First Step: Prepare Ingredients and Set the Instant PotBegin by chopping the onion and mincing garlic if using fresh. Break the dry spaghetti noodles in half for easier layering in the pot. Gather your seasoning such as salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and add olive oil if desired for sautéing the meat.

Second Step: Brown the MeatAdd the Italian sausage or ground beef to the Instant Pot, seasoning it with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook while breaking the meat apart, stirring occasionally until it is fully browned and crumbly about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease if necessary, then deglaze the bottom of the pot by adding 1/2 cup of water and scraping any stuck bits to prevent burn warnings during pressure cooking.

Third Step: Add Sauces and Layer SpaghettiStir in the jar of spaghetti sauce and the can of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce until well combined with the meat. Without stirring, break the half-length spaghetti noodles over the sauce, layering them in a crisscross pattern so they don’t clump. Rinse the empty spaghetti sauce jar with the remaining water and pour it gently over the noodles, making sure they’re submerged. Use a spoon to press the noodles down gently but avoid stirring to prevent stickiness.

Fourth Step: Pressure Cook the SpaghettiSeal the Instant Pot lid securely and set the valve to the sealing position. Select the manual or pressure cook setting on high pressure for 8 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10-12 minutes to build pressure before cooking starts. After cooking finishes, carefully perform a quick pressure release by turning the valve to venting.

Fifth Step: Final Stirring and ServingOpen the lid and stir the spaghetti thoroughly to blend the sauce and noodles evenly. The sauce may appear a bit liquidy due to residual broth this is normal and will thicken slightly as it rests. Serve hot topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with fresh basil or parsley if desired.