Hearty Tomato Meat Sauce adapted for Instant Pot

Tomato Meat Sauce

Our family has enjoyed this hearty tomato meat sauce for many years. The original recipe typically cooks in 4 hours, the Instant Pot significantly changes the cook time. This recipe is very adaptable; add more tomato if you like it saucier or run through a food processor if you like the meat to be in smaller particles.

Hearty Tomato Meat Sauce adapted for Instant Pot

  • 1 1/2 lb Hamburg
  • 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage (removed from casing)
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup green pepper
  • 1/2 chopped onion
  • 1.5 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 lbs peeled chopped fresh (or 2-48oz cans chopped tomatoes)
  • 1 12 oz can tomato paste
  • 3.5 Tbsp Oregano
  • 1 Tbsp Basil
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • dash of salt and pepper
  1. Using the saute function, cook onion, celery, and pepper until onions are translucent; remove from pan.
  2. Place hamburg and sausage in Instant Pot, sprinkle with salt and pepper; saute until brown.
  3. Place sauted vegetables, chopped tomato, sugar, and herbs to cooked meat in instant pot.
  4. Cook for 30 minutes using meat/stew. Use natural release until you can open cover.
  5. Stir tomato paste into pot contents, cook using saute for 8-10 minutes; stir often and stop cooking if sauce becomes too thick.

Chicken or pork can be substituted for the sausage; adjust calories accordingly.

This tomato meat sauce recipe is adaptable as we also like to use chicken or pork in place of the sausage. As children, the sauce was a favorite meal before the paste was added and eaten like a soup with toasted bread.

If you prefer, you can chop the size of the meat down or shred before serving. Enjoy!

I’d love it if you’d come back and let me know your thoughts and how this worked out for you.

Click the following link for additional Instant Pot recipes

2 thoughts on “Hearty Tomato Meat Sauce adapted for Instant Pot”

  1. Question- I make sauce Grandma’s recipe with just tomatoe paste and water (It’s amazing) but it boils down as we cook it for quite a few hours (always cooking tomatoe paste first before adding water)- Does an instant pot allow the sauce to boil down and thicken?

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