Description
Classic homemade Nonna’s spaghetti marinara delivers authentic Italian comfort straight from grandma’s kitchen. Family recipes carry deep culinary traditions that welcome diners into a warm Mediterranean experience.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) lean ground beef
- 16 oz (454 g) spaghetti noodles
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 oz/680 g)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (optional)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced garlic
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water (divided)
Instructions
- Sauté Preparation: Activate Instant Pot’s sauté mode, heating the surface to create a flavorful foundation.
- Onion Foundation: Introduce olive oil and diced onions, transforming them into a translucent aromatic base.
- Meat Integration: Incorporate ground beef, methodically breaking it into delicate fragments and browning thoroughly.
- Flavor Enhancement: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and minced garlic, intensifying the meat’s depth and complexity.
- Liquid Foundation: Deglaze the pot with water, liberating caramelized essence clinging to the surface.
- Noodle Arrangement: Strategically position spaghetti noodles in a crisscross pattern, ensuring optimal cooking and even distribution.
- Sauce Layering: Generously coat noodles with spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes, creating a rich, robust liquid environment.
- Pressure Cooking: Seal the Instant Pot, programming a precise 5-minute pressure cooking cycle to meld flavors and cook ingredients.
- Pressure Release: Allow a 5-minute natural pressure dissipation, followed by a swift manual release to complete the cooking process.
- Final Fusion: Thoroughly integrate all components, ensuring a harmonious blend of meat, noodles, and sauce before serving immediately.
Notes
- Meat Browning Tip: Ensure ground beef is completely browned without pink spots for food safety and optimal flavor development.
- Noodle Placement Technique: Crisscross spaghetti noodles to prevent clumping and guarantee even cooking throughout the pot.
- Deglazing Flavor Boost: Use wooden spoon to scrape caramelized bits from pot bottom, which adds deep, rich background notes to the entire dish.
- Pressure Cooking Precision: Follow exact 5-minute cooking time and 5-minute natural release to prevent overcooked, mushy pasta and maintain perfect al dente texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing, Pressure Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg