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–+ servings
easy instant pot bolognese

Weeknight Instant Pot Bolognese with Cheesy Tortellini

This easy instant pot bolognese is perfect for busy weeknights when you need to get a simple, delicious, and satisfying meal on the table with no fuss. Splashes of red wine, fresh diced mirepoix vegetables, bay leaves, and pantry spices turn your favorite jar of marinara into a meaty sauce that makes a delicious dinner in minutes.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
COURSE Easy Family Dinner Recipes, Easy Weeknight Dinner, Pasta Dinner Ideas
CUISINE Italian, American
SERVINGS 8
Calories 322 kcal

Equipment

Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ lb Ground Beef
  • 4 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 2 whole Carrots - Small diced
  • 2 stalks Celery - Small diced
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion - Small diced
  • 1 medium Colorful Bell Pepper - Small diced
  • 1 32 oz jar Good Quality Marinara Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ cup Dry Red Wine
  • ¼ cup Beef Stock - or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp Dried Parsley
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Cracked / Ground Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil - plus more if desired
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 1 to 2 packages 5 Cheese Tortellini

Instructions
 

  • Put instant pot on sauté mode and drizzle in olive oil.  Toss in diced carrot, celery, onion, and bell pepper. Cook on sauté mode until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.  Toss in minced garlic and continue to cook through until garlic turns fragrant, another 2 to 3 minutes.  
  • Add ground beef to the mirepoix (carrot, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic mixture) and begin breaking up and browning meat with a wooden spoon.
  • When meat is browned through, sprinkle in salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder.  Drizzle in Worcestershire sauce, red wine, and little bit of stock.  Pour in a jar of your favorite good quality marinara sauce plus another drizzle or so of olive oil for flavor, if desired. Toss in 3 bay leaves.  Stir to combine and cover the instant pot by twisting the lid into the sealing position.  
  • Push cancel on the instant pot to end the sauté mode. Now you can hit pressure cook and then hit the + plus sign button until the screen shows a cook time of 35 minutes. **Hitting the stew/meat setting will also pull up the same cook time. Either one works. Pressure cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
  • When cook time is up, release the pressure from the instant pot. You can do this by hitting the steam release button (located on the instant pot lid) or by letting the pot sit without touching anything at all. It will release the pressure on its own through a natural pressure release. Either one is okay for this sauce.
  • Once the pressure is released through either one of the methods above, it is now safe to open the lid on the pot. Adjust any seasonings to taste as desired. ** If you would like to reduce the sauce to thicken after cooking, push the sauté button once more and reduce the sauce for 5 more minutes uncovered to help thicken.
  • Serve by pouring generous ladles of our finished bolognese over the fresh pasta. Garnish with pinches of fresh minced parsley and sprinkles of ground parmesan cheese. Serve hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container and consume within 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 322kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 538mgPotassium: 377mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 559IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 3mg
KEYWORD best instant pot bolognese, easy bolognese sauce, healthy bolognese recipe, instant pot bolognese, instant pot recipes, instant pot spaghetti sauce
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