Easiest Instant Pot Meatballs

Name: Easiest Instant Pot Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (lean); 1/2 cup onion (grated); 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated); 2 eggs; 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 2 tablespoons milk; 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste); 1/2 teaspoon oregano; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 4 cup spaghetti sauce ((see notes above))

By Erica Walker Published on: February 16, 2021 262 Comments

4.81 from 72 votes

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These Instant Pot Meatballs are the easiest way to make meatballs EVER. No browning or sautéeing. Just throw them in the sauce uncooked and let the Instant Pot do the rest!

Try these Instant Pot Meatballs with some of our favorite side dishes or salads. If it’s bread you are looking for, you can never go wrong with Hot & Cheesy Garlic Bread, Breadtwists, or our Parmesan Pull Apart bread.

Close up of an Instant Pot Meatball in a serving spoon to show detail of beef and sauce

Instant Pot Meatballs

Meatballs in the Instant Pot are THE way to go when it comes to meatballs. They really couldn’t be easier! When cooking meatballs in a pan they can crumble and fall apart. Baking them can dry them out. Cooking them in the Instant Pot is easier AND tastes better. By cooking them in the sauce the meaty flavor infuses the sauce and makes it so much more flavorful. Instant Pot Meatballs can be shaped, thrown in and cooked without falling apart AT ALL. The meatballs stay tightly packed and don’t crumble in the sauce!

Uncooked Meatballs in sauce in the Instant Pot

Cooking the Meatballs in the Instant Pot

See? Uncooked! Crazy right? The first time I made these, I was a little worried. I thought that the meatballs wouldn’t keep their shape and I would end up having meat sauce, which happens to me more than I would care to admit when I am making meatballs in a skillet. I don’t know why they don’t fall apart in the Instant Pot. It’s like magic. I also need to mention that this will work great in ANY kind of pressure cooker. No matter what you use, you will get the same results.

Meatballs in an Instant Pot being served with a serving spoon

Avoiding The Burn Notice

Tomato based sauces can be tricky in an Instant Pot because tomatoes have a tendency to burn easily. Make sure your sauce is thin enough to create steam and seal the pot. You can thin it out by adding a can of diced tomatoes or even just a little water. If you are worried about it being TOO thin, you can always add tomato paste or tomato sauce to your pasta sauce after the meatballs are done cooking. I like using my homemade canned sauce because the consistency is just right. If it seems too thin afterwards, I will add a few tablespoons of tomato paste and that usually does the trick.

Three Instant Pot Meatballs being scooped from an Instant Pot

Tips for Cooking and Serving

For this recipe I used our own Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce but you can use your own recipe or just store-bought spaghetti sauce. No matter what you use, it is going to be awesome. Even store-bought spaghetti sauce will be kicked up a notch because the meatballs will be cooked in it, giving it an incredible flavor.
Not a huge fan of ground beef? Feel free to try ground turkey or ground chicken meatballs too!
These meatballs can easily be made gluten free if you want to switch out the Panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free breadcrumbs. You can also use gluten free oats if you don’t have breadcrumbs on hand.
Of course, you will want to serve these meatballs over gluten-free pasta if you have an intolerance to gluten. If GF pasta isn’t your thing, you can also use zoodles (spiralized zucchini) or you can use spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti on a plate topped with meatballs

Want More Instant Pot Recipes?

Strapped for time? We have dozens of delicious dinners that come together in no time! Check out some of our Instant Pot favorites:

Meatballs in red sauce in an Instant Pot with a serving spoom

How to Make Instant Pot Meatballs