Instant Pot Ground Beef and Pasta - Instant Pot Ground Beef & Pasta is a creamy, tomato-based pasta with ground beef that cooks in less than 30 minutes.
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ingredients you'll need for instant pot ground beef and pasta
- onion
- lean ground beef
- salt
- ground black pepper
- onion powder
- paprika
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- garlic powder
- tomato bouillon
- mini pasta shells
- marinara sauce
- beef stock
- water
- heavy cream
how to make instant pot ground beef and pasta
Detailed instructions and measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Turn on your Instant Pot to the saute setting.
- Once it is hot, add in your onion, ground beef, salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, dried oregano, dried basil, and garlic powder.
- Cook the mixture, breaking up the ground beef until it is no longer pink and the onions are softened.
- Add in the tomato bouillon cube and mix to combine.
- Spread the ground beef mixture evenly across the bottom.
- Add in the pasta shells layering them on top of the meat mixture. Do not stir.
- Pour the marinara sauce on top of the pasta. Do not stir.
- Pour in the beef stock and water making sure all the pasta is covered. Do not stir.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to SEALING.
- Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Once the 5 minutes are complete, QUICK-RELEASE the pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid and stir.
- Add in the heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Serve with some shaved parmesan and basil.
tips and tricks
- Instant Pot Ground Beef and Pasta is also great with ground turkey and ground elk.
- You can use any pasta shape you like. I personally prefer the mini shells.
- Use your favorite pasta sauce, whether that's jarred or homemade.
- You can use a tablespoon of tomato paste instead of the tomato bouillon if you prefer.
- Don't let the pasta touch the bottom of the pan. You will get a burn notice.
Can I freeze Instant Pot Ground Beef and Pasta?
I would not. It won't save you much time and the texture of the pasta will change.
Can I substitute the beef for something else?
Yes. You can use ground turkey, ground elk, ground pork, and even ground chicken if that's what you prefer.
How long does it take pasta to cook in the Instant Pot?
For this recipe, it only takes 5 minutes on high pressure.
alterations to lower calories and ww points
- You can substitute the lean ground beef for 99% fat free ground turkey or white meat ground chicken.
- You can substitute the heavy cream with nonfat plain Greek yogurt + cornstarch. You'll need to temper them so the yogurt does not separate before adding in.
- Use a low calorie/low point pasta sauce.
- Use a calorie friendly/point friendly pasta. Purple plans on WW could utilize whole wheat pasta.
you may also be interested in these recipes
Instant Pot Italian Shells
Instant Pot Ground Beef & Pasta is a creamy, tomato-based pasta with ground beef that cooks in less than 30 minutes.
Equipment
- instant pot
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cube tomato bouillion
- 16 ounces mini pasta shells uncooked
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- ½ cup beef stock
- 3½ cups water
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Turn on your Instant Pot to the saute setting.
- Once it is hot, add in your onion, ground beef, salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, dried oregano, dried basil, and garlic powder.
- Cook the mixture, breaking up the ground beef until it is no longer pink and the onions are softened.
- Add in the tomato bouillon cube and mix to combine.
- Spread the ground beef mixture evenly across the bottom.
- Add in the pasta shells layering them on top of the meat mixture. Do not stir.
- Pour the marinara sauce on top of the pasta. Do not stir.
- Pour in the beef stock and water making sure all the pasta is covered. Do not stir.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to SEALING.
- Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Once the 5 minutes are complete, QUICK-RELEASE the pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid and stir.
- Add in the heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Serve with some shaved parmesan and basil.
Notes
The order of ingredients is important. The layering prevents burning.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Italian Shells
Serving Size
1 .25 cup
Amount per Serving
Calories
252
% Daily Value*
Fat
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
5
g
31
%
Trans Fat
0
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
47
mg
16
%
Sodium
711
mg
31
%
Carbohydrates
19
g
6
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
8
g
9
%
Protein
15
g
30
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you tried this recipe? Please let us know how it was in the comments or tag us on Instagram @sweetlysplendid!
Cheryl
This has become a staple at our house. It’s now my go-to on those many nights when I’m too tired to really cook, but want everyone to enjoy dinner.
I’ve even improvised it when one night, I realized I had run out of marinara. I used enchilada sauce instead of marinara, taco seasoning instead of Italian, and queso instead of cream.
Kara has literally brought my family back to the table. Once I started working full time, we found ourselves grabbing whatever we could find, or worse...nightly take out.
But watching Kara cook and seeing her easy, fun, and creative ways to please everyone, my love for cooking was re-ignited.
kara
This is one of the best compliments I could ever receive! I need to try this recipe with the enchilada sauce and queso. It sounds so good!!