Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce is a staple recipe! This classic tomato sauce tastes like it has been simmered all day, but comes together in less than 1 hour, thanks to the pressure cooker. Make a large batch of this Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce to always have on hand when needed!
Use this delicious homemade tomato sauce for Oven-Baked Meatballs, Baked Rotini, Lasagna Soup, or Instant Pot Lasagna. And if you don't have a pressure cooker, check out my Stove Top Tomato Sauce Recipe.
Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Hands down I prefer homemade tomato sauce over store-bought sauce!
BUT, homemade spaghetti sauce is time-consuming, as it takes hours of simmering to develop those rich flavors we all love in a good homemade tomato sauce.
Thanks to the Instant Pot, I have taken my recipe for Homemade Tomato Sauce and sped up the process!
With a few simple steps, it is easy to have a rich, delicious tomato sauce that tastes like it has been simmered all day in under an hour.
This recipe for spaghetti sauce is rich, thick, and full of subtle Italian flavors and is made with simple pantry staples--no fresh tomatoes or spices are needed for this recipe!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Tomato Sauce
- Crushed Tomatoes: You can use tomato sauce or tomato puree, but the flavor of crushed tomatoes is best.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is needed to thicken the sauce.
- Olive Oil: Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Onions: This is optional, but I love to add sauteed onions for an extra depth of flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are best. Just crush them slightly to allow the garlic flavor to be released. In a bind, you can use jarred garlic.
- Dried Herbs: A combination of dried parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves flavor this sauce perfectly.
- Butter: Adds a great depth of flavor and richness to your sauce, but feel free to omit to keep this Dairy-Free
- Honey: Helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Feel free to sub out for sugar or omit altogether.
- Vegetable Stock/Wine: This gives the sauce the liquid it needs to cook in the pressure cooker. I personally like to use a mixture of dry red wine and stock for flavor, but all stock or even water will work. For dry red wine, choose a merlot or cabernet that is suitable for drinking.
How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Step One: Saute Onions
- Heat Instant Pot, using saute function.
- Once the pressure cooker is heated, add in olive oil and onions.
- Saute for 1-2 minutes or until onions begin to soften.
Step Two: Add Tomato Sauce Ingredients
- Pour in wine and stock.
- Pour in tomato sauce, garlic, dried herbs, and butter into the pressure cooker.
- Stir gently.
- Dollop tomato paste on top of tomato sauce and dot drizzle with honey. Let the tomato paste sit on top of the tomato sauce so it will not cause a burn notice.
Step Three: Pressure Cook
- Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
Step Four: Allow Pressure to Release
- Allow pressure to release for at least 10-15 minutes, or naturally.
- Stir the sauce together, removing the bay leaves and use as desired.
Storing Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
- Use spaghetti sauce right away, or store in glass or freezer-safe containers.
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce keeps for 5-7 days in the fridge.
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce freezes for 3-4 months.
Use Instant Pot Tomato Sauce for:
- Best Oven-Baked Meatballs
- Instant Pot Creamy Italian Pasta
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Lasagna
Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion minced
- ½ cup dry red wine or additional vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsely
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon butter or additional olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Heat Instant Pot, using saute function. Once the pressure cooker is heated, add in olive oil and onions. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until onions begin to soften. Turn OFF the saute function.
- Add the wine (or ½ cup of broth) to the instant pot. Scrape up any browned bits that may have formed on the bottom of the instant pot.
- Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes (or sauce), garlic, dried herbs, and salt and pepper, into the pressure cooker in that order. Stir gently.
- Dollop tomato paste on top of sauce mixture and drizzle with honey. Add butter to top of ingredients. DO NOT STIR. Secure lid on Instant Pot and make sure vent knob is sealed.
- Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Allow pressure to release at least 10 to 15 minutes before doing quick release. Remove bay leaf, stir well and use accordingly.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Use spaghetti sauce right away, or store in glass or freezer safe containers.
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce keeps for 5-7 days in fridge.
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce freezes for 3-4 months.
- For Dry Red Wine, I suggest a Cabernet or Merlot wine.
Jacky
I just made this. I doubled the recipe and used fresh tomatoes because they were given to me from a lady at the farmers market. About 13 good sized tomatoes. It seems runny. Is there a way to thicken it? Can I put it in the blender after I remove the bay leaves?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Jacky! When using fresh tomatoes, it is best to deseed them so the sauce does not become watered down. You can remove the bay leaves and blend and then if still too thin, saute with 6 ounces of tomato paste to thicken.
Sara
I have made this countless times and it's always delicious! I use it for spaghetti, meatball subs, chicken parm, lasagna, ravioli--you get it LOL 🤤 Thank you for this easy and excellent recipe!
Diane
I have not tried yet, but sounds delicious. I have some cooked meatballs and sausage I would like to add to the sauce. Do you have a suggestion as to when to add them? After the sauce has been cooked and then add them and let it slow cook or keep warm for awhile?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Diane. You can add cooked meatballs after pressure cooking and keep on warm to just warm through. Enjoy
Lindsay
How much is (1) serving?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lindsay! Each serving is about 1/2 cup.
David
This is such a great recipe, super easy and oh so tasty! Thank you for sharing Kristen. I was out of crushed tomatoes this time so I used tomato sauce along with a can of Rotel mild diced tomatoes and chilies, it was a success.
Kristen Chidsey
And thank you David for sharing your review! I always love hearing when others enjoy my recipes.
Anita Tuggle Goolsby
I am going to be making this this evening but I was wondering the serving size.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi David! I hope you enjoy. The serving size is about 1/2 cup.
Sharon
Hi...Kristen
Just wondering if this sauce could be canned. Do you know if anyone has tried that? Thank.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sharon! I am not a canning expert, however, I do know acid (like lemon juice) needs to be added for preservation. Here are some directions for canning tomato sauce that may help you.
Kris
What would the amount of fresh herbs be?
Looking forward to making this with my garden tomatoes!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kris. The rule of thumb is to use one tablespoon of fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs.