Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs are ready in minutes and turn out super moist and flavorful with mouthwatering seasonings. Delicious as an appetizer or as the main dish with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes!
If you’re looking for a weeknight meal that’s easy to prep yet full-on flavor, today’s pressure cooker meatballs recipe is your answer. Ready in under thirty minutes and with only a handful of ingredients, it’s my go-to dish when I’m in a bit of a time crunch but still want something hearty and filling to enjoy.
Meatballs for dinner can’t get any easier than throwing them in a pool of marinara sauce and letting the Instant Pot do its thing.
There’s no need to brown them on the stovetop or bake in the oven before simmering. They cook to juicy perfection in the tomato sauce all the while infusing it with mouthwatering flavor.
This Instant Pot turkey meatballs recipe uses store-bought marinara sauce to keep up with the minimal effort theme, but you can definitely make it from scratch if you have a few more minutes to spare. Try the simple method below which yields about 2 cups and packs tons of flavor.
Easy marinara sauce
- In a blender or food processor, pulse 1 (28 ounces) can of whole tomatoes until crushed.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 small onion (peeled and finely diced) and 4 cloves (peeled and minced) garlic and cook until aromatic.
- Add crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Lower heat, cover, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 to 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Helpful tips
- For extra nutrition and a gluten-free version, substitute oats in equal amounts for the breadcrumbs.
- Handle the ground turkey lightly. Do not overmix the meat mixture and do not pack the balls tightly as they’ll turn tough and rubbery.
- Do a taste test before forming the meatballs. Cook a small portion in a hot pan to check if seasoned to your liking.
- Portion the mixture into uniform size balls to ensure even cooking. Use a scoop and sparingly oil your hands to make shaping easier.
- Add a few shakes of red chili pepper flakes to the sauce for a hint of spice.
- For a rose blush sauce, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream when the meatballs are cooked and turn on SAUTE to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes just until warmed through.
How to serve
- Instant pot turkey is great as an appetizer as well as the main dish served with pasta, rice, or potatoes. Also delicious in sandwich hoagies with gooey mozzarella!
- Cool leftovers completely and store including the sauce in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.
- Reheat the meatballs with the sauce in a saucepan over low heat to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Want to cook the ground meat, tomato sauce, and pasta all in one pot? Try pressure cooker spaghetti!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
- 1/2 small onion, peeled and grated
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, grated onions, egg, salt, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix just until distributed.
- Using a scoop, shape into small meatballs.
- In the Instant Pot, add half of the marinara sauce. Arrange meatballs on the sauce and then top with the remaining sauce.
- Secure lid and move pressure release valve to the SEALING position. Press Manual or Pressure Cook; cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, press CANCEL and use QUICK release.
- Serve hot over spaghetti noodles and garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Aleah Nicholson says
Hi there! These meatballs taste great but I get a burn notice every single time I make them! I even tried adding water and it still happens! It could just be my instant pot but who knows?