This is the BEST recipe for Instant Pot Meatballs! These meatballs are simple to make, full of incredible flavor, and are the most tender meatballs you have ever had!
This recipe has been inspired by my famous Baked Italian Meatball Recipe. Instead of a crispy exterior, these meatballs are soft and tender--much like they had simmered in sauce for hours.
My recipe for Instant Pot Meatballs is just as flavorful as my traditional oven-baked meatballs and the meatballs are just as tender, if not a bit more tender!
The difference is that Pressure Cooker Meatballs do not have a crispy exterior. I give you suggestions to get achieve a browned exterior, but I have to say these tender meatballs remind me of authentic Italian Meatballs that have been simmered in rich tomato sauce all day. Bottom line, they are just good!
How To Make Meatballs in Instant Pot
Step One: Prepare Meatballs
- Mix together the binding ingredients for meatballs.
- Add in the ground meat and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs.
- Roll meatballs into 1-inch balls.
- Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet. At this point, you can freeze meatballs for 10 minutes to make them easier to handle, or you can pressure cook meatballs right away.
Step Two: Prepare Instant Pot
- Pour beef broth or water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Add in trivet to the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
Step Three: Cook Meatballs
- Gently, place the prepared meatballs onto the trivet, stacking as needed.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure vent knob is pointed to sealed.
- Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes before releasing pressure manually. This will help to keep the meatballs super tender.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Meatballs are fabulous served alone or with your favorite sauce. I personally like to serve these meatballs with homemade spaghetti sauce or Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce and a side of pasta or use them to make Meatball Subs.
Another great tip is to stir up to ½ cup of the beef broth and meatball drippings from the inner pot into tomato sauce for a delicious addition to your sauce for meatballs.
How to Brown Meatballs
As I stated earlier, browning meatballs is a completely optional step, and it is a step that can make this recipe for meatballs a bit more complicated.
If you would like to brown meatballs, you can follow one of the two following options.
Option One: Saute Meatballs Before Pressure Cooking
This method is tedious, as the meatballs can only be browned in batches of 3-4 and the meatballs can fall apart if flipped too soon. So proceed with caution and attention to detail.
- Once your meatballs are formed, it is essential you freeze them for 10-15 minutes to help hold their shape as they are browning.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the saute function and add in ½ tablespoon of oil and let it heat.
- Add the meatballs in batches of 3-4 at a time to the heated oil and brown meatballs on each side.
- Once the meatballs have been browned, remove them from the pressure cooker and repeat the process until all the meatballs are browned.
- Turn off the saute function and add in beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the inner pot. This is a crucial step and if you do not do this, you very well may get a burn notice.
- Proceed with the recipe, decreasing the cooking time from 7 minutes to 6 minutes.
Option Two: Broil Meatballs After Pressure Cooking
This is the easiest way, and my preferred method, to achieve a browned exterior to your pressure-cooked meatballs.
- Once the meatballs have been pressure-cooked, place cooked meatballs on a broiler sheet pan.
- Broil on high for 1 minute per side until browned.
More Instant Pot Beef Recipes
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Ground Beef (From Fresh and Frozen)
- Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.
If you tried out this recipe for Instant Pot Meatballs, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Instant Pot Meatballs
Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
For Cooking Meatballs in Pressure Cooker
- 1 to 1 ½ cups beef broth or water
Instructions
Prepare Meatballs
- In a large bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, seasonings, Parmesan, ¼ cup of beef broth, and egg until well incorporated.
- Add in the ground meat and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs.
- Roll meatballs into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet. At this point, you can freeze meatballs for 10 minutes to make them easier to handle, or you can pressure cook meatballs right away.
Pressure Cook Meatballs
- If using a 3 or 6-quart pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water or broth into the inner pot. If using an 8-quart pressure cooker, add 1-½ cups of water or broth to the inner pot. Add the trivet to the inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Gently, place prepared meatballs onto the trivet, stacking as needed.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure vent knob is pointed to sealed. Set to cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, using the manual or pressure cook button.
- Let pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes before releasing pressure manually.
- Serve the meatballs with your favorite sauce.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
Jeanne M Ramirez
How do I double this recipe, using the instant pot?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Jeanne! To double this recipe, just double the ingredients for the meatballs. Add the same amount of water in the Instant Pot and then carefully stack the meatballs on the trivet. Cook as directed. The cook time will remain the same, but the time it takes to come to pressure will increase by a bit. Hope you enjoy!
Robin
I love these meatballs!
Kristen Chidsey
They are our favorites too Robin!
Thane W
My new go-to for instant pot meatballs, delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you for sharing your success Thane! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Jovita Lewis
This was the easiest recipe I have used for my Instant Pot. Meatballs were so tender. Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad to hear this was easy and tasty! I just made these again yesterday myself--we love them too.
Jodi U
Awesome recipe! Thinking of meatball subs with the leftovers!
Kristen Chidsey
I always make extra just to make these Meatball Subs with toasted garlic buns 🙂 So glad you enjoyed!
Sarah
We use French's fried onions (any flavor) in place of bread crumbs for just about every thing including meatballs/burgers/ meatloaf. It gives it a whole different flavor profile and we love it. We also love it as breading on fried chicken! Just an idea. I plan on making these in the next few days!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh that is a great idea Sarah! Just a warning though, if using the French Fried Onions, I would cut the salt in at least half or you will end up with extremely salty meatballs 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
Janet Russell
I am cooking your meatball recipe that I froze raw.
So now I am cooking these raw frozen meatballs in sauce (no Pre-browning) YET, my meat balls are close to 2 1/2” diameter and I believe your recipe calls for golf ball size meatballs?
How would you adjust time for my bigger balls😊
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Janet! If you are cooking your meatballs in your sauce, not in the oven, I would simmer for 35-40 minutes in your sauce. Check them after that time, they may need a bit longer since they are large and frozen, but that would be my starting point.
Alison faunt
Wow I made this today the flavour is amazing I did my meat balls in a pan though to brown off while the sauce was cooking in the hot pot I will defiantly be making this again it’s a thumbs up for me
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! I am so glad you enjoyed Alison!
Jenny
These were great and I froze some of the batch. As I look now I’m wondering why the frozen directions indicate to put in instant pot for 5 minutes while the original indicates 7. I’d think that from the freezer would need to cook longer? Thanks!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed. As for reheating the frozen meatballs, they are fully cooked, so the pressure cooker is just warming them back up, most of the thawing out will be done while the Instant Pot is heating...hope that helps explain it. 😊
Tisha
Who would have thought making meatballs in the instant pot would be so easy!!! This looks so incredible!!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Tisha! It really is a great and easy recipe!
Jillian
These meatballs were so easy and so tasty!
Kristen Chidsey
Just what I like to hear!