My Instant Pot has earned a permanent spot on my kitchen counter, and for good reason. I mean, how great is it that it helps me make classic spaghetti and meatballs without any effort?! 

Like my Instant Pot pot roast and Instant Pot orange chicken recipes, all of the guesswork is taken out of pressure cooker spaghetti and meatballs. It uses a “dump-and-go” method that’s faster than making it on the stove and keeps the mess to a minimum. Just add frozen meatballs, a jar of sauce, and spaghetti to your pressure cooker, push a couple of buttons, and dinner’s ready in no time.

Spaghetti and Meatballs Ingredients

Frozen meatballs – Always opt for pre-cooked frozen meatballs, whether you made them yourself or bought them from the store. Fresh meatballs tend to fall apart. Personally, I love spaghetti and meatballs with my baked chicken meatballs! My paleo beef meatballs and turkey meatballs would be good, too.

Spaghetti noodles – Duh! You’ll need to break the noodles in half to help them fit in the Instant Pot, or you can swap them for a smaller noodle (use what you like).

Marinara sauce – My go-to sauce for spaghetti and meatballs. An equal amount of homemade pasta sauce, like my cherry tomato pasta sauce, also works! If you’d like to change things up, feel free to use jarred spaghetti sauce, arrabiata sauce, or any tomato-based pasta sauce you love instead.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Change the pasta – Pretty much any noodle goes here, like fettuccine, linguine, penne, or rotini. I don’t recommend using delicate noodles, such as angel hair pasta, because they tend to become mushy.
• Gluten-free option – This recipe works just as well with gluten-free pasta noodles and your favorite gluten-free meatballs.
• Vegetarian option – Use frozen plant-based meatballs for an easy meatless meal. Personally, I like to use my lentil meatballs for a good amount of plant protein.
• Add vegetables – When I’m craving some veggies, I’ll sauté onion, sliced mushrooms, and bell peppers in the pot before adding the meatballs.

How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs in the Instant Pot 

Step 1: Layer. Pour the olive oil into your Instant Pot and place the frozen meatballs on top. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and layer them over the meatballs. 

Step 2: Add sauce. Pour the marinara sauce over the noodles, then fill the empty sauce jar with water. Shake it to loosen any leftover sauce, then pour the water into the pot. The noodles should be mostly submerged. 

Step 3: Pressure cook. Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook for 9 minutes. When the cook time is up, switch the valve to Venting to release the pressure. Once the pin drops, open the lid.

Step 4: Stir and serve. Give everything a good stir, then divide the spaghetti and meatballs between bowls. Top with grated parmesan and fresh basil, and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• You can prevent the spaghetti from sticking together by breaking the noodles in half and layering them on top of the meatballs in a loose, criss-cross pattern instead of in a tight bundle. 
• To avoid a burn notice, submerge the noodles in the sauce-water mixture before locking the lid in place.
• Worried about overcooked or mushy noodles? Stick to the recommended cook time and always use a quick release when the timer ends. This way, your pasta won’t sit under pressure for too long.
• Don’t worry if the sauce looks loose after removing the lid. Let the spaghetti and meatballs sit for a few minutes… The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.

Spaghetti and Meatballs FAQs

Storage

Refrigerator: The leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Let the spaghetti and meatballs cool completely, then transfer them to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat the spaghetti and meatballs on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.  

Pho (pronounced “fuh,” not “faux”) is a beloved Vietnamese noodle soup that I crave at least once a week. Along with my Whole30 banh mi bowl, this Paleo Beef Pho has saved me from ordering takeout many times, thanks to its deeply savory, slow-simmered broth, fragrant herbs, tender slices of beef, and slurpable noodles. 

Traditionally, pho is far from being paleo and Whole30-friendly since it’s made with rice noodles. But by simply trading rice noodles for a combination of kelp noodles and spiralized zucchini, we can enjoy a soup that’s just as satisfying and completely grain-free. And no, you don’t have to be paleo or Whole30 to enjoy it!

Paleo Beef Pho Ingredients

Beef – I always use pre-cut beef (usually labeled as “beef stew meat”) simply because it’s more convenient. 

Warm spices – The pho broth has warm, complex notes thanks to a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and star anise. Always stick with whole spices rather than ground spices, as they’re easier to strain out of the broth.

Beef broth – I love using my homemade beef bone broth in pho for the extra protein and collagen. Store-bought beef broth works just as well, though. 

Zoodles – AKA zucchini noodles! If you don’t have a spiralizer to make the zoodles yourself, pick up prepackaged zucchini noodles from the produce section at your local grocery store.

Kelp noodles – These keep the dish paleo and satisfying (much more so than if you were to use zoodles alone). You should be able to find these in the Asian foods aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores.

Toppings – A bowl of pho just isn’t complete without the fresh garnishes. Thai basil leaves, fresh mint, lime juice or wedges, and a drizzle of sriracha are all classics.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Switch up the beef – You’re more than welcome to use your favorite cut of beef here. Swap the stew meat for well-done beef brisket (gầu), flank (nạm), or paper-thin slices of raw eye round, sirloin, or ribeye (phở tái).
• Swap the noodles – The zoodles can easily be replaced with spiralized sweet potato, carrot, celeriac, turnip, or daikon radish (basically any veggie that won’t turn to mush in hot broth). Keto-friendly shirataki noodles are also a good option.
• Add flavor boosters – You can add a lot of extra flavor to the broth by adding toasted coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black cardamom, black peppercorns, or a lightly bruised stalk of lemongrass.

How to Make Paleo Beef Pho

Step 1: Broil the aromatics. Arrange the onion and ginger on a baking sheet and broil until they’re lightly charred around the edges. 

Step 2: Bloom the spices. Meanwhile, toast the cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise in a large saucepan until fragrant. 

Step 3: Build the broth. Transfer the broiled onion and ginger to the saucepan with the spices, then add the fish sauce, beef broth, and water. Gently simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Step 4: Sear the beef. While the broth simmers, quickly sear each piece of beef in a hot skillet. 

Step 5: Prepare the noodles. Cook the kelp noodles according to the package instructions and spiralize the zucchini. When the kelp noodles are nearly tender, add the zucchini noodles to the same pot and cook until softened. Stain and set aside.

Step 6: Strain the broth. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and into a bowl.

Step 7: Assemble and serve. Divide the cooked noodles among bowls, top with the seared beef, and ladle the hot broth over top. Finish with your favorite pho toppings, then enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Don’t burn the aromatics under the broiler. You want them to be golden and lightly charred, not deeply browned.
• Straining the broth is non-negotiable. A truly great bowl of pho starts with a clear, fragrant broth—you don’t want any of those aromatics and whole spices floating around. 
• Both the kelp noodles and the zucchini noodles don’t take long to cook. By the time they’re done, the noodles should be tender with a slight bite and never soggy.
• Want another delicious paleo soup-like recipe? Be sure to try my favorite paleo beef stew.

Beef Pho FAQs

Storage

Make ahead: You can easily get a jump on this recipe by making the broth, cooking the kelp noodles, spiralizing the zucchini, and searing the beef a few days in advance.

Refrigerator: I recommend storing the broth, noodles, and beef in separate airtight containers for the best textures and flavors. Everything will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days this way. 

A few years ago, I was suffering big time from migraines, nausea, and joint pain. It was a nightmare and eventually led me to consulting with a functional medicine doctor. You know what they recommended? Regularly drinking bone broth!

That’s when my Instant Pot bone broth recipe was born. I could have settled for store-bought, but making it yourself is much more cost-effective and customizable. Plus, after rounds and rounds of recipe testing, I discovered how easy it was to make in a pressure cooker compared to the stove or slow cooker.

A daily mug full of this nutrient-dense broth was exactly what I needed to feel like myself again. It quickly became my go-to feel-good solution for sick days, a nutritious base for soups and stews, a cooking liquid for my favorite grains, and so much more. I always keep a batch in my fridge or freezer now!

Bone Broth Ingredients 

Bones – The great thing about bone broth is that you can make it with any leftover animal bones. Chicken, turkey, beef, pork—you name it! I use grass-fed or pasture-raised bones whenever possible, as they tend to produce a thicker, more collagen-rich broth. Leftover bones from a whole roasted chicken, holiday turkey, bone-in ham, pig’s feet, or beef short ribs also work well. Just make sure that there’s little to no meat left attached to keep your broth clear and not overly greasy. 

Vegetables – For flavor, I simmered the bones with carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Remember that veggie scraps work just as well as fresh vegetables. I keep carrot ends, celery leaves, onion skins, etc., in a heavy-duty freezer bag, then add what I need to the broth.

Vinegar – A splash of vinegar extracts minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium) from the bones, which ultimately makes the broth more nutritious. Apple cider vinegar is my usual go-to, but any vinegar works (you won’t taste it).

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Add aromatics – Toss in a small piece of ginger, lemongrass, or a halved lemon to brighten all the flavors.
• Change the herbs – You can swap the bay leaf for a few parsley stems, a sprig of thyme, rosemary, or sage leaves. Just use one herb at a time so you don’t overpower the stock. 
• Use spices – For a gentle warmth, add a pinch of cumin, coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, star anise, or whole black peppercorns. 
• Adjust with salt – Add a pinch of salt at the very end to enhance the natural umami. 

How to Make Bone Broth in an Instant Pot

Step 1: Roast the bones. Arrange the bones on a baking sheet and roast them at 350°F for 15 minutes. Flip, then roast for another 15 minutes.

Step 2: Load the Instant Pot. Transfer the roasted bones to your Instant Pot along with the rest of the ingredients. Fill the pot with water until it reaches the 2/3 max fill line.

Step 3: Pressure cook. Seal the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 90 minutes. Once the cook time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.

Step 4: Strain, cool, and store. Let the broth cool for a few minutes, then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Add ice cubes to the stock, wait for them to melt, and pour the stock into jars. Store the broth for later.

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Always roast your bones! This step caramelizes the bones, which means deeper flavor, richer color, and a more satisfying broth. The only time I recommend skipping this step is if you’re intentionally going for a very light broth. 
• Naturally release the pressure before switching to a quick release. Because broth is all liquid, releasing the pressure too quickly can cause hot liquid to spray up through the steam valve, creating a messy, unsafe situation we don’t want!
• Always strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer (or cheesecloth). This removes small bone and vegetable fragments and keeps the broth smooth for sipping or cooking.

Instant Pot Bone Broth FAQs

Ways to Use Bone Broth

My favorite way to enjoy bone broth is straight from a mug. I’ll warm it up in the microwave and sip on it first thing in the morning (usually before my first coffee of the day). It’s the best way to get through a chilly morning or flu season!

There are endless other ways to enjoy it, though. Check out these tasty ideas:

• Soups and stews – I’ll use the extra bone broth in my fridge for pretty much any hearty soup or stew. It gives my classic chicken noodle soup more protein and my beef barley soup extra amazing flavors.
• Cooking liquid for grains – Ditch the water and use bone broth to cook rice or quinoa. It instantly adds flavor and boosts the nutritional value!
• Sauces and gravy – The broth adds richness to any homemade gravy or pan sauce you love.
• Side dishes – Use the broth to steam or sauté vegetables like broccoli or asparagus, or replace some of the milk in mashed potatoes for a more flavorful option.

Storage

Refrigerator: After it’s strained and cooled, I like to portion the bone broth into sealed glass jars and keep it in the fridge. It stays fresh for 4 to 5 days.

Freezer: I like to cool the broth overnight in the fridge before transferring it to the freezer. The cooled stock freezes well for 2 to 3 months. I usually freeze 2 to 3 cups of stock at a time in freezer-safe containers or silicone molds for easy thawing.