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Instant Pot Bolognese – A rich, flavorful meat sauce made in a fraction of the time thanks to the pressure cooker. Packed with tender vegetables, savory beef, and fresh herbs, this comforting classic makes for an easy weeknight dinner.
Bolognese is one of those meals that feels like it’s been simmering all day, even when it hasn’t.
This Instant Pot version gives you all that deep, rich flavor in a fraction of the time, and the smell alone will have everyone circling the kitchen. It’s hearty without being heavy, with tender vegetables, savory beef, and a sauce that clings to every strand of pasta.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Olive Oil
- Carrots
- Onion
- Celery Ribs
- Oregano
- Basil
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Salt
- Ground Beef – I use lean ground beef or I find the sauce it too greasey
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Tomato Paste
- Red Wine, Or Beef Broth
- Bay Leaves
- Dried Pasta
Pile it high on your plate, add a side of warm Cheesy Garlic Bread, and dinner pretty much makes itself.
How To Make Instant Pot Bolognese
- Sauté vegetables – Set the Instant Pot to Sauté, heat olive oil, and cook carrots until lightly browned. Add onion & celery and cook until softened.
- Season with herbs & garlic – Stir in oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, and salt, cooking briefly until fragrant.
- Brown the beef – Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Add tomatoes & liquid – Mix in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine (or broth), and bay leaves.
- Pressure cook the sauce – Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- Boil the pasta – With 10 minutes left on the sauce, cook pasta in a separate pot according to package directions.
- Release pressure – Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes, then vent any remaining steam.
- Serve & enjoy – Spoon the Bolognese sauce over pasta and pair with Cheesy Garlic Bread for a complete meal.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Use fresh herbs if possible – Fresh oregano, basil, and parsley give the sauce a brighter, more aromatic flavor.
- Chop vegetables finely – Smaller pieces cook faster and blend seamlessly into the sauce for a smoother texture.
- Brown the beef well – Let it develop some color before adding liquids to deepen the flavor of the sauce.
- Deglaze with wine or broth – Scrape up browned bits from the pot after adding liquid to capture extra flavor.
- Don’t rush the release – The 10-minute natural release helps the flavors meld and prevents splattering.
- Adjust seasoning before serving – Taste and add extra salt or pepper after cooking if needed.
- Freeze for future meals – The sauce freezes beautifully in airtight containers for quick dinners later.
- Different protein – use ground turkey instead of ground beef to lighten things up a little.
Storage
Let the sauce cool completely and then you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing
This sauce freezes really well. You can let it cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge before reheating and tossing with pasta.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
- 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup red wine, can sub beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 oz dried pasta
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot on Saute. Add olive oil and carrots and cook until the carrots very lightly browned, about 5 minutes.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 medium carrots
- Add in onion and celery and cook for 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent.1 medium onion, 2 celery ribs
- Stir in oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.3 sprigs fresh oregano, 6 fresh basil leaves, 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add ground beef and cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart until lightly browned.1 pound ground beef
- Mix in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, and bay leaves. Lock the lid in place and cook for 30 minutes under high pressure.1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1/4 cup red wine, 2 bay leaves
- When there is about 10 minutes left of cook time, start to cook pasta according to the package instructions.12 oz dried pasta
- Let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before venting.
- Serve over cooked pasta
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Pasta is one dish that we all enjoy and with the delicious sauce poured over it, it’s a total winner in our house! Love that the instant pot does all the work and it comes together so eaisly.
Another great recipe for my Instant Pot! Looks so bold and flavorful; looking forward to giving this a try with dinner tonight!
This was a huge hit with my kids. Great recipe!
Such a tasty dinner, can’t believe how simple the recipe is!
Bolognese traditionally HAS DAIRY added. And no garlic. This is simply a ragu. And not terrible. But bolognese couldn’t be made to the finish in an instant pot.
When we visited Bologna Italy, where Bolognese is said to have originated, I took a cooking classes with trained chefs. All of them said classic Bolognese DOES NOT contain dairy. They put a ton of Parmesan cheese on top, but that is the only dairy at all.
The best sauce! So tasty and loved how hands off it was!
Oh my! I do love a good instant pot recipe like this!
Is the pasta counted in the calories?
Yes, a 2 oz serving of dried pasta is included in the nutrition information. Everything is just an estimation, if you are watching calories closely, you will want to double check with the products to make sure it is close.
Would I be able to make it on a crockpot?
Yes, just do all of the sautéing in a skillet on the stove. Once the ground beef and vegetables are cooked, add everything to your crock pot and cook on low for a few hours for all the flavors to come together.