Instant Pot Homemade Bolognese
Try this Instant Pot Homemade Bolognese recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Instant Pot Homemade Bolognese recipe, or contribute your own.
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 3/4 cup carrots (finely chopped)
- 3/4 cup celery (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1/2 pound italian pork sausage (spicy)
- 1/2 pound chuck (ground)
- 2 teaspoon fennel (ground)
- 1 can tomatoes (crushed 28.2 ounce can)
- 1 pound pasta (cooked)
- parmesan cheese (grated)
- Carbohydrate 0.914625000648671 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.70284125072367 g
- Fiber 0.0311250003576279 g
- Protein 0.0426675000173973 g
- Saturated Fat 0.239546250099924 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (146g)
- Sodium 664.038675885639 mg
- Sugar 0.883500000291043 g
- Trans Fat 0.047808750019597 g
- Calories 41 calories
Step-by-step
- Set Instant Pot to “Sauté†, and add oil. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add ground meat and seasonings, and cook until meat is brown.
- Deglaze Instant Pot with red wine, and cook for 15 minutes, until wine is reduced. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, then close the lid. Press “Cancel†then “Manual†, and cook on “High Pressure†for 15 minutes.
- Serve over spaghetti, or your favourite pasta, with a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
The Foundation
Crushed tomatoes drive the structure of this sauce, providing both the necessary liquid base and the acidity required to balance rich meats. Simmering canned tomatoes without straining retains their natural pectin, which helps coat pasta strands evenly. Mince the yellow onion, carrots, and celery to a uniform sixteenth-inch dice to ensure they melt into the background during the initial saute phase without leaving distinct vegetable chunks.Swaps and Adjustments
Ground chuck and spicy Italian pork sausage create the primary protein profile, but fat ratios dictate the final texture. Swapping chuck for a leaner 93/7 ground beef requires adding an extra tablespoon of olive oil to compensate for lost rendering fat. Red wine contributes tartness; substitute an equal volume of low-sodium beef stock mixed with one teaspoon of red wine vinegar if alcohol must be omitted. Ground fennel introduces an essential licorice note that mimics traditional regional profiles, though anise seed crushed in a mortar works identically at a 1:1 ratio.Timing and Pressure Control
Deglazing the stainless steel insert requires scraping every browned bit from the bottom to prevent the pressure cooker from triggering a burn warning. Reducing the red wine for a full fifteen minutes before sealing the lid evaporates raw alcohol compounds that would otherwise impart a sharp bitterness under pressure. High-pressure cooking runs for fifteen minutes, followed by a natural pressure release of ten minutes to allow the meat proteins to relax before serving.
