Instant-Pot Ragù Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil (For sautéing)
• 1 yellow onion (Finely chopped)
• 1 carrot (Finely chopped)
• 1 celery stalk (Finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (Finely chopped or minced)
• 1.5 lb meatloaf mix (A combination of ground pork, beef, and veal; alternatively use 8 ounces ground pork and 8 ounces 80-percent-lean ground beef)
• 0.25 cup tomato paste (Added with the cream, cheese, and water)
• 0.5 cup heavy cream (Do not substitute milk; its lower fat content can cause curdling)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (Finely grated, plus more for serving)
• 0.25 cup water (Important: add with the tomato paste, cream, and cheese to prevent a Burn message)
• kosher salt (To taste)
• black pepper (To taste)
• 1 lb tagliatelle or other pasta (Cooked and drained; reserve some starchy cooking water before draining)

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Measure the tomato paste, cream, grated Parmesan, and water so they can be added together later.

2. 2

   Set a 6- to 8-quart electric pressure cooker to its highest sauté function. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering.

3. 3

   Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. 5

   Add the meatloaf mix. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Add the tomato paste, heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and 1/4 cup water. Stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. The water is essential for avoiding a Burn warning.

7. 7

   Lock the pressure-cooker lid in place and set the valve to sealing. Select high pressure and cook for about 20 minutes.

8. 8

   Allow the pressure to release naturally, then carefully vent any remaining pressure. Open the lid only after the pressure indicator has dropped.

9. 9

   Stir the ragù well. If it seems loose, use the sauté function briefly to reduce it until thick and glossy. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

10. 10

    Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Before draining, reserve some of the starchy cooking water.

11. 11

    Toss the drained pasta with about 4 cups of ragù, adding a small amount of reserved pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the noodles.

12. 12

    Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan.

Notes

The source states that the recipe makes about 4 cups of sauce, enough for 1 pound of pasta. Tagliatelle is the classic pairing, but any pasta shape may be used. The source also offers a slow-cooker method requiring approximately 6 3/4 to 7 1/4 hours. Milk should not replace the cream because it may curdle. The ingredient quantities and detailed method were not visible in the supplied page excerpt; quantities marked with lower confidence are reconstructed estimates.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Italian
• pressure-cooked
• Instant Pot
• pasta sauce
• comfort food
• meat-based