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–+ servings
A white bowl of Instant Pot spaghetti sauce over pasta with some basil leaves.
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Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Super quick and delicious Instant Pot Spaghetti sauce ready in under 30 minutes! Don't forget to check out our step by step photos and tips above.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 quarts
Calories 488kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt plus additional, to taste
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 2 28-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes (undrained)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 Parmesan rind optional
  • 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to saute; add olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, fennel seeds, oregano, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add red wine; stir to release browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, bay leaves, brown sugar, and Parmesan rind, if using.
  • Press Cancel to reset Instant Pot.
  • Place top on Instant Pot; twist to seal and lock. Turn Steam Release Valve to “sealing.”
  • Set Instant Pot to cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes.
  • After cooking is complete, let pressure release naturally (about 10 minutes). After that, manually release the pressure by turning the Steam Release Valve to “venting.”
  • Remove lid from Instant Pot; hit Cancel to reset.
  • Stir in vinegar. Taste, and add salt as desired.
  • If a thicker sauce is desired, set Instant Pot to saute and simmer 10 to 15 additional minutes.
  • Remove and discard bay leaves and Parmesan rind, if using.
  • Use immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to three months.

Notes

  • When shopping for canned tomatoes for this recipe, I recommend using San Marzano tomatoes. Their flavor is more robust and intense, and they cook down into a lovely rich sauce.
  • I like to buy cans of whole peeled tomatoes, then crush them with my hands. If you don’t like getting your hands messy, buy crushed tomatoes.
  • Different brands of canned tomatoes have different amounts of liquid. To account for this variable, I find it best to add the tomatoes to the Instant Pot with their juices, and then simmer the mixture down after pressure cooking if it’s not thick enough to suit your tastes.
  • If you don’t have every ingredient for this recipe, don’t worry…it will still taste great. No fennel seeds? No problem. Don’t like spicy foods? Leave out the red pepper.
  • The Parmesan rind is totally optional; I keep a stash of these in my freezer to pop in soups and stews. They release rich savory flavor as the cook; just treat them like bay leaves and remove them after cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 3035mg | Potassium: 1667mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 347mg | Iron: 10mg