Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce is the perfect way to make gluten free sauce for your gluten free noodles! Not only that, but this sauce is vegetarian and vegan as well. When you're craving homemade, this is the best of the best!
All you need is 20 minutes of time using your Instant Pot, and it'll be perfect and ready to add to the top of your favorite noodle dish.
Stop buying the sauces from the store that are loaded with ingredients that you can't even pronounce and make your own homemade spaghetti sauce instead! The flavor is out of this world!
I don't know about you, but the thought of making pasta sauce homemade really makes me happy. It's not often when there's a recipe that's this simple - and ends up with so much flavor!
I've been eating spaghetti for all my life and this has to be my favorite pasta sauce recipe, hands down. It has the perfect consistency and texture that it coats the spaghetti noodles without sticking to them and making them clumpy!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce recipe is perfect if you have busy weeknights when you're already running behind. It saved my behind a time or two when I walked through the door after a long day of work and was met with a lot of hungry bellies, wondering what was for dinner!
- Easy to make ahead – perfect for meal prep!
- Freezer-friendly – make a big batch & freeze for later, then reheat when ready and serve.
- Makes a large batch that is perfect for feeding a crowd (or a family with a huge appetite!)
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
Olive oil - Olive oil works best for this recipe, but avocado oil or coconut oil work, too.
Tomatoes - Any type of fresh tomatoes is perfect.
Garlic cloves - Minced garlic is also an option, as is garlic powder.
Tomato paste - Be sure to find tomato paste that doesn't have any extra added sugar.
Brown sugar - This is the only sugar that you'll need to add to give just a small hint of sweetness.
Water - Helps to thin out the sauce.
All the following ingredients are needed to create the perfect sauce flavor:
- Basil
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Fennel seeds
- Red pepper flakes
- Onion powder
- Salt and pepper
All of the ingredients above are dried and combined to make a delicious DIY spaghetti sauce.
How to make Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Gather the ingredients listed above. You don't want to leave any of them out!
Step One: Set the Instant pot to saute for 3 minutes. Add the olive oil, chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and stir.
Step Two: Mix in the tomato sauce, brown sugar, spices, dried spices, and stir.
Step Three: Add 4 T of tomato paste and water. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and press Manual High Pressure for 13 minutes.
Step Four: Once the time passes, do a natural release and remove the lid.
Dish in a bowl over noodles and enjoy!
Variations
Add other spices - The spices I add are for a typical flavor and are not too spicy. If you want this sauce to be hot, add more hot ingredients.
Add meat - If you want to add some ground beef or ground turkey, you can. Pork sausage would be delicious as well.
Helpful Tip
- Make sure you don't cook the sauce for too long and pay attention to the cook times and temperature. The sauce can burn on the bottom of the Instant Pot if you're not careful.
How to serve
This simple sauce recipe is easy to serve!
In my opinion, it's one of the best side dishes for stuffed shells.
You can also pour over one of these dishes for extra taste!
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Instant Pot Zucchini Noodles
- Instant Pot Stuffed shells
- Instant Pot Feta Pasta
You can also enjoy the sauce with a side of garlic bread or make this easy chicken parm recipe by Chef Dennis.
Recipe FAQs
Making this simple sauce recipe ahead of time is a breeze! Set aside an hour to make this pasta sauce in bulk and have it ready and waiting in the fridge.
There may not be a mess-free way to reheat spaghetti sauce, but you can try your best!
Pop it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and let it get nice and hot. Be sure to put a napkin over the top to help with any splatters.
You can also pour the leftovers into a pot and heat it on the stove. Put it on medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
You may have added too much liquid. The easiest way to thicken up this sauce recipe is to add some tomato paste. Add a little bit, and then stir until you get it to the right thickness that you're looking for.
Sauce Recipes
Love the idea of making homemade sauces? Here are some others that I think you'll love.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below. Thanks!
Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 tomatoes chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 ounce tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ cups water
- ½ tablespoon basil dried
- 4 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon parsley dried
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¼ tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Press saute and add the olive oil into the Instant Pot. Add the minced garlic and chopped tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, salt and pepper, onion powder, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes . Stir well.
- Add in more tomato paste (4 tbsp) and water and put on the Istant Pot lid.
- Cook on high pressure for 13 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, do a natural pressure release.
- Take off the lid, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Make sure that you don't cook the sauce for too long and pay attention to the cook times and temperature. The sauce can burn on the bottom of the Instant Pot if you're not careful.
- The easiest way to thicken up this sauce recipe is to add some tomato paste. Add a little bit, and then stir until you get it to the right thickness that you're looking for.
- If you want to add some ground beef or ground turkey, you can. Pork sausage would be delicious as well.
- The spices I add are for a typical flavor and are not too spicy. If you want this sauce to be hot, add more hot ingredients.
Hello,
30 ounce tomato paste? If I convert that into grams than I think that that can't be possible. How many tablespoons?
You are right It's 3 ounces or 6 tablespoons. Fixed 🙂
I am sure you haven't noticed that in the 1st line of INSTRUCTIONS you write "potatoes" instead of tomatoes. That would definitively make an unusual sauce. Thanks Corrie for another time saver recipe.
You are right thanks. Fixed 🙂
Do I have to peel the tomatoes?
I don't see tomato sauce in ingredients?
There are different tomato products used to make this sauce-- the recipe calls for tomato paste as well as 12 medium tomatoes that break down to form the sauce. Hope that helps!
Well, I can see only 6 tomatoes and 30 ounce tomato paste (basically, a large bottle). Is it 12 or 6?