Meatballs made in the Instant Pot are cooked faster leaving less chance your meatballs will dry out or become flavorless. Instant Pot Meatballs are typically moister, more tender, and packed with flavor.
I love meatballs just as much as the next guy. What I don’t love, however, is cooking them. Up until recently I baked my meatballs – I stopped frying them eons ago. But since I’ve gotten my hands on an Instant Pot, I’ll be honest, they come out way better.
The Instant Pot method enhances the overall texture, flavor, and convenience of making meatballs. It’s a game-changer for achieving tender, succulent, and flavor-packed meatballs in a fraction of the time. So, if you want to elevate your meatball game and enjoy the best results, the Instant Pot is the way to go!
As an ever better bonus – this recipe also makes a great marinara sauce too!
Why Make Meatballs in the Instant Pot
- Time: The Instant Pot cooks food faster than traditional methods. Meatballs can be pressure cooked in a fraction of the time it takes to cook them in the oven or on the stovetop.
- Less Mess: Cooking in a sealed Instant Pot results in less mess. There are no oil splatters all over the stove or oil to discard with frying.
- Moisture Retention: The sealed environment of the Instant Pot helps retain moisture during the cooking process. This results in juicy and tender meatballs that are less likely to dry out compared to other cooking methods.
- Convenience: By making meatballs in the Instant Pot, you can eliminate the need for multiple pots or pans, making cleanup easier.
- Flavor Infusion: The pressure cooking process in the Instant Pot allows the flavors of the meatballs and the sauce to meld together more quickly and intensively.
How to Make Perfectly Tender Meatballs
The Art of Perfect Meatballs
Creating the ultimate meatball starts with the perfect blend of ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, finely chopped onions, minced garlic, panko bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and freshly chopped parsley.
- Don’t forget to mix in the beaten eggs and the beef broth to bind everything together, resulting in tender and succulent meatballs.
Make the Sauce
- Now comes the fun part! I set my trusty Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and add a drizzle of oil. Once it’s ready,
- I add finely chopped onions, giving them a nice sauté until they turn tender and aromatic.
- Then stir in tomato paste, garlic, and dried oregano and crushed tomatoes.
- Drop in the meatballs
Cook ’em up
- Lock the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure to high.
- In just 8 short minutes, the Instant Pot works its wizardry, making super tender meatballs that are packed with flavor.
These meatballs are delicious to eat alone, or the traditional way with spaghetti but my favorite will always be a meatball sub!
Here are Some of Our Favorite Instant Pot Recipes:
INSTANT POT MEATBALL RECIPE
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Instant Pot Meatballs
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 meatballs 1x
MEATBALLS:
- 1 ½ Lbs. Ground beef
- ½ Cup Onion, finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ Cup Grated Parmesan
- ¼ Cup Freshly chopped parsley
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 2 Tablespoons Beef Broth, warmed
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Black pepper to taste
SAUCE:
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
- ½ Medium Onion, finely chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- Kosher salt & Black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 2 (28-oz.) Cans Crushed Tomatoes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs gently with hands until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and form into 24 balls.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté setting and heat the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and oregano, and basil and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, then add the meatballs.
- Lock the lid and set to Pressure Cook on the high pressure setting for 8 minutes.
- Follow manufacturer’s guide for quick release, making sure to wait until cycle is complete before unlocking and removing lid.
- Serve with your favorite pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 meatballs
- Calories: 248
- Sugar: 8.1 gr
- Sodium: 518 mg
- Fat: 9.7 gr
- Carbohydrates: 12.6 gr
- Fiber: 4.6 gr
- Protein: 25.7 gr
- Cholesterol: 88 mg
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