comforting meal! Use it as a dipping sauce for these Quinoa Pizza Balls or in this recipe for Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole. It would also be great in this 30 Minute Skillet Spinach Lasagna.

How should I store this recipe?

You can store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. You can warm it up on the stove top or microwave. You can also freeze this Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce.

Want to use your Instant Pot more? Save this collection of 150 Healthy Instant Pot recipes!

Looking for other easy sauce recipes? Try my Homemade Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, Vegan Chocolate Fudge Sauce, and my Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce! Need some more instant pot recipes? Here’s a list of some of my favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes.

If you make this recipe or any of my other healthy recipes, please share it on Instagram  and I’ll feature you! Also, if you try it, please leave a comment with a star rating below! Those star ratings are so helpful in helping my recipes get discovered. I appreciate you!

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Maryea Flaherty of Happy Healthy Mama
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 48 ounces 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

If you want the flavor of a sauce that’s simmered on the stove all day in a fraction of the time, you need to try this Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce recipe! It’s super easy and yields the most delicious sauce!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 white onion, minced
• 5 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegan spaghetti sauce)
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

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Instructions

1. Using the sauté function, heat the oil in the inner pot of your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.
2. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the crushed garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Press the cancel button.
4. Stir in the whole tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, chicken broth, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste. Stir well to combine.*
5. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, and then let the pressure release naturally.
6. Use an immersion blender or transfer the mixture to a large blender and blend to the desired consistency. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Notes

*Be sure the tomato paste is well blended with the mixture and there is none sticking to the bottom of the inner pot. This will help avoid getting a “burn notice” on your Instant Pot. Another option is to allow the tomato paste to rest on top of the mixture and stir it in after the cooking time.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: recipes
• Method: Instant Pot

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 cup
• Calories: 50
• Sugar: 4 grams
• Fat: 2.6 grams
• Saturated Fat: 0.4 grams
• Carbohydrates: 6.8 grams
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Protein: 1.5 grams

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