New Twist on an Old Classic

This classic spaghetti & meatballs recipe is one of my favorites, especially in the fall when the weather starts getting little chilly! I tried many different meatball recipes that were alright, but always seemed to miss the mark in one way or another. After a lot of trial and error, this deliciously hearty easy to make Instant pot meatball recipe came to life!

I have been obsessed with my Instant pot for quite a while now. The Instant pot always produces that perfectly tender, melt-in-your-mouth consistency leaving you wanting more! I also love how easy, user friendly and versatile the instant pot is compared to traditional pressure cookers.

Another added bonus- the Instant pot cooks much faster than your typical crock pot! You don’t need to start making your meal 4-8+ hours beforehand, with the Instant pot, all you need is an hour to get the same *better* results!

The Instant pot is also a great easy option for large gatherings and family dinners. When my husband and I (the laborer) got married, we rented a large VRBO so we could spend some quality time with our siblings. The first night at the “sibling house” we decided to make a big Instant pot spaghetti & meatballs dinner, mostly because it’s an easy meal to make for a large group of people (who doesn’t like spaghetti, right?).

My brother’s girlfriend, @jettingjulia is a travel vlogger, and she posted a video of us making this spaghetti dinner on her youtube channel. Ever since, I have had people asking me for the recipe!

So, I thought what better way to start The Bonus Cookbook than with a new twist on an old classic?

Enjoy!

This delicious spaghetti and meatballs recipe pairs great with my Quick and Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread! (and a nice glass of wine… just sayin’)

The Bonus Cookbook

For those who are interested to see how I made this recipe, here’s some bonus info and a few extra photos to help you out!

This recipe is pretty straight forward, but you will need a few things to get started.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley, fresh or dried
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1lb ground meat (I typically use Pork, Beef, Turkey or Buffalo)
• 14 oz can of beef broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil, split
• 2 tbsp butter, split
• 1-2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce

Equipment:

• Instant Pot

Don’t Have an Instant Pot?

No Problem! Although this recipe is technically written for an Instant pot, it’s very versatile and can be adjusted to meet your taste preferences or whatever kitchen equipment is available.

If you don’t have an Instant pot, you can also make this recipe in a traditional pressure cooker, crock pot, or even on the stove top! The only difference is adjusting the cooking time to match your cooking method.

Pressure Cooker:

Although I have rarely used one, a traditional pressure cooker (to my understanding) can be set to the same settings as the instant pot for cooking.

Crock Pot:

If you’re using a crock pot, I would recommend cooking on low heat for about 3-5 hours, or on high for 2-4 hours.

Stove Top:

If you don’t own any of the equipment listed above, don’t worry! This recipe works on a standard stove top as well. If you’re using the stove top method, I recommend using a large (deep) saute pan or sauce pan. Sear meatballs as directed, then remove most of the beef broth before adding your sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for at least an hour, or until the meatballs are tender and cooked through. Add more sauce, beef broth or water as needed while cooking if it starts looking dry.

Let’s Get Started!

Once you have assembled your ingredients and equipment, it’s time to get cooking!

Finely chop your yellow onion, and saute with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter on medium-high heat until they become transparent, soft, and tender. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine sautéed onions, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, grated cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and ground meat.

Mix and kneed ingredients together with hands until you have a well combined mixture (I like to do this while wearing disposable latex gloves).

The mixture should feel firm when shaped, if loose add more bread crumbs until you reach the desired consistency (but not too much, max 1 cup total).

Shape mixture into approximately 2”-3” diameter balls.

In a sauté pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1 tbsp butter on high heat. Sear meatballs, turning to brown all sides. (I’ve seen people do this step inside the Instant pot, but I’m traditional so I still do this on the stove top) add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes turning halfway through.

Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and place inside the Instant pot bowl; cover with pasta sauce.

I typically use two jars because I like more sauce with my pasta. My personal favorite is the Classico Four Cheese, but feel free to use your favorite sauce!

Pro Tip: Truth be told, when I made this recipe I only had one jar of pasta sauce on hand because the grocery store was sold out. So, I had to improvise a little bit (oh the joys of quarantine!).

If you find yourself low on (or without any) pasta sauce, you can substitute by using 1 cup cooking broth and one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes. Once pressure cooked in the Instant pot, this combination creates a chunkier red sauce!

If chunky pasta sauce is more your style, you can add diced tomatoes and broth to give your sauce more texture. This is a great addition if you are using the stove top method as well.

The Instant pot does best when it has a lot of moisture. If you decide to add diced tomatoes, add a little bit of water or broth to keep your meatballs moist while they cook.

Plug in your Instant pot and seal the lid (it will make a noise to indicate its sealed). Check to make sure the steam valve is in the closed position at the back of the Instant pot.

Select “Pressure Cook” in the bottom right corner, and cook on high pressure on the normal setting for 7 minutes.

If you have never cooked with an Instant pot before, note that it will take some time for the Instant pot to heat up before it starts the 7 minute timer. Once the 7 minute cooking timer has gone off, release the pressure valve at the back of the Instant pot.

CAUTION!!! The pressure valve will release a lot of hot steam!!!

Be careful not to burn your hands or face when releasing the pressure valve! I suggest wearing an oven mitt, or using a kitchen towel to release the pressure valve.

Once the Instant pot has finished releasing steam, open the lid and stir sauce.

Serve meatballs and sauce over spaghetti or your favorite pasta, and top with grated parmesan cheese!

As I mentioned earlier, this spaghetti and meatballs recipe pairs great with The Best Quick and Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe!

(and a nice glass of wine! Treat Yo Self!)

This hearty spaghetti & meatballs recipe will have you and your family coming back for seconds! The meatballs should come out perfectly tender, giving them that irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture. They’re the perfect choice for your next family dinner or big gathering!

Cheers!

-M

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