This Instant Pot Bolognese delivers rich, slow-simmered flavor in just 1 hour, no all-day cooking required! The pressure cooker does all the work while you get that deep, meaty, authentic Italian taste traditional recipes take 3-4 hours to achieve. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something that tastes like a Sunday night dinner!
"Simmered All Day" Flavor in Under 1 Hour
I've always loved a good bolognese, from the tomato rich versions of my childhood (my mom makes a great one!) to the meatier versions I've enjoyed in Italy. I love how it can be made in so many ways, and everyone has their own.
This version is a great way to get that "simmered all day" flavor in under 1 hour. Just sauté everything and let it cook, then enjoy a delicious dinner that tastes like it cooked all day.
It's of the meatier kind, with less tomatoes - and we use fresh ones, not crushed - for a more rustic flavor. To me, it tastes very similar to the versions I've enjoyed in Italy.
Everything You Need for Rich, Meaty Sauce
About the Tomatoes
I love making bolognese sauce with fresh tomatoes. It makes the sauce meatier and more like a ragu, which I love. You can make this with crushed tomatoes as well, and I do this when I don't have any fresh tomatoes at home.
And if you do prefer a bolognese with more tomato in it - opt for crushed tomatoes, and add more.
Option: Add Wine
I never have wine at home, so I rarely cook with it. But you can swap half the water for wine - either red or white - if you like. It adds a bit of depth to the sauce and helps bring out more of the flavor from the other ingredients.
How to make Instant Pot Bolognese
1. Sauté Veg + Meat
Start by sauteing onion, garlic and carrots in butter or oil until softened. Then add tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute, before adding ground beef and cooking until browned.
2. Make the Sauce
Add a stock cube and water, mix until dissolved then follow with tomatoes and dried herbs. Mix well, then close the lid and set to cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.
3. Add Cheese & Serve
When the pressure cooking cycle is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining pressure using the quick release valve. Mix in parmesan cheese, taste test and season as needed with salt and ground black pepper, then serve immediately with cooked pasta!
Expert Tips
Sauté the tomato paste. This helps deepen and develop the flavor.
You can make this on the stovetop as well. Just follow the steps as written, and instead of pressure cooking allow to simmer covered for one hour or more.
Release pressure naturally if you have the time. I find this allows for the flavors to deepen. But, if you're in a hurry, you can totally skip it.
This dish is even better the next day. So go ahead and make it ahead of time and just reheat it before serving. For best results, cook the pasta just before serving.
What to Do With Leftovers
You can store and freeze the sauce by itself or with pasta. Either way, let it cool down completely before storing.
Storing leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing leftovers: Freeze the sauce in plastic bags to save space in the freezer. It will be good for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, for best results.
Reheating in the microwave: Microwave it in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute increments, stirring between.
Reheating on the stove: Reheat in a pot over low to medium for a few minutes, until bubbling. Stir frequently and add a bit of water if it starts to look dry.
What to Serve It With
More Quick & Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Recipe
1-Hour Instant Pot Bolognese
Print RateIngredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion or shallots or red onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1.5 cups chopped carrot ¼ inch (0.5 cm) pieces
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 lb ground beef or 50/50 beef and pork
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups chopped tomatoes stems removed
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or according to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt or according to taste
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese or Grana Padano
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Set your instant pot to "sauté" and add in butter and olive oil.1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- When butter is melted, add garlic and onion. Sauté 1 minute, then add carrots. Sauté 2-3 minutes until onion is softened.¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 1.5 cups chopped carrot
- Add tomato paste and sauté 1 minute while mixing it in with the onion, garlic and carrot.2 tablespoon tomato paste
- Add ground beef and cook 4-5 minutes, until browned. Stir often to ensure it browns on all sides and breaks apart.1 lb ground beef
- Crumble the stock cube and add to the instant pot, followed by the water. Mix until the stock cube is completely dissolved.1 beef stock cube, 1 cup water
- Add tomatoes and spices, and mix well.4 cups chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried basil
- Press "cancel" to stop sauté mode, then close the lid and set to cook at High pressure for 20 minutes. Make sure "Keep warm" mode is turned off. Your Instant Pot will now start building pressure, which can take 10-20 minutes.
- When the pressure cooking cycle is done, allow the instant pot to sit and release pressure naturally for at least 10 minutes (longer if you can). Then use the quick pressure release to release the remaining pressure.
- Open the lid, mix, and taste test. Season with salt and pepper as needed, then mix in shredded Parmensa cheese.½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Serve over spaghetti, or another type of pasta of your choice!
Stovetop Method
- Heat a large pot or skillet over medium heat and add in butter and olive oil.1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- When butter is melted, add garlic and onion. Sauté 1 minute, then add carrots. Sauté 2-3 minutes until onion is softened.¾ cup finely chopped yellow onion, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 1.5 cups chopped carrot
- Add ground beef and cook 4-5 minutes, until browned. Stir often to ensure it browns on all sides and breaks apart.1 lb ground beef
- Crumble the stock cube and add to the skillet, followed by the water. Mix until the stock cube is completely dissolved.1 beef stock cube, 1 cup water
- Add tomatoes and spices, and mix well.4 cups chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried basil
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer for 1 hour or longer. Mix once in a while, and keep an eye on it so it doesn't start to look dry. If it does, add a bit more water.
- When done, remove from the heat and mix in parmesan cheese. Taste test and season as needed with salt and ground black pepper.½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- 1 Instant Pot* or other pressure cooker
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
What to Do With Leftovers
You can store and freeze the sauce by itself or with pasta. Either way, let it cool down completely before storing. Storing leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezing leftovers: Freeze the sauce in plastic bags to save space in the freezer. It will be good for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, for best results. Reheating in the microwave: Microwave it in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute increments, stirring between. Reheating on the stove: Reheat in a pot over low to medium for a few minutes, until bubbling. Stir frequently and add a bit of water if it starts to look dry.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Sharon
We can't eat dairy. If we exclude it, will the dish still work?
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Sharon! It absolutely will! You can add a bit more olive oil instead of the butter, and the parmesan cheese just adds extra flavor. It's still delicious without it, though 🙂 /Emmeline