Saucy Instant Pot Beef and Noodles

 

You know those nights when you really want some classic, old school comfort food? I’m talkin’… things mom used to make on a busy weeknight that was husband-pleasin’ while also appealing to picky children? If you’ve ever had that kind of night, this is the recipe for you. 

 

 

I was looking for something I could make for the kiddos for dinner that was fast and tasty. I also wanted something that was familiar; a meal that was something we could identify as a regular meal to add to our rotation.

 

 

 

I’ve been making a real push to master my instant pot so that it really can make my cooking quicker, easier, and still super yummy and flavorful. This recipe was originally a slow cooker recipe that I decided to convert to a pressure cooker recipe so it would be fast.

 

 

 

It hit all the marks! The kiddos loved it, it was fast and easy, and it was the whole meal in a pot. It’s really flexible too. You can use whatever pasta you have in your pantry, and you can also mix up what meat you use. I used diced beef, but ground beef would work, as well as larger chunks of stew meat. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken or diced turkey or chicken. So many possibilities. If you’re using turkey or chicken, I would recommend using chicken broth instead of beef broth. Otherwise, it works nicely as a kitchen catch-all making it even friendlier than ever.

 

 

Serve with some delicious green beans, broccoli, carrots, or asparagus. You can also add some fresh mushrooms to the sauce, making it even healthier and more hearty.

 

Saucy Beef and Noodles

 

1 lb beef stew meat (I like the diced beef, but larger cut stew meat will work too)

1 small onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1c beef broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp dried basil, dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz penne pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)

1 c shredded parmesan cheese

 

 

 

 

Turn the Instant Pot to “saute” and allow it to heat up. Pat the meat dry and season it with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in 2 or 3 batches, placing each batch in a bowl as it finishes searing. Once the meat is ready, saute the onion for a couple of minutes in the pot. Once it starts to get some color, add the garlic and cook for just a minute.

Once the onion and garlic are ready, turn off the instant pot and slowly add the beef broth, and scrape the bottom of the pot to clean it while pouring. Next, add the soup, heavy cream, basil and oregano, and mix with the broth. Add the meat and mix everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste at this point and adjust as needed.

 

Pour the pasta on top of the mix and gently push it into the sauce without mixing it together; DO NOT STIR. You want the pasta to stay near the top for the best cook. Put the lid on and secure it, and make sure the pressure valve is turned for pressure. For pressure cook time, you need to take the number of minutes the pasta package recommends for cooking, divide it in half and subtract 2 more minutes. For example, if the package says 10 minutes, you will cook for 3 minutes.

 

Set your cook time on high pressure, and once it’s done let it naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release. Remove the lid and stir everything, making sure your pasta is cooked to your liking. Add the parmesan cheese, and your meal is ready to serve.

 

Slow Cooker Instructions:

In the cooker add the soup, broth, heavy cream, basil, and oregano and mix it together. Place the meat, onion, and garlic in the mix and give it a stir.  Put the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours; until the beef is tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, cook the pasta to package directions to el dente on the stovetop and drain. Add it to the slow cooker along with the cheese and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce infuse the pasta. Now it’s ready to serve. 

 

*Adapted from this recipe on Then and Now Recipes