Quick and Easy Instant Pot Bolognese

This quick and easy Instant Pot bolognese recipe is flavorful and the perfect accompaniment to any meal. I love eating it with eggs, on gluten free pasta or on a bed of zucchini noodles. The recipe is gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and Whole30.

What is Spaghetti Bolognese?

Spaghetti bolognese is known in Italian as "ragù alla bolognese."

It is customarily used to dress tagliatelle al ragù and to prepare lasagne alla bolognese.

It translates to "meat-based sauce" and is often used in American cooking coupled with pasta dishes.

Traditionally, preparation for bolognese typically includes several techniques like sweating, sautéing, and braising.

Thanks to the Instant Pot, we can drastically cut the amount of time and effort we have to put forth in order to come out with a fantastic bolognese sauce.

Best ingredients for bolognese sauce

This bolognese recipe is a rendition of one of the most popular recipes on my blog for Whole30 Bolognese.

I decided to change a few of the ingredients up and make it a bit thinner and less chunky since it is not traditionally being served with zucchini noodles (which excrete a lot of moisture.)

I like to use a combination of tomato paste and crushed tomatoes in this recipe.

Tomato paste is made from long-cooked tomatoes, and it is thick in texture and very concentrated in flavor.

Crushed tomatoes are simply a mixture of diced tomatoes and tomato puree/paste with some salt usually. I also love using crushed tomatoes as the base of all of my homemade red pasta sauces! 🙂

You can use pancetta instead of bacon if you'd like or use a ground pork instead of beef. I prefer to use an 85/15 ground beef so my sauce doesn't turn out dry or lacking in the flavor department.

Can you overcook Bolognese?

You cannot really overcook a Bolognese sauce. In my opinion, the longer it sits, the better it tastes.

However, you want to be sure you have enough liquid in your pot/vessel.

Why does spaghetti sauce burn in Instant Pot?

It can burn (particularly in the Instant Pot) if there isn't enough liquid in there with the rest of the ingredients.

This recipe is balanced in that regard as there is plenty of broth, crushed tomatoes, and non-dairy milk.

You should not come across any issues with burning. However, if your Instant Pot starts reading the "burn" message, here are steps you can take:

1. Immediately press "Keep Warm/Cancel."
2. Carefully move the valve from "Sealing" to "Venting" and release all of the pressure.
3. Remove the lid and be sure there isn't anything stuck to the bottom of the vessel. If there is, scrape it well and add another ½ cup broth.
4. Let it cool down and proceed with cooking.

How to make Instant Pot Bolognese

Heat up Instant Pot over the hottest "Sauté" setting for 2 minutes. Add oil and let that heat through for another minute. Stir in onions, carrots, and celery, and cook until softened and very lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Add ground beef and bacon with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Sauté, breaking up meats with a meat mincer or wooden spoon, until browned and most of the juices have evaporated. This will take about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and tomato paste to the Instant Pot, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Deglaze the insert with broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until most of the broth has evaporated.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, remaining broth, half of the milk, and half of the parsley. Bring to a simmer. Place lid on Instant Pot, seal, and set the unit to "Manual" and "High Pressure" for 10 minutes.

Quick release pressure, and very carefully lift the lid when the float drops. Switch the Instant Pot to the lowest heat sauté setting and bring to a low simmer. Add the remaining milk and simmer uncovered, for about 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened to your desired consistency. Stir in the remaining chopped parsley. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Serve over cooked pasta with plenty of freshly-grated cheese and more fresh parsley, if desired.

Freezing and making ahead

Feel free to make this ahead of time and stick it in the freezer. In an airtight container, it should last up to 3-4 months in the freezer.

FAQ

More Instant Pot recipes you'll love:

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Zuppa Toscana Copycat

Instant Pot Tomato Soup

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