Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoonolive oil
• 100 glardons or diced bacon
• 1 smallonion, very finely diced
• 1 smallcarrot, very finely diced
• 1celery stick, very finely diced
• 500 gbeef mince
• 1 clovegarlic
• 1 × 400 g tinchopped tomatoes
• 1beef stock cube or stock pot
• 2 teaspoonsoregano
• 1bay leaf
• to tastesalt and pepper
• to tastecooked spaghetti, linguine or other pasta shape
• to tastegrated Parmesan or Cheddar

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lardons

   Put the lardons and olive oil in the pressure cooker. Fry over a medium-high heat, stirring often, for about 2 minutes, or until the lardons are golden.

2. 2

   Soften the vegetables

   Lower the heat, add the finely diced onion, carrot and celery, and cook gently for 2–3 minutes until softened.

3. 3

   Brown the mince

   Turn the heat up and add the beef mince. Fry for about 3–4 minutes, until most of the mince is nicely browned.

4. 4

   Add the sauce ingredients

   Add the tomatoes, beef stock cube, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir until combined, then fit the pressure cooker lid and set the regulator to high pressure (12 lb per square inch or position 2 on the Prestige SmartPlus).

5. 5

   Cook under pressure

   Heat over a high heat until the visual indicator rises, then wait until steam escapes steadily. Lower the heat until there is just a gentle hiss and cook for 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Release the pressure

   After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and gently move the pressure cooker regulator to the steam-release position.

7. 7

   Check the indicator

   Wait for the visual pressure indicator to drop before removing the lid.

8. 8

   Serve with pasta

   Serve the Bolognese sauce with cooked spaghetti or another pasta shape, topped with grated Parmesan or Cheddar.

What is pressure cooker Bolognese?

Bolognese is a meat sauce associated with Bologna in Italy, commonly served with pasta. This version takes a British home-cooking approach, adding lardons and using a pressure cooker to bring the ingredients together quickly.

The combination of browned mince, bacon, finely diced vegetables and tomatoes gives the sauce its savoury base. Serving it with pasta and grated cheese makes a familiar, filling meal.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 361 calories, 32g protein, 13g carbs, 20g fat.

The beef mince and lardons provide most of the protein and fat, while the pasta is the main source of carbohydrate. The supplied nutrition figures are per serving; serve the sauce with a generous side of vegetables or salad to balance the plate.

Build flavour before pressure cooking

Lardons first: frying them in the oil until golden helps give the sauce a savoury, browned flavour.

Mince next: brown the beef before adding the tomatoes, rather than putting it straight into the liquid. Finely diced onion, carrot and celery soften quickly and blend into the sauce.

Get the pressure-cooker stage right

Steady steam: wait for the indicator to rise and for steam to escape at a steady rate before lowering the heat. Then adjust it until you hear only a gentle hiss, as the method directs.

Safe opening: after releasing the steam, wait for the visual pressure indicator to drop before removing the lid. Follow your cooker’s instructions for operating and releasing pressure.

Check the texture and doneness

Before cooking: look for browned mince and softened vegetables; those are the cues to move on to the tomatoes and stock cube.

After cooking: the recipe gives a pressure-cooking time of 15 minutes. Stir the sauce after opening the cooker and check that the mince is cooked through before serving.

Keep the pasta separate

Cooked pasta: the method serves the sauce with spaghetti, linguine or another pasta shape, rather than cooking pasta in the pressure cooker. This lets you serve each portion with the amount of pasta you prefer.

Cheese: grate Parmesan or Cheddar over the sauce just before serving for a savoury finish.

Make it a complete plate

Pasta pairing: spaghetti is the classic choice in this recipe, but linguine or another pasta shape works too. Spoon the sauce over the cooked pasta so it is easy to portion.

A simple green salad or steamed vegetables can add freshness alongside the rich, meat-based sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Dice the onion, carrot and celery very finely so they soften quickly.
• Stir the lardons regularly while frying so they brown evenly.
• Give the mince time to brown before adding the tomatoes.
• Use the pressure setting specified for your cooker model.
• Have the pasta cooked and ready to serve while the pressure is released.
• Add the grated cheese at the table so each person can choose how much they want.

Variations

• Use linguine: serve the sauce over cooked linguine instead of spaghetti.
• Choose another pasta: use any cooked pasta shape you have to hand.
• Swap the bacon: use diced bacon in place of the lardons as suggested.
• Change the cheese: finish with grated Cheddar instead of Parmesan.
• Adjust the herbs: vary the oregano to suit your taste while keeping the bay leaf in the sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing the lardons: give them about 2 minutes over medium-high heat until golden.
• Skipping the vegetable softening: cook the diced vegetables gently for 2–3 minutes before adding the mince.
• Adding mince too early: brown it after the vegetables have softened so it has time to colour.
• Using high heat throughout: lower the heat once steam escapes steadily, until only a gentle hiss remains.
• Opening too soon: wait for the pressure indicator to drop after releasing steam.
• Cooking the pasta in the sauce: this method calls for cooked pasta served alongside the Bolognese.

How to store

Cool leftover sauce promptly and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; store cooked pasta separately if possible.

Frequently asked questions