Instant Pot Bolognese

A hearty pasta sauce that saves you time in the kitchen. This instant pot bolognese has all the classic flavor but is made in minimal time with basic pantry ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian, North American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 539kcal

Author Emmeline Kemperyd

Equipment

1 Instant Pot* or other pressure cooker
1 Kitchen knife*
1 Chopping board*
Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Measuring spoons*

Ingredients

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 stem 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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Set your instant pot to "sauté" and add in butter an 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 cook 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.
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!

Video

Notes

Cook the tomato paste to maximize the flavor.
Allow the beef to brown and break it into chunks as you stir it for the best flavor.
Stove top cooking: follow the instructions but instead of pressure cooking, simmer the sauce for at least one hour covered.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure to let the sauce cool before placing it in an airtight container.
Freeze the sauce in plastic bags to save space in the freezer. It will last for up to 3 months.
Reheating in the microwave: let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Microwave it in a microwave-safe dish at 1-minute increments.
Reheating on the stove: reheat in a pot over low to medium for a few minutes or until bubbling.

Nutrition