recipes

Instant Pot Fiesta Beef and Spaghetti

Apr 01, 2020 admin

Instant Pot Fiesta Beef and and Spaghetti – Ready in Just 3 Minutes.

Creating south of the border flavor at home is easy when you serve up this speedy Instant Pot Fiesta Beef and Spaghetti. Savory ground beef and spaghetti noodles come together in a zesty sauce with cheese that everyone goes crazy for.

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO USE REFERRAL AND AFFILIATE LINKS FOR ITEMS CHEF ALLI LOVES AND RECOMMENDS.

Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’…..

You don’t need Mexican take-out when there’s a big bowl of this Instant Pot Fiesta Beef and Spaghetti on the table. I know when I make any meal that’s chock full of Mexican flavors, it’s probably going to be a hit with my family.

Because we love all things Mexican in this house, I try to make south-of-the-border type meals pretty often around here. Our latest favorite is a new recipe I recently tested – Mexican Beef and Cheese Sanchiladas. The boys gave it two thumbs up, and they also said I could make this Walking Taco Pull-Apart Bread again soon, too.

We are pretty excited about Instant Pot meals, too – such a great way to get dinner on the table in a hurry. We never know when we will get in from doing chores or checking Mammas (cows), so I’m pretty thrilled that I’ve now got a way to speed up dinner by using my Instant Pot!

Some of our favorite Instant Pot meals are Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs, which are made in just 25 minutes…..fallin’ off the bone tender.

When you’re craving some comfort food in a big hurry, try 5-Minute Little Smokie Mac and Cheese, or 5-Minute Pepperoni Pizza Pasta.

And, by the way, if you’d prefer to make this recipe on your stove-top as a one-skillet meal, you can make Fiesta Beef and Noodle Skillet in just minutes.

How to Make Instant Pot Fiesta Beef and Spaghetti in Just 5 Fast Steps

Brown off the ground beef in your Instant Pot, using the saute setting; drain any fats that accumulate after cooking the beef.
Add the taco seasoning and the tomato paste; cook and stir for 1 minute.
Add the diced tomatoes and green chilis (with juice) to the Instant Pot, then add the broken spaghetti pieces on top, spreading them out, but don’t stir them in. Pour the broth over the top if everything in the Instant Pot. DO NOT STIR!
Lock the lid into place; position the valve to the sealing position. Choose the high pressure setting for 3 minutes, bringing the Instant Pot to full pressure.
When the timer sounds, perform a quick release to remove all pressure from the Instant Pot; carefully unlock and remove the lid, giving the contents a gentle stir. Top with cheeses and serve!

Why This Recipe is a Winner

It’s easy on the pocket book.
It’s super kid friendly – especially if you give the tomatoes and green chilies a blast in the food processor until smooth.
It’s FAST.
There are only a few on-hand ingredients required.
It’s a delicious one pot meal – hardly any dishes to wash!

Easy Recipe Tips for Making Instant Pot Mexican Beef and Spaghetti

What’s the best way to brown ground beef so it’s really flavorful?

Such a great question! Before adding your ground beef (or any ground meat, for that matter) to the Instant Pot when using the saute setting, be sure the inner pot is very nicely hot; add the ground beef and listen for the sizzle! When the ground beef hits a hot surface like that, it immediately begins to brown, caramelizing the exterior of the meat to give it a nice sear on the outside, adding great flavor.

Can I use other types of ground meat in place of the ground beef this recipe call for?

Surely. I often substitute ground venison in this dish because we’ve always got hunters who love to keep my freezer full. You could also substitute ground turkey, or ground chicken, or even lean ground bison, too.

If I don’t happen to have spaghetti pasta on hand for this pasta dish, can I substitute other shapes of pasta?

I’ve substituted elbow macaroni, small shell pasta, and penne pasta, too, in a pinch. (Pasta is pasta after all!)
Just know that when you use the other types of pasta, you will have to cook this dish for 5 minutes under pressure, instead of 3. Because the larger-size pastas will also absorb more liquid as they rest, you may have to add more broth after this dish is pressure cooked. (And when you reheat the leftovers, too.)
Also, I’ve noticed that when I’m substituting other pastas for the spaghetti, this dish isn’t as creamy in texture. FYI.

When I made this pasta, it sure seemed like there was a lot of liquid inside the Instant Pot after I opened the lid. Is this how it should be?

Yep. This is because as the spaghetti sits a bit the pasta will absorb a lot of that liquid, allowing this dish to still remain saucy and delicious.

Does this pasta dish reheat well?

We actually love it as leftovers. Sometimes you may need to add a little chicken broth or some salsa to moisten it up a bit before popping it into the microwave. Pasta in any dish just LOVES to absorb any liquids available!

I was thinking about adding chili beans or pinto beans to the ground beef and spaghetti noodles. Is this a good idea and when should I do that step?

Excellent idea – it would definitely be delicious and would also help your meal go further, making it even more budget friendly.
Add the beans on top of the diced tomatoes and green chilies, then finish layering with the spaghetti pieces and chicken broth. And remember – don’t stir!

I’m curious? Why does the spaghetti need to be broken into quarters before cooking it?

For one simple reason: it cooks better in the Instant Pot that way…..AND it’s easier to eat.

What Tools Are Helpful for Making this Instant Pot Meal?

For chopping the fresh cilantro (or any fresh herbs, actually) I love using my kitchen shears. Simply put the cilantro into a small, rather deep little bowl and get to chopping!

I use the 6-quart Instant Pot for all my pressure cooking, unless I’m working on a turkey breast or an Easter ham. For the turkey breast, I break out my 8-quart Instant Pot, and the ham requires the biggest boy – the 14-quart electric pressure cooker (not the Instant Pot brand.)

For crumbling ground beef, I love using a wire potato masher! It works better than any beef crumbler tool I’ve ever tried.

What to Serve with Fiesta Beef and Noodles

A bowl of creamy tomato noodles and ground beef.

Printable Recipe for Instant Pot Fiesta Beef and Spaghetti