If you love robust Italian flavors and simple, fast, balanced one-pot meals, this Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage recipe is perfect for you.
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Quick and Easy Instant Pot Spaghetti with Italian Sausage
To make delicious Italian food, you may think you have to spend hours carefully crafting sauces and melding flavors. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage is fast, comes together with just a handful of ingredients, and requires only a single piece of equipment, the Instant Pot itself.
Using the diverse, savory flavors of premade ingredients like sausage meat and jarred pasta sauce, you can enjoy a dish that would make any Italian grandmother proud to share for Sunday dinner.
What makes Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage the perfect weeknight meal?
With just one perishable item, it’s easy to keep the ingredients for Instant Pot spaghetti around for nights when you need something fast and delicious without a trip to the grocery store. It’s also fairly hands-off, allowing busy cooks to whip up delicious sides or have more time to relax at the end of a long day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Spaghetti in the Instant Pot
From start to finish, this entire Instant Pot spaghetti recipe takes less than half an hour to get dinner on the table. In addition, it’s customizable with the sauce of your choice, and you can swap out other pasta shapes without having to alter the cooking time.
And when cooking on a budget, it’s an affordable option that will feed the whole family or provide plenty of leftovers for future meals.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Just a few simple but flavorful ingredients are needed to make a tasty batch of Instant Pot spaghetti and sausage:
- Spaghetti Noodles
- Italian Sausage Links
- Pasta Sauce
- Olive Oil
- Water
While this recipe uses traditional marinara sauce or red pasta sauce, feel free to substitute any sauce you have on hand or prefer. These can include vodka sauce, pesto, alfredo, and others. You can also use either sweet or hot Italian sausage, depending on the flavor profile you’re looking for.
Best Pasta Sauce to use for Spaghetti with Italian Sausage
Don’t think twice about using jarred pasta sauce for this Instant Pot pasta recipe. While homemade sauce can be delicious, premade jarred versions also have their place, this recipe being an excellent example. Some favorites include:
- Rao’s – It may be a bit pricier than other jarred sauces, but the quality is worth it. Look for it on sale or at Costco for more affordable meals.
- Barilla Marinara – This one has excellent flavor.
- Ragu spaghetti sauce – Easy to find and affordable, it pairs well with the taste of sausage.
How to Make Sausage and Spaghetti in an Instant Pot
The simple process to make this tasty Italian dish follows steps that should be familiar to many Instant Pot users:
- Heat olive oil using the saute setting and add the whole sausage links.
- Cook until about halfway done, then remove from the pot and slice.
- Wipe the pot clean of excess grease, then add the pasta sauce, sliced sausage, and water used to rinse the sauce jars.
- Add the pasta, secure the lid on the pot, and cook on the manual high setting for 8 minutes.
- Quick-release the pressure from the Instant Pot, stir, and serve immediately.
Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of parmesan or other Italian cheeses if you desire.
Recipe Variations
We’ve mentioned the ability to swap out sauces and use different styles of sausage already, but these are just two ways to modify this dish for your taste or needs.
For one, adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pot before cooking the mixture can add a delightful heat to the sauce.
And while this recipe calls for sausage, it’s possible to sub in other meats instead, including ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
Italian Sausage Instant Pot Pasta Troubleshooting
- A good rule of thumb for achieving the best results is two cups of liquid for every four ounces of pasta.
- If you perform the quick release and see a milky liquid spraying out, stop the release and let the Instant Pot depressurize naturally for a few minutes.
- Adding a bit of olive oil before sealing can also help decrease foaming.
What Goes Well with Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage
This dish is hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but it also pairs well with plenty of diverse sides.
A fresh, green salad with a tangy Italian vinaigrette can provide a perfect contrast, while garlic bread doubles down on the rich, carby goodness of pasta and Italian flavors. Roasted or steamed vegetables can also be an easy, nutritious side.
How to Store Leftover Instant Pot Spaghetti
Spaghetti in the Instant Pot is easy to make in batches, which means you’ll likely have some leftovers. Allow the meal to cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container. It’ll last up to five days in the fridge.
If you want to preserve it even longer, freeze it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months.
What is the best way to reheat Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage?
If you’ve frozen your Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage, first allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. It’s simple to reheat in the microwave on medium heat, typically for about a minute to a minute and a half. You can add a bit of extra sauce if it seems a little dry, as the pasta can soak up a lot of it while in the fridge.
Italian Sausage in Instant Pot FAQ
How Long Does It Take to Cook Raw Italian Sausage?
It’s vital to fully cook Italian sausage to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure any harmful pathogens in the meat are rendered safe. This recipe does this in two parts: the initial sauteeing and the finishing with the pasta and sauce. Brown the sausage in the Instant Pot for about six minutes, flipping it to ensure every side gets some color. The sausage is then added to the rest of the ingredients and cooked for another eight minutes, meaning it’s cooked for about 14 minutes in total before it’s ready to eat.
Can You Overcook Italian Sausage?
Yes, it’s possible to overcook sausage just like any other meat. When cooked for too long, they turn dry and tough and may even burn on the exterior from some cooking methods. Fortunately, this isn’t a major worry for Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage. The split cooking method and moist environment inside the Instant Pot ensure it stays juicy without overcooking. However, when in doubt, food safety concerns mean you should cook your sausage a little extra rather than risk undercooking.
Does Italian Sausage Have to Be Fully Cooked?
Unlike similar-looking proteins like hot dogs or smoked sausage, Italian sausage is entirely raw. So yes, you’ll need to thoroughly cook them before eating. Test the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. If you don’t have one, you can tell a fully cooked sausage by the grey interior and firm meat.
Do You Cook Italian Sausage with the Casing On?
Most people prefer cooking Italian sausage with the casing. It provides a bit of snap and helps keep the natural juices (and flavor) inside rather than leaking out into the pan. Plus, removing them can be annoying and time-consuming.
If you’d prefer to skip the casing, look for ground sausage meat instead. It’s the same meat found in the links, just sold by the pound instead. It’s often cheaper than buying link sausage, too.
Do You Cook Italian Sausage Before Putting It in Sauce?
This recipe calls for partially cooking the sausage before adding it to the pasta and sauce. Doing this helps ensure it’s fully cooked by the end of the process and also develops delicious flavor and texture on the exterior.
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Instant Pot Spaghetti and Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage links
- 48 ounces pasta sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 pound spaghetti pasta
Instructions
- Heat your Instant Pot on sauté. When the pot is warmed, add olive oil.
- Add the sausage and sauté until it is about 50% done. Remove sausage, slice it into links. Wipe out excess oil from the Instant Pot with a paper towel.
- Place the sausage slices in the Instant Pot.
- Add pasta sauce. Rinse the jars of pasta sauce with water and pour the water into the Instant Pot.
- Break the spaghetti pasta in half and add it to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on manual high for 8 minutes. Perform a quick release.
- Serve immediately.
I don’t see any recent comments. Quite a while ago I sent a comment about making this recipe and having a burn warning on my Instant Pot Duo. I tried the recipe again. I saw the comment that the recipe was “very plain Jane”.
We have a Instant Pot Duo Nova (6quart)
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 # sausage
1 jar (Trader Joes) pasta sauce (24oz)
2 cups water
1/2 pound pasta
I made one other change. I diced one small onion, 2 stalks of celery, and 2 cloves of garlic. I added the vegetables to the sauteed sliced sausage. I followed your cooking time and instructions.
The spaghetti was very good. My wife and I had two big dinners and a lunch from this one cooking. Thanks for this recipe
This is a very plain Jane recipe. Fortunately, I added some onions, garlic, carrots, and a little bit of seasoning and salt. This recipe would’ve been so bland without the modifications, and after it cooked I had to let it simmer because it was soupy. I don’t think I’ll be using this recipe again.
I am really sorry you did not like this recipe.
I’m wondering if adding the carrots altered the cooking time and flavor? I think I read that somewhere about Instant Pot cooking. Although onions can add liquid when sweating I wouldn’t think that would greatly affect the recipe, nor would the garlic. Just wondering…
I’m also finding the brand of spaghetti sauce makes a big difference. There was one I tried because even though it wasn’t the brand I use it was on sale. I won’t bother doing that again!
With pressure cooking, the cooking time begins when the instant pot reaches pressure.
All Aldi store brand stuff other than kroger chrorizo sausage. Crazy how nice the pasta comes out with your instructions (some of my linguine clumped but that was my mistake; it still cooked and came apart with a fork). Thank you very much for the recipe!!!!!!!!!!
It’s okay. I did 2 jars sauce like it said but only 1 jar of water and it still came out very thin and almost soup like. So wasnt overly happy about that.
So good! Easy and yummy!!!
I just finished my 3rd time with this recipe. All 3 times were a success but this last time was different.
I only had one jar (24 oz) of pasta sauce so I thought I’d cut the recipe in half, only I was skeptical to do that with the water. I used 1 1/2 cups instead and the end result was so so. The spaghetti came out very el dente but still very much edible. The next time I’ll use the suggested 2 cups of water. (I only used a 1/2 pound of the pasta.
I did put the IP in keep warm mode for another 10 minutes with the lid on and that fixed the dish.
Otherwise, what a great meal!
Glenn
My family loved this. I made it with Kroger brand sausage. Yummo!
I am making cut macaroni. Do I need to adjust the cooking/water time so the pasta is cooked properly?
I don’t know what that is. It is regular pasta? Then try the time I suggested.
Question – if I want to use a different pasta such as gemelli – how do I adjust the time?
I would not adjust the time, please keep the weight of the pasta the same. If you are using tiny pasta, you may then want to reduce the cooking time slightly. When I say “tiny pasta” I mean pasta like anci de pepe, orrzo, or something small like that.
My whole family enjoyed this one.
How long do you brown the sausages?
I would brown them about halfway, meaning I wouldn’t cook them all the way through, get them nice and browned on the outside.
I forgot to put it in the crockpot in the morning, so I found this recipe for my Instant Pot. I made it with close to 2lbs of sausage and added 3 extra minutes to the time. It was fabulous!!!!! My husband and 2 boys (5 & 7) absolutely devoured it and all had seconds.
We used Barilla pasta, Ragu sauce, and Primio sweet Italian sausage links.
I found this recipe when I was in need of a last minute dinner after getting home from work using ingredients that I already had in the house. The best part was that it could be prepared in one pot. I had not thought about cooking pasta in the pot with the other ingredients until I saw this. So easy! I will be making this again. It got a thumbs up from my boys too!,
After 10 Minutes, this came up with Burnt on my Instant Pot after approximately 10 minutes, so I cancelled and quick released all the pressure. I opened it and everything was cooked with a small amount of pasta and sausage burnt to the bottom.
Going to try some more water next time.
Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 Qt 9-in-1
Just curious here, how did you place the ingredients in the pot?
What size instant pot I need to make this? I have a 3 quart will this work?
It should work fine as listed.
I did the recipe in my 3 quart exactly as it specified. The pasta was way undercooked.
I personally would remove the skin from the sausage I I don’t care to have to take it out after browning it. Way to messy and more time spent. Just a thought.
Thank you for sharing. I love the skin on the sausage 😉 What’s awesome about cooking? You can modify recipes to your personal preferences. I hope others try your suggestion.
Since I don’t yet have an Instant Pot (it’s on my wish list) I’m thinking I could do this on the stovetop. Never thought about cooking the spaghetti in the sauce. Your thoughts? Would stovetop yield similar results?
I think it could, make sure you use a really large pot. Barilla makes a quick cooking pasta that is made to cook like this, you may want to try it. I don’t know how it will work across all brands of pasta. I am only familiar with the barilla quick cooking kind.
I think this would work ok on the stove top. I don’t know the exact cooking times. Again, it should work just fine.
You could easily do this one the stove top, I would cook everything the same way, it would most likely take about 35 to 40 minutes to cook.
You don’t say how large the Instant Pot is. And, I have a 2 qt electric pressure cooker. Can you recommend how to cut this portion down for me?
I will correct the recipe for my size of cooker. I am so sorry I left that off. If yours is a 2 quart cooker, I would cut everything by 1/3 EXCEPT the cooking time. I really designed the recipe to go with the 2 jars of sauce and 1 pound of sausage, as those are the common sizes of purchasing each one.
I have the 2 quart instant pot. So I don’t think I need to cut anything down on this one.
Thank you for the recipe!