Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce - Simple, versatile, and insatiable pasta sauce you’ll want to keep on hand to impress guests or use for easy weeknight pasta dinner.
Amazing something so modest would result in such exquisite complex taste. The sauce speaks for itself. It will leave you speechless though, cause it's that good. Technique + quality ingredients equal deliciousness whether it's an instant pot or stovetop.
Homemade Pasta Sauce Ingredients
- Canned San Marzano Tomatoes (Whole and Peeled)
- Olive Oil
- Garlic Cloves
- Sugar
- Salt
- Paprika
- Dried Basil
- Black Pepper
Pasta Sauce Instructions (Step by Step)
This recipe is as easy as it gets. It’s 1-2-3 and done literally.
Step 1: Infuse the oil
Step 2: Fry the tomatoes
Fry the drained tomatoes in the garlic-infused olive oil for a minute undisturbed. Stir and then cook for another undisturbed minute.
Crush the tomatoes using a potato masher or the blunt side of a meat tenderizer. Add the spices and cook for a few minutes more. Add drained tomato liquids to the pot, stir, and cancel saute.
Step 3:Finish the sauce
Close the lid and pressure cook manually for 25 minutes. Let sauce release naturally.
Serving Suggestions
The sauce is straight-forward but soooo good. I put it on any pasta dish with or without meat. Dress it up with whatever you like, but note it isn’t necessary.
Key Steps For Maximizing Flavor
- Choose good quality canned tomatoes. I prefer San Marzano as they have a clean tomato taste and are fairly sweet.
- Fry your tomatoes first to not only concentrate their flavor but also to add flavor depth
- Season the sauce well before pressure cooking. I like a combination of a good smoky paprika and dried oregano.
- The longer the sauce rests/sits the more the flavor evolves into sweet baby Jesus levels!
Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I Have To Use An Instant Pot?
Not at all. This instant pot recipe is actually converted from a traditional approach. The steps/approach for cooking in a saucepan are the same. The only difference is instead of pressure cooking, the tomatoes are cooked at a long long long low-temperature simmer. I’m talking at least 2 hours.
How Much Sauce Does This Recipe Produce
After cooking this sauce nets about 20 oz which is slightly less than a normal size jar of store-bought pasta sauce.
How Long Will The Sauce Keep For?
There are no preservatives so you have 3-4 days refrigerated to preserve the sauce. Feel free to freeze it for much longer preservation using large freezer bags or airtight containers.
For similar recipes you might like, try these:
Charred Asparagus with Harissa Sauce
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Equipment
- instant pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 28 oz Canned Whole Peeled tomatoes San Marzano
- ½ tablespoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- ½ tablespoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
Instructions
- Open the canned tomatoes and drain into a bowl. Reserve the liquid.
- Pre-heat the Instant Pot on "Saute" less settings
- Once the Instant Pot reads "Hot" add the olive oil.
- Add garlic and sauté on low 3-4 minutes.
- Increase the Saute level to "more"
- Add the tomatoes and cook on high undisturbed for 1 minute.
- Stir then let sit for another minute.
- Using a potato masher or the blunt end of a meat tenderizer and crush the tomatoes.
- Add salt, sugar, paprika, oregano, and pepper. Stir and cook 3-4 minutes. Cancel saute.
- Add reserved tomato juices to pot and mix well. Close the lid and cook using manual pressure cook settings at 25 minutes. Allow for natural release.
Notes
- Frying the tomatoes is the key to adding more depth of flavor.
- Taste the tomatoes before cooking for the preferred level of sweetness and adjust sugar amounts accordingly. If the tomatoes are pretty sweet then reduce sugar levels.