Instant Pot Beef and Noodles Recipe
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Warm up your kitchen with a hearty and delicious meal of Instant Pot Beef and Noodles. This one-pot wonder is a comfort food classic, made with tender beef, sausage, bow tie noodles and a delicious savory sauce. The Instant Pot makes it incredibly easy to prepare and cooks the meal to perfection in a fraction of the time it would take to make it on the stove. Get ready for a mouth-watering meal that’s perfect for a busy weeknight or a cozy weekend in.
This Beef and Noodles recipe is a simple option for dinner as it is made all in one pot with very little effort, and comes together quickly for those busy nights. Combining ground beef, Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, and Italian seasonings all cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce makes the best beef and noodles recipe. Seriously, this meal is sure to be a favorite in your family.
We use the Instant Pot more than almost any other kitchen appliance. It is a fantastic tool once you incorporate it into your routine and learn what it has to offer. We use it to make soups, noodle dinners, our own yogurt, even cheesecakes!
Where does beef and noodles come from? The basic Beef and noodles recipe is a popular dish that has roots in various cultures and cuisines. It’s a classic comfort food that has been enjoyed for generations and can be found in many different variations around the world.
We love this homemade Beef and Noodles recipe. At the bottom of this post we link a few more of our favorite beef and noodles recipe. You’ll find our beef and noodles recipe for the skillet dinner which has more of a cowboy trail dinner vibe. It also has instructions for both the instant pot and its a recipe for crockpot beef and noodles too. Highly recommend!
In the United States, Beef and Noodles is often associated with Midwestern cuisine and is a staple in many households. The dish typically consists of tender beef, egg noodles, and a savory gravy or sauce, and is often served with vegetables or mashed potatoes.
It’s believed to have originated as a simple, hearty, and economical way to feed a large family or group, as the ingredients are readily available and can be prepared in bulk. Over time, it has evolved into a comfort food classic and remains a popular dish in many homes today.
We have had to modify this recipe a bit for the instant pot. We traded out the egg noodles for pasta that will cook more reliably in the instant pot without giving you the dreaded BURN message.
Can you cook pasta in your Instant Pot?
Like we said before, we use the Instant Pot multiple times a week and it’s easily become our favorite kitchen tool. You can cook pretty nearly anything in it, including pasta! Yes, dried pasta noodles can be cooked in your Instant Pot for recipes like this where you are throwing everything together for a goulash type meal.
Cooking pasta in your Instant Pot on their own could definitely be done too, but you wouldn’t be able to ensure that they cook al dente. For a recipe like this the noodles absorb so much flavor and seasoning, and they cook to a perfect consistency every time.
For our beef and noodles recipe it works great to cook the recipe with the noodles since this recipe is really quick to cook in the instant pot. But be careful of using pasta in the instant pot for longer recipes. Best to cook the pasta separately or include it at the end of the recipe.
Which Noodles Cook Best in an Instant Pot?
For an all in one pot beef and noodles recipe like this we find that thicker style pasta noodles work best. They cook to a pleasant texture and balance everything out. Our favorites are penne and large bow tie pasta. Smaller pastas will of course be fine, but they may cook too soft and not hold their shape and texture due to the cooking time.
For this Instant pot recipe beef and noodles dinner I usually make it with my frozen homemade roasted peppers and frozen whole tomatoes from our own garden. You can always use jarred roasted red peppers and canned whole or diced tomatoes if that’s what you have.
Do you have to saute beef before cooking it in the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot provides the convenience of ‘hands off cooking’ and does not require meat to be seared or sauteed before cooking it in the Instant Pot. However, for meat recipes like this we love utilizing the sauté function that is built into the Instant Pot.
Sautéing or searing meats gives a wonderful depth of flavor to your instant pot meal so we highly recommend it first.
How do I thicken up my beef and noodles?
I doubt you will need to thicken up this beef and noodles recipe in your instant pot but if you want it really thick, There are several ways to thicken beef and noodles:
NOTE: Before you thicken this recipe cook it first. You want to thicken instant pot recipes after cooking. Release the pressure on the instant pot. Now set it to the sauté function. Proceed with your preferred method below.
- Cornstarch Slurry: Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the sauce or gravy in the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Flour: Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a paste. Stir the paste into the sauce or gravy in the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Roux: Make a roux by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, then whisking in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir the roux into the sauce or gravy in the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Reduce the Liquid: BE CAREFUL HERE. We need some liquid to cook the noodles. Cook the recipe and THEN see if you need to reduce the liquid after cooking If the sauce is too thin. You can simply allow it to simmer and reduce in the Instant Pot until it thickens to the desired consistency.
Note: You may need to adjust the amount of thickener used based on the desired thickness of your sauce or gravy.
Beef And Noodles Recipe Tips:
As Instant pot Italian beef and noodle dinners go, this one is a winner. The flavors are similar to lasagna, it is quick and easy to make, and we love it.
NOTE: The balsamic vinegar is an important ingredient in this recipe so be sure you have some on hand, it brings that rich, signature Italian flavor to the meal. If you are out of balsamic vinegar do not substitute with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, the flavor will become too acid and not pleasant.
The Instant Pot Pasta Recipe Tricks:
The manual cooking pressure for this recipe is low as some folks have had trouble with this recipe cooking too hot and burning to the bottom.
Large bow tie or penne noodles, and other thick noodles, cook will cook perfectly in five minutes on high. Smaller, thinner pasta will likely over cook.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot or have never cooked pasta in the instant pot please follow the instructions for this beef and noodles recipe carefully.
TIPS:
Here’s how to adjust the pressure to low pressure as I suggest in the recipe.
There is a pressure button right above the manual button on your instant pot control panel. At least that is true on my 6 quart duo-Your Pressure cooker may have a different panel.
If you push this button it toggles back and forth between high and low pressure. A light will light up in the bar above the pressure button and the less normal more button that shows you if the pot is on high or low pressure.
I hope this helps. If you have a different pressure cooker please refer to your manual on how to adjust the pressure to low for this recipe.
At serving sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top for flavor and garnish as desired.
This instant pot ground beef recipe with bulk Italian sausage is full of delicious Italian flavor.
Beef and Noodles Recipe Printable Recipe Card:
PLEASE NOTE: We made a video demonstration for you on this recipe. I says to natural release the instant pot once the dinner is cooked. That is incorrect. I meant to say QUICK release.
Instant Pot Beef and Noodles Recipe
A very fast, easy and delicious dinner with lots of Italian flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz. can can of whole or diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 Tablespoon Avocado oil (or any oil)
- 1 lb. Mild Italian bulk sausage
- 1 lb hamburger
- 4 cloves garlic-chopped
- 1/2 Cup roasted peppers-chopped
- 12 oz. uncooked pasta, (choose a thick pasta like penne or bow ties)
- 1 8 oz. can can tomato paste
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 1/2 Cups water
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
Select saute' function on NORMAL and add the oil.
- Add the meat and break it up into bite sized chunks and cook until completely browned. (I use the GLASS lid during saute' to keep the splatters in the pot)
- Add the chopped garlic and chopped peppers and stir.
- Add the uncooked pasta and the water.
- Add the liquids and the tomatoes. Stir it all together.
- Secure the PRESSURE COOKING lid. Vent closed.
Select MANUAL function. Select ADJUST and set the time for 5 minutes.
- Select PRESSURE button and choose LOW pressure. (See notes on this in recipe notes)
- Seal the vent.
- When cooking is done turn the instant pot OFF and use quick release. The pasta should be completely cooked but not mushy. If it needs a few more minutes, hit the Saute' function button and cook until you're happy with the noodles. (mine came out perfect)
- At serving Sprinkle the Mozzarella cheese over the top for flavor and garnish as desired.
Notes
The total time on this recipe is around 40 minutes. The instant pot should come to pressure in 10 minutes or so after it is loaded, locked down and set.
Once it counts down the 5 minutes and beeps. Shut it off! Quick release the pressure valve and at serving garnish with the cheese.
Note on Video Demonstration: I incorrectly said natural release on the video. PLEASE QUICK release the pot once it's done.
Note on the pasta: I have made this recipe several times with different pastas. I would choose the bow tie pasta or other thick pasta like penne.
*TIP: Don't use very thin egg noodles or other thin noodles for this recipe. I have had good luck with penne noodles and spiral noodles and the bow ties.
*TIP: Use ONLY balsamic vinegars. If you don't have it omit it.
*Tip: If you DO get the burn message turn off you pot and quick release immediately. The dinner is usually fine to serve. A few noodles may have stuck to the bottom.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1 1/2 CupsAmount Per Serving Calories 463Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 61mgSodium 899mgCarbohydrates 43gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 20g
More Easy Pasta Dinner Ideas:
Here is our entire selection of Instant Pot recipes for you. Perfect for busy nights and makes fantastic leftover meals.
Try these chicken pasta dinners when you want something new on the dinner table.
For more Beef and noodles recipe start here!
- Instant pot vegetable soup recipe with beans and Barley Dinner
- instant pot Greek Yogurt
- Instant Pot New York Cheesecake
- Instant Pot White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Bone Broth
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
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This Recipe is featured in 14 Recipes That Will Convince You To Buy An Instant Pot. Lots of great instant pot recipes in this collection!
Recipe adapted from The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Book
I really like this recipe. It’s been a meal prep staple for a while. What I also started doing was to use Chorizo instead of sausage and jalapenos instead of the italian pepper to give it more of a kick. Awesome recipe!
Hi Jacob, Thanks so much for the great recipe review. Your version with the chorizo and jalapeños sounds very intriguing. I will definitely give that a try. Have a great day!
I just made this and it came out pretty yummy. I added about a quarter cup more water using my 6 quart instant pot. I added the noodles after everything was mixed and just gently pushed them down so they were covered, they didn’t stick to the pot. I used balsamic vinegar but may be a little too much for our taste, next time I won’t have as much. Very easy to make and hoping my family will enjoy it 🙂
Hi Ramona, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your tips and experience with this recipe. Balsamic vinegar can be a strong flavor depending on the brand and even how far down the bottle you are. I am happy you enjoyed this recipe. Have a great day!
His quick question, is the prep time of 10 minutes the actual prep time to get things together or do we set the instant pot for 40 minutes and the prep time is for it to get up to speed. I’ve made this several times and now I can’t remember what I did! Thank you D
Hi D,
Ten minutes prep, SET THE POT for 5 minutes manual. The pot will take about 10 minutes to get to pressure if all goes as it should. after the pot beeps QUICK release and serve. Enjoy!
Tried the recipe using Barilla Penne (I mention this as cook times vary depending on the pasta used as well as the brand of pasta). Pretty much followed the recipe, but make some cooking adjustments based on experience with other Instant Pot recipes as follows: After step 2 (“Add the chopped garlic and chopped peppers and stir”), do not add the pasta. Add the water, liquids and tomatoes but DON’T stir. Add the uncooked pasta (making sure they are covered by the liquids), but DON’T stir. Then cook as instructed. Based on other recipes, this method helps reduce the chances of getting the “Burn” message.
Hi Terrence, Thanks so much for adding your input on this recipe. Hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!
I just made this as my first instant pot recipe! I actually have an 8 quart crockpot version and not an instant pot. It turned out wonderfully. I read all the comments ahead of time about using an 8 quart instant pot and added a total of 3 cups of water. At the end of five minutes, the noodles weren’t quite al dente, so I took your advice and used the sauté function for a minute or two. This is a great recipe! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Hi Lora, Yay! I’m so happy this recipe worked well for you. Kudos on figuring out how to successfully adapt it to your pressure cooker. This is one of our very favorite easy dinners. Thanks for rating the recipe! Have a great day!
Hi Diane, I am not sure if you will see this or not in time but I wonder how much space this takes in the instant pot? We have an 8 quart as we cook for 5 people and we have family over as well. I wonder if I could increase the ingredients to make more portions for company tonight? Any thoughts as to what would fit? Thanks.
Hi Brian, Yes you can increase this recipe. BUT be careful. Some people have trouble with it burning. So be sure to add all the liquids first and mix the noodles through with a light hand. I would increase it by one third. Just add all the ingredients in proportion and it should work great. Please let us know how it goes for you. I hope you all enjoy this dinner!
BTW it will not hurt to add liquids up to the fill line as long as the noodles go in last and your on low pressure. It will be saucier though.
My variation:
First off, This recipe is genius on many levels: Time, Easy, taste…
So I made it twice. The first time I followed the directions to the letter and it came out great. But for my taste it was a bit too tomatoey. And that is not a knock on the recipe, just my 2 cents.
Second time I made it I substituted the tomatoe sauce with trader joes basil marinara. And, I diced one medium/small yellow onion and added it while I browned the meats. It came out great.
I
Hi Kelly, Thanks so much for the lovely comment. And YAY that you made it your own. Thanks for sharing your version of this recipe. The basil Marinara sauce sounds so good. I’ll give that a try! Have a great day!
I am trying to make this as I type…first I had to use red wine vinegar, because I didn’t have balsamic vinegar. I got everything in the pot, turned it on as instructed and before too long i got a “burn” message. Opened the pot, stirred and added 1/2 cup water. Started it again and once again, “burn”. Opened, added another 1/2 cup water and stirred. After the third “burn” message, I stirred and adjusted it to less. Four “burn” messages!!!
Hi Lynn, I’m sorry this is not going well for you. I’m thinking the red wine vinegar is not going to give you the flavor you want in this recipe. Let me know how it tastes ok? Questions: Did you use LOW pressure when you set the pot? What size of pot are you using? I hear 8 quarts are more likely to burn pasta dinners.
That is why I recommend the low pressure setting. It’s usually successful for all size pots. The noodles are normally done by the time the pot gets to pressure. Try just eating a bite and see if it’s done. I hope this helps and I hope you can salvage it. Please have a very good rest of your night. It’s never fun to fight with dinner.
I have a 6 quart and used the LOW pressure setting.. After the 4th burn notice, I just took it out and served it. Noodles were done. My boys said it tastes like Manwich with noodles. I think it would have been better without the Worcestershire sauce, but that’s just personal preference. Thanks for responding. I will try it again, maybe PIP?
Hi Lynn, Thank you SO much for giving us the rest of the story of this recipe. I’m so sorry it was a pain to make. Next time try the balsamic vinegar and see how it changes the flavors. PIP might work better for you if your Instant pot runs a bit hot. Please let us know how it goes. Have a great day!
Hi, Thanks for the recipe. I am making this tonight as my first instant pot meal. (Just got one for Christmas) Seems like people really liked it. Hope mine comes out just as good. 🙂
Hi Dave,
I think you’ll love it. This is one of the very first recipes I made in my instant pot too. Please let us know how it goes for you! Have a great day and thanks for dropping a line 🙂
Is this a good freeze meal?
Hi Iris, Yes this meal will freeze well. Just put it in an airtight container. Great idea for leftovers and meal planning 🙂
I followed your recipe except that i put a can of spicy & zesty spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce. I did not use tomato paste. I used pomegranate vinegar and used robust olive oil to cook the meat in. I added sherry – didn’t measure, just poured. It all came out perfect. It was delicious! Will make again!
Hi Molly, Your tweaks for this recipe sound delicious! Thank you so much for sharing how you made this recipe your own. I’m inspired to try some of them myself! 🙂
I’m making this as we speak in my IP LUX model. It has no option to change the pressure to low sooooo hopeful this works out in our favor! Thanks for the recipe! I LOVE my IP and finding good hamburger meat recipes is always so hard for me!
Hi Michelle, I hope it turns out great for you. Please let us know!
This was my second night cooking with my new insta pot. Loved this recipe…. the whole house did. I used Trader Joe’s frozen fire roasted peppers and onions…chopped them slightly right out of the bag. Also added full box of pasta, jar of sauce and more meat….along with more water as suggested so no burning occurs. Will def be a regular meal in our house!
Hi Jenny, Thank you so much for the great review on this recipe and sharing your changes with everyone. This is one of our favorite recipes. I know you will love your instant pot. It’s a very handy kitchen tool. Have a great day!
Very good! I added a chopped onion and red pepper to the saute. Spinach and mushrooms would be good too. I had not tried Balsamic in Italian food before. Very nice. Thanks!
Hi Patty, I’m so glad this recipe worked for you. I love the balsamic added in. Thanks for the great review and have a great day!
With my 8 quart instant pot, I got a burn warning and the pasta (penne) was stuck to the bottom. I also broke a wooden spoon trying to.scrape it off ?
Hi S, I’m so sorry! I’ve made this recipe SO many times and never had a fail. BUT I do have a six quart. I’m wondering if that makes a difference. I have made this recipe in an 8 quart successfully but I may have added more liquid to compensate.
Hi there! Brand new to Instant Pots, so sorry bear with me 🙂
If I need to make this with 16 oz of pasta instead of 12, should I adjust the amount of water or cook time? Thank you so much, can’t wait to try!
Hi Hannah, Yes! If you increase the pasta by 1/4 you need to increase the liquid as well (I would add one and a half extra cup of liquid to avoid burning). The cook time should be fine though. I’d love to know how this recipe turns out for you. Thank you for the question and have a great day!
We absolutely loved it!! The only thing we wished was a little more clear instructions, but we also may have read it wrong, our bad. Otherwise, we love the flavor!! It tastes sooo good and the flavor never ends. Made our house smell amazing! 10/10 would definitely make this again. Great recipe. Thank you so much for the help, we really appreciate it.
Oh yay! I’m just delighted you loved this dinner. We sure do. I’m sorry about the confusion in the instructions. I am not sure how to make them more clear but I will take another look at them. THANK YOU for asking your questions and letting us know your experience with our Instant Pot Meaty Italian recipe. Have a great weekend!
We are very confused on how to set the pressure cooker for after everything is mixed together. We do not know which buttons are which.
I’m glad you came back to ask. You can adjust the pressure to low pressure as I suggest in the recipe. There is a pressure button right above the manual button. (at least that is true on my 6 quart duo-Your Pressure cooker may have a different panel) If you push this button it toggles back and forth between high and low pressure. A light will light up in the bar above the pressure button and the less normal more button that shows you if the pot is on high or low pressure. I hope this helps. If you have a different pressure cooker than I do please refer to your manual on how to adjust the pressure to low for this recipe. Thanks for the question. Please let us know how this recipe turns out for you. Have a great day!
Just seeing this recipe now! Wanna try it so bad! Wanted to make sure is this current recipe up to date with all fixes needed?
It is current and up to date. Please note I use the 6 quart duo instant pot. One of our commenters successfully used a 3 quart instant pot on high pressure. Please let me know how it works out for you.
Hi, I saw this recipe and I would love to try it, but I don’t have an instant pot. I was thinking about if I could turn this into a crock pot meal. Do you have any recommendations for cooking this another way-i would love to do it as a crock pot. Thank you!
Hi Jessica, I have never made this recipe any other way but it should work fine as a skillet dinner. My beef noodle dinner is similar and works fine in the skillet.
You can make it in the crockpot on high for four hours BUT I recommend you add the noodles and another cup or so of liquid in the last hour of cooking. The type of noodles you choose will determine how successful it is in the crock pot. The bow Tie noodles should work fine. Beware a thin egg noodle. They will tend to go mushy. Keep an eye on it in either the skillet or crock pot. I’d Love to know how this turns out for you!
Hey!!! So I just made this in the crock pot, I really enjoyed it but I definitely feel like there could be tweeks for this in the crock pot. The ground beef texture was really odd, but the flavors were amazing!!! Like you thought, I had to add more liquid when I added the noddles because they sucked all the extra liquid up. Im in school, so I started this right before I left for lectures and put it on low for about 6 hrs. The flavors were amazing!!! I’m not sure how I could change it for the ground beefs odd texture. I still enjoyed it!! I will be making it again, and trying to tweek it! Thank you!
Hi Jessica, Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know this recipe is possible in the crock pot! I have a suggestion on a fix for the texture problem you experienced with this recipe in the crockpot. Brown the hamburger before you put it in the crock pot. That should make the hamburger texture (and it’s flavor) much better. I’m sorry I didn’t mention this before. I don’t care for crock pot recipes that use raw hamburger either. The texture of the meat is not what I prefer and the flavor of the meat suffers too. Hope this helps and thanks again for your input on this recipe.