• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lynn's Way of Life
  • CCPA Notice
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Meet Lynn
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal Recipes for the Whole Family
  • Spring Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Supplemental Privacy Policy for Nevada Residents
  • Web Stories
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring
  • Recipes
  • Meet Lynn
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring
    • Recipes
    • Meet Lynn
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot Recipes » Easy Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese

    Easy Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese

    Published: Mar 8, 2023 · Modified: Mar 19, 2023 by Lynn Polito · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

    Sharing is caring!

    33 shares
    • Facebook1
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    A hearty weeknight dinner, this Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese is so easy to make and made with only a few simple ingredients! This is sure to be a dinner the whole family will love!

    A bowl of Instant Pot Rigatoni is in front of the Instant Pot.

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. However this is at no cost to you. Read my affiliate links full disclosure policy here.

    Pasta dinners are an easy and filling dinner to make any night of the week! This Instant Pot rigatoni recipe is loaded with a hearty meat sauce and made entirely in your electric pressure cooker.

    Instant Pot pasta recipes are some of my favorite to make. Instant Pot feta pasta, Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi, and Instant Pot chicken tetrazzini are some of my other favorite recipes to make!

    Jump to:
    • What is Bolognese Sauce?
    • Ingredients To Gather
    • Equipment You'll Need
    • How To Make Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Variations
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Easy Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is Bolognese Sauce?

    There are lots of different types of pasta sauce out there. Marinara sauce is a typical tomato sauce. It is made with tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic.

    Bolognese sauce is a hearty meat sauce made with carrots, celery, onions, and ground beef.

    When picking out the type of pasta to serve, rigatoni pasta has lots of ridges and lines in the pasta. That will catch all the delicious sauce right in the pasta. Rotini, penne, or shells would work in this recipe too.

    Ingredients To Gather

    An overhead shot of the ingredients for Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese
    • Vegetables. You will need carrots, celery, and onions.
    • Ground meat. I like ground beef, a 93/7 or 90/10 mixture. To make this lighter, you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
    • Pasta. We are using one pound of rigatoni.
    • Italian seasoning. For a little added flavor.
    • Canned Tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes in a 28 ounce can.
    • Beef broth. Chicken broth or water will work too.
    • Kosher salt and black pepper. To season as we cook.

    Equipment You'll Need

    • Instant Pot- You'll need at least a 6 quart Instant Pot or the pasta won't fit.
    • Cutting Boards
    • Knives
    • Food Processor

    How To Make Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese

    Peel the carrots and onion and chop them into large chunks. Add them to the food processor. Wash the celery and cut that into chunks and add it to the food processor.

    Turn your food processor on and blend until the vegetables are minced.

    Add the olive oil to your Instant Pot and turn the sauté function on. Pour the minced vegetables into the bottom of the pot and saute for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

    The vegetables are in the food processor
    The olive oil and minced vegetables are in the Instant Pot.

    Add the ground beef to the Instant Pot and saute for another 3-5 minutes until the beef is browned. Season again with salt and black pepper.

    Pour the pasta, Italian seasoning, and beef broth into the Instant Pot and give the mixture a good stir. Cancel saute mode and close the lid and make sure the pressure valve is set to the sealing position.

    Set the cook time to 7 minutes on high pressure. After 7 minutes, quick pressure release the pressure. Open the lid and stir the pasta. Serve immediately with lots of parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top of the pasta.

    The ground beef is added to the Instant Pot.
    The tomato sauce is added to the Instant Pot.
    The pasta is added to the Instant Pot.

    Lynn's Tip! Be careful when releasing the pressure as liquid may spill out the top of the pressure valve.

    Tips and Tricks

    • The Instant Pot will take 8-10 minutes to come up to pressure before it begins cooking.
    • If you use another type of pasta, check the timing of the pasta on the back of the box. Depending on the shape, it might take a little longer to cook the pasta.
    • If you do not have a 28 ounce can of tomato sauce, you can use your favorite jar sauce instead. You can also use ¼ cup of tomato paste with 4 cups of beef broth.
    A ladle is lifting the Instant Pot Rigatoni out of the Instant Pot.

    Variations

    • Add more veggies! In the food processor, feel free to add more veggies like bell pepper, zucchini, or yellow squash.
    • Make it cheesy! After the pasta cooks, stir in mozzarella cheese or Ricotta cheese for more cheesy goodness!
    • Make it spicy! Add red pepper flakes or spicy Italian sausage to the mixture.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What should I do with leftovers?

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, add the leftovers to a pan on the stovetop or use the saute function on your Instant Pot to reheat the pasta.

    Why did I get a burn notice on my Instant Pot?

    That probably means that you did not have enough liquid in the Instant Pot. You need at least 3 cups water, beef broth, or chicken broth for this recipe on top of the tomato puree.

    Can I use gluten free pasta?

    Yes! You can make this pasta with gluten free pasta, chickpea pasta, or your favorite brand of pasta. Make sure to check the cook time on the back of the box to make sure you are cooking the pasta long enough and not overcooking it. You want that perfectly al dente pasta!

    A close up of the bowl of Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese.

    More Easy Recipes

    • More Instant Pot Recipes
    • Instant Pot Cabbage Soup
    • Instant Pot Creme Brulee
    • Stuffed Pepper Soup- In the Instant Pot
    • Instant Pot Marinara Sauce
    • Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken

    Did you love this recipe? If you did, please leave a 5 ⭐️ rating below! Follow along on Instagram and Facebook!

    📖 Recipe

    A bowl of Instant Pot Rigatoni is in front of the Instant Pot.

    Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese

    A hearty weeknight dinner, this Instant Pot Rigatoni Bolognese is so easy to make and made with only a few simple ingredients! This is sure to be a dinner the whole family will love!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 569kcal
    Author: Lynn Polito

    Equipment

    • Food Processor
    • Instant Pot
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Cutting Board
    • Knives

    Ingredients

    • 1 Large Onion
    • 3 Carrots
    • 3 Celery Sticks
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 lb Ground Beef 93/7
    • 1 lb Rigatoni
    • 3 cups Beef Broth
    • 1 can Crushed Tomatoes 28 ounces
    • 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
    • ¼ cup Heavy Cream or Whole Milk

    Instructions

    • Peel the carrots and onion and chop them into large chunks. Add them to the food processor. Wash the celery and cut that into chunks and add it to the food processor.
    • Turn your food processor on and blend until the vegetables are minced.
    • Add the olive oil to your Instant Pot and turn the sauté function on. Pour the minced vegetables into the bottom of the pot and saute for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Add the ground beef to the Instant Pot and saute for another 3-5 minutes until the beef is browned. Season again with salt and black pepper.
    • Pour the pasta, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and beef broth into the Instant Pot and give the mixture a good stir. Cancel saute mode and close the lid and make sure the pressure valve is set to the sealing position.
    • Set the cook time to 7 minutes on high pressure. After 7 minutes, quick pressure release the pressure. Open the lid and stir the heavy cream into the pasta. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    • The Instant Pot will take 8-10 minutes to come up to pressure.
    • Make sure to salt and pepper well.  Because we are not boiling a large pot of water and adding salt, you will need to add salt as you saute the vegetables and the ground beef.
    • Use your favorite pasta and check the back of the box to see how long you will need to cook the pasta.
    • Whole milk can be used instead of heavy cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 616mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5266IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @LynnsWayofLife or tag #lynnswayoflife!
    « Silver Dollar Pancakes (Mini Pancakes)
    Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe »

    Sharing is caring!

    33 shares
    • Facebook1
    • Twitter

    Subscribe

    for your weekly recipe fix.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey there! I'm Lynn and I'm based just outside of Boston. I'm a wife and mom of two with a passion for cooking and creating homemade food for my family.

    Whether it's creating new recipes, or exploring tried and true classics, I am constantly trying to show that homemade doesn't have to be hard

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • Pinterest

    People are Loving!

    • A piece of the stack of pancakes with self-rising flour is on a fork.
      Fluffy Pancakes {With Self-Rising Flour!}
    • The banana bread with self rising flour is cut into slices and is on a cutting board.
      Banana Bread Recipe with Self-Rising Flour
    • An overhead shot of the Instant Pot Shrimp Scamp in a bowl
      Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe
    • A fork and knife are cutting into the waffle.
      Waffles With Self Rising Flour
    • The sourdough pretzel bites are on a tray with mustard
      Sourdough Pretzel Bites
    • An overhead shot of the muffins in a muffin tin.
      Easy Banana Oatmeal Muffins

    Spring Favs!

    • A lemon cheesecake bar is on a glass plate with lemons in the background
      Easy Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe
    • A portion of the french toast blueberry casserole is on a fluted plate.
      Blueberry French Toast Casserole
    • An overhead shot of the blueberry muffins with sour cream.
      Blueberry Lemon Muffins with Sour Cream
    • Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns are best served with tea or coffee
      Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns
    • A piece of the instant pot carrot cake is cut out
      Instant Pot Carrot Cake (with Cream Cheese Frosting)
    • A close up of one of the Instant Pot Creme Brulee pots.
      Instant Pot Crème Brulee

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • What is Lynn's Way of Life

    Let's Connect!

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Lynn's Way of Life