Instant Pot Ground Beef Pasta
Updated Oct 24, 2025, Published Apr 19, 2020
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Instant Pot Ground Beef Pasta — kinda speaks for itself, doesn’t it? Creamy, cheesy, comforting, and all the things you love in one dish, plus half the cooking time you’d normally need. And it’s a great way to use those pantry staples!
For more terrific Instant Pot recipes, check out my popular posts for Instant Pot Chicken Marsala, Instant Pot Pot Roast and Potatoes, and Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos.
Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
- Marinara sauce – any favorite store bought or homemade version will do here.
- Short, uncooked pasta noodles like shells, macaroni, penne, bowties.
- Freshly grated mozzarella cheese – only use freshly grate! The pre-shredded cheese is packaged with a powdered coating, that will keep it from melting properly.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – optional but I highly recommend it! Just add a pinch, or more to your personal taste.
Here’s How You Make It
Once you get all your ingredients together, it’s time to make the cheesy beef and shells dish of your dinner dreams!
- First, set your pressure cooker to Saute. Drizzle with the oil, and then add the ground beef. Saute the beef for about 4-5 minutes, breaking the beef as it cooks. When it’s browned all the way through, stir in the Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence, and the garlic and saute for another minute.
- Transfer the ground beef and spice mixture to a bowl and cover it to keep it warm. (not pictured)
- Next, add the marinara, water, broth, noodles, onion powder, and red pepper flakes to the pot and stir. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and lock it down. Turn the vent valve to the “sealed” position.
- Set the pot to Pressure Cook or Manual for 8 minutes. When the 8 minutes is up, do a quick release and remove the lid when the float valve drops or the steam is completely out of the valve cover.
- Stir in the ground beef mixture and the cheese. When the cheese is melted, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley, basil, or thyme if you like and serve.
Customizations
The other great thing about this dish is that it can be customized to your liking. Here are some ideas for ways to change up this pasta and beef Instant Pot dish.
- If you don’t have or don’t like ground beef, you can use any other ground meat such as turkey or chicken if you like.
- To make the dish spicier, consider using ground Italian sausage instead of ground beef. Follow the directions as stated.
- For a little bit extra nutrients, you add frozen peas or corn or both during step 3.
- If you want to make this vegetarian, swap out beef broth for vegetable broth and consider adding beans instead of meat. Saute the garlic and spices with the beans, remove the beans to keep warm (as you would the meat) and transfer back during step 7.
- Add onions and saute them with the garlic.
- Instead of marinara sauce, use a homemade (or store bought) alfredo sauce. (For an alfredo recipe head to my Browned Butter Alfredo Sauce.)
- Switch up the spices from Italian to Mexican by subbing cumin and chili powder for the Italian seasonings and swapping cheddar for the mozzarella.
Expert Tips and Tricks
So you want to make the very best Instant Pot Ground Beef Pasta? I’ve got you covered. Just follow my tips for a fail-proof dinner the family will love!
- Using smaller pasta works best. If you want to use spaghetti, be sure to break it up into smaller pieces first.
- You want to cook the meat first and remove it before cooking the pasta in the Instant Pot, otherwise, the ground beef will soak up too much of the liquid and leave you with a hard pasta, or it’ll be all lumped together and not too appetizing.
- If you don’t have garlic to mince, you can use the jarred garlic or I’ve even seen frozen cubes.
- If you’re short on broth, you can make your own with water and bullion cubes. Simply follow the directions on the box/jar of cubes/bouillon you have at home. Chicken, beef, or even vegetable bullion will work!
- Make sure to vent the Instant Pot right away and don’t let it self-vent or your pasta will get too mushy.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Ground Beef Stroganoff – cozy, one-pan dinner , ready in just 30 minutes!
- Cheesy Bacon Alfredo Shells – this is sure to become your new comfort food favorite!
- Creamy Sausage Pasta – quick, creamy pasta dinner with savory sausage and lush sauce…it’ all about that creamy sauce!
- Lasagna Soup – all the flavor of a classic bake with just one pot and less fuss!
- Steak with Mushroom Sauce – transform any cut into a gourmet feast.
- Chicken and Mushroom Pie – take cozy to the next level and still impress!
- Stuffed Shells – easy and delicious!
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe – warm up your week with this 30 minute meal.
- Ground Beef Tacos with Taco Seasoning from Scratch – taco night-upgraded!
- Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup – craving comfort food? Dive in and get cozy with a bowlful of warmth.
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Instant Pot Ground Beef Pasta
Instant Pot Ground Beef Pasta — kinda speaks for itself, doesn't it? Creamy, cheesy, comforting, and all the things you love in one dish, plus half the cooking time you'd normally need. And it's a great way to use those pantry staples!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 teaspoons Italian blend seasoning , OR Herbs de Provence
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup beef broth
- 16 ounces/1lb short uncooked pasta noodles like shells, macaroni, penne, bowties
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Set your pressure cooker to SAUTE. Drizzle with oil, then add the ground beef and saute 4-5 minutes, breaking beef into pieces as it cooks, until browned.
- Stir in Italian seasoning and garlic for 1 minute longer. Transfer ground beef to a bowl and cover tightly to keep warm.
- Add marinara, water, broth, noodles, onion powder, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot and give it a good stir.
- Place the lid on the pot and slide it into the locked position and turn the vent valve to the sealed position.
- Set to PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL for 8 minutes.
- Do a QUICK RELEASE (immediately turn the vent valve to VENT position) and remove the lid once the float valve drops.
- Stir in ground beef and mozzarella cheese. Once cheese is melted and incorporated, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, basil, or thyme if desired and serve.
Notes
Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick!
Nutrition
Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 918mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 667IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this?Leave a star rating or comment below!
Did exact proportions and times and it came out WAY too watery and soft.
i followed the recipe exactly and it just burned twice to the bottom of the instant pot. i was left with raw pasta and a mess of sauce. disappointing.
I loved this recipe! I made it in my 3 qtr instant pot. It was quick and simple. I had most all ingredients in the pantry. This will be my go to when I want beef and pasta!
Do you have suggestions for substituting gnocchi for the pasta? I tried…..I consulted other recipes, decreased the liquid by about 1/2 cup, and decreased the cook time. It was really tasty, the gnocchi turned out perfect, but it was pretty soupy. I’m thinking twice the gnocchi and even less water??
I’m sorry, I haven’t tested gnocchi with this recipe but you can try reducing the liquid a bit more and if that doesn’t work, you can always try a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up 🙂
Would the cool time change of I double the amount?
If so, how much more?
no, when doubling an instant pot recipe, you do not need to double the time. The instant pot will recognize that there’s more food and will just take a bit longer to reach pressure before cooking. Just keep an eye on the fill line, don’t go above it.
I’m working on a stash of freezer meals that can be from frozen to table in less than an hour. Have you done this as a freezer meal? I’ve used a hamburger helper recipe for a freezer meal, and it worked great. This looks like a delicious variety.
You wouldn’t be able to freeze it before baking since it is prepared in the instant pot. You could freeze it after it is cooked. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Excellent!!
It’s in my instant pot as we speak, smells great and the simple quick prep can’t be beat! Had a question though – why not pressure cook the beef with the pasta? Just wondering g why to keep it separate?
Browning the meat first and separately is an important step. You’ll get a better flavor and color with browning the meat first, and it’s not the best idea to put raw ground meat in with all the liquid in this recipe as you won’t be able to separate the grease after the meat is cooked.
This recipe was fantastic! Our whole family loved it, and the addition of the herbs de Provence gave a really nice flavor. He used chicken broth, onions, and about 10 ounces of pasta that’s all we had on hand, and it was fabulous.
Absolutely delicious! I used our favorite Michael’s From Brooklyn marinara and did include the crushed red pepper for a slight little kick. So delicious! This recipe is in my bookmarks for future meals. THANK YOU!
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂