Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Instant Pot Goulash
Beefy macaroni in tomato sauce is a welcome sight when dinner calls for something familiar and filling. This goulash has plenty of sauce to hug each elbow. Spoon yourself a bowl and enjoy the small pleasures of tender pasta and a savory tomato bite.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 7 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 9 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Beef
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Pressure cooker
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Scrape before the pasta goes in
After adding the water, take a minute to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. That step matters here because stuck-on bits can trigger the burn message once the pasta and sauce are layered in.
2. Layer, don't stir
Once the macaroni goes in, leave it on top of the beef and press it down lightly. Stirring at this point can push pasta onto the bottom, where it’s more likely to stick during pressure cooking.
3. Expect a quick release
When the cook time is done, turn the pot off and open the valve to release the pressure. The pasta only cooks under pressure for a short time, so don’t leave it sitting sealed afterward.
Get to know the ingredients
Lean ground beef
Lean ground beef can go straight into the recipe after browning. If you’re using regular ground beef instead, the directions note that you may want to drain off the extra fat before moving on.
Dry macaroni
Use dry macaroni, either white or whole wheat. It cooks in the pot with the sauce, so don’t swap in cooked pasta or it won’t behave the same way under pressure.
Tomatoes on top
The diced tomatoes and pasta sauce go over the macaroni, with the goal of covering the pasta as well as you can. That top layer helps the noodles cook without stirring everything together first.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 8 steps completeMake room for Instant Pot Goulash
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Stir before you judge it
At first glance, there may be a lot of liquid sitting on top. Stir it through before serving. The sauce coats the pasta once everything is mixed, and the finished goulash should not be watery.
A little more help as you go
Pot size note
A 6-quart Instant Pot is the tested size for this method. Pressure-cooker fill levels and heat patterns can vary between models.
Season the beef early
The Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper cook briefly with the browned beef and onion before the liquid goes in. That quick minute helps season the base instead of leaving all the flavor in the sauce layer.
A few questions you might have
Why do I turn the Instant Pot off before adding the macaroni?
Turning it off stops the saute heat before the pasta is added. Since the macaroni is sprinkled on top and not stirred in, this helps keep the bottom from getting too hot and sticky.
Do I need to cover every piece of pasta with sauce?
Do your best to cover the macaroni with the diced tomatoes and pasta sauce. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the directions do call for covering all of the pasta as well as you can.
Is the pressure time really only 2 minutes?
Yes. Set it for 2 minutes on high pressure. The pot will also take time to build pressure before the countdown starts, so the pasta gets more time in the hot liquid than the timer alone suggests.
What should I do if it looks watery when I open the lid?
Stir it first. The directions say it can look like a lot of liquid on top, but once mixed, the sauce coats the pasta and the goulash won’t be watery.
Should I drain the beef after browning?
Only if you need to. The recipe uses lean ground beef, but notes that regular ground beef may leave extra fat in the pot, which you may want to drain before continuing.
Any more cooking tips?
My recipes are tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: thereciperebel.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
