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.
Heat up Instant Pot over the hottest “Sauté” setting for 2 minutes. Add oil and let that heat through for another minute. Add 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.
Notes
Feel free to use pancetta in place of bacon.
You can alternatively use ground pork or chicken, but I highly recommend doing an 85/15 ground beef if you can as that will have the most flavor/moisture.
Heavy cream can be used in place of canned coconut milk.