Break out your Instant Pot for a hearty comfort food dinner! This one pot tomato beef pasta recipe can be on your family’s table in less than 30 minutes.
This post may contain affiliate links.
Have you tried cooking pasta in the Instant Pot yet? I finally gave it a shot, and I’m so glad I did!
This Instant Pot Tomato Beef Pasta recipe came about because I wanted to convert one of my favorite childhood meals into something that could be made in the Instant Pot.
It worked like a charm, and was possibly even easier than the stovetop version that I grew up with!
One of the issues I’ve had in the past when making this recipe on the stovetop is inconsistent cooking time. Sometimes the pasta would be hard in spots, and other times it ended up too mushy.
I’ve also had mixed results when trying to use whole grain pasta. So for the Instant Pot version, I went with a standard pasta to see how it went.
The specific shape of pasta doesn’t necessarily matter for this recipe. What you need to pay attention to is the cooking time listed on the package of pasta. I recommend using fusilli or rotini – but any package that states that the pasta needs to cook for 11 minutes for “al dente” will work well here.
Since we’re making this in the Instant Pot, the actual cook time for the pasta (once pressure is reached) will be much less than if you were putting it into a pot of boiling water. It only takes only FIVE minutes.
It will take a few minutes to reach pressure, so keep that in mind when planning dinner time.
Start by browning the meat in the base of your Instant Pot using the Sauté function. Once it’s browned, if you have excess grease, you can drain it at that point. I used 85% lean ground beef and didn’t have too much grease, so I left it.
If you need to drain some, I recommend using a baster to suck up the drippings and removing them from the base of your Instant Pot. I had an incident yeeeears ago where I melted a turkey baster that I used in a cast iron pan.
It was a plastic baster, so I knew I needed a change. I bought the stainless steel version of this baster that has an angled tip that’s heatproof up to 600°F.
Releasing the pressure quickly once the cooking time finishes will ensure that your pasta won’t overcook.
My family’s favorite side dish for this Tomato Beef Pasta is garlic bread. This Skillet Garlic Parmesan Bread and My Favorite Garlic Bread are both great options, perfect for dunking!
I love this recipe because it reminds me of cozy dinners with my mom when I was a kid. I also love that it makes so much – it’s easily 6 servings and holds up well in the fridge for several days. Great for lunches!
I packed some in my son’s insulated LunchBots thermal bowl and it was a big hit at school.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out some of our favorites:
- Instant Pot Braised Lamb Shanks with Tomato
- Instant Pot Herbed Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Persian Beef and Celery Stew (Khoreshe Karafs)
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Beef Goulash
- Instant Pot “Baked” Beans
- Waffle Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict
- Instant Pot Chicken, Bacon, and Potato Soup
- Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Ranch Dip
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
Recipe for Instant Pot Tomato Beef Pasta
Print
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:
Print
PinDescription
Break out your Instant Pot for a hearty comfort food dinner! This one pot tomato beef pasta recipe can be on your family’s table in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (I used 85% lean)
- 1 pound fusilli or rotini pasta
- 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 (46-ounce) bottle tomato juice
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to “Sauté” and adjust to “more”. Once the pot is hot, add ground beef. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon until browned all over. Drain fat, if necessary.
- Add onion, bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato juice, ketchup, brown sugar, and chili powder. Stir to combine, then stir in the pasta. Close the lid, adjust the vent to “sealing” and set the Instant Pot to “Manual” high pressure for 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off, manually release the pressure (quick release) before opening the lid.
- Serve pasta with grated Parmesan and sprinkled over top with garlic bread alongside.
Notes
Use a pasta that takes 11 min for al dente, according to the box.
A turkey baster is a good tool for getting inside of your Instant Pot to drain fat. Just make sure yours has a heat-proof tip (not plastic).
Total time doesn’t account for the time it takes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure, which can vary. It will likely take another 5-10 minutes total, but it’s hands-off time.
Keywords: Instant Pot, pasta, comfort food
Note: This post includes affiliate links for items that I genuinely enjoy. Big Flavors will receive a tiny commission from purchases made through affiliate links on this site at no added cost to you. This allows us to cover site-related expenses and helps to keep us cooking up a storm!
6 Comments
Lori H
Oh wow, I haven’t cooked that in such a long time, but I love that it brings memories to mind for you! I just have to add that your garlic bread looks so delicious that I’m seriously craving it now!
Ashley
It’s been quite a while since I made it, too, because of all the issues I was having with the pasta not cooking right in the skillet. It worked so well for SO many years and then I dunno what happened. But this worked out great! I think it’d be good with ground turkey, too. (And yes, definitely ALWAYS add garlic bread!) 😉
Carol
Hi, this recipe looks great and I’m anxious to try it. Just wondering though, when does the pasta go into the Instant Pot?
Thanks!
Ashley
Thank you SO much for catching that, Carol! I forgot to put that part in the instructions. I’ve revised it above, but you stir it in right before you close the Instant Pot to start cooking (after you stir in the tomato juice and spices). I hope you enjoy this recipe – please come back and let me know what you think!
Charlie Nachman
Hi,
Prepared this for dinner today and we all enjoyed it. Simple to prepare (used ground turkey) and had great flavor. Made some garlic bread to go with it.
Another great meal
Thanks
★★★★★
Ashley
So glad to hear you and your family enjoyed this, Charlie! You’re my #1 recipe tester – high five, dude!!