These Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs and Noodles are an easy one pot meal made in the pressure cooker! Made in 30 minutes or less.
It’s officially fall and I’m craving all the comfort food!
Hearty casseroles, carbs and creamy sauces are all back on the table and no one around here is upset.
These Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs are really the perfect fall meal — it’s a complete meal in one with no other pots required, plus we’re skipping the hard part and using store bought meatballs (so that you can still get a good meal on the table in between running the kids from one activity to the next).
This is my second one pot Instant Pot meatballs recipe, the first being these Honey Garlic Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes which we love, but are a little trickier because they require the pot-in-pot pressure cooker method, even though they both cook for exactly the same time.
Meatballs are just one of my favorite meals altogether, regardless of season and sauce and what we’re serving them over.
How to make the best Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs and Noodles:
- Choose good ingredients — this seems like a no-brainer, but really, when we’re using just a few ingredients in a recipe, you need to pick ingredients you enjoy.
- Choose low sodium beef broth — if you use regular broth this recipe will be very salty! Using low sodium sauces lets you control how much salt goes in
- Don’t overcook — pasta in the Instant Pot cooks incredibly fast. Normally, I do short cuts of pasta for 2 minutes but I give this recipe an extra minute to ensure the meatballs are heated through.
- Quick release — you don’t want to let your pasta cook any longer once the cook time is up. For this reason, pasta in the Instant Pot is always a quick release, which means you open the valve to release the pressure right away.
Tips for buying great store-bought frozen meatballs:
I know, I know — go ahead and judge.
But store bought frozen meatballs can make me feel like a superhero on those days where I had no dinner plan and the fridge was empty.
They are easily transformed into something amazing like these Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs with just a few ingredients, but you want to make sure you choose good meatballs to begin with.
A lot of store bought frozen meatballs are filled with weird ingredients and filler — you want to check the package for ingredients you can mostly pronounce. The shorter ingredient list the better!
Generally I’ve found with frozen meatballs that the cheapest bag is not what you want to be eating. You might have to spend a little bit more or watch for them on sale (or try Costco or somewhere you can buy a lot at a lower price).
Many stores also have fresh rolled meatballs, which will still require sauteeing in the pressure cooker but it will save you a step.
Tools you’ll need for these Instant Pot meatballs:
- an Instant Pot (I use a 6 quart smart Instant Pot, but this recipe should work fine in all)
- I haven’t used any other brand of electric pressure cooker, so I can’t say how they would function differently
- No other special equipment required — just dump and go!
More Instant Pot Recipes you’ll love:
- Instant Pot Italian Chicken Pasta
- Easy Instant Pot Recipes
- Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast
- Garlic Herb Instant Pot Potatoes
- Creamy Italian Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs and Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef meatballs frozen or thawed
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups extra broad egg noodles (140g)
- 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Place meatballs in the Instant Pot with beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until spices are combined.
- Add noodles, spread into an even layer and press down gently but do not stir — they will not be completely submerged and that is fine.
- Put the lid on, turn the valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 3 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
- When the cook time is over, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then open the valve to release the pressure, and remove the lid.
- Whisk together cream and corn starch and stir into meatballs. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and cook and stir just until sauce has thickened.
Nutrition Information
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Karla says
Could I double this and still have it fit in the 6-qt Instant Pot? If so, would it need to cook any longer? Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Karla! You should be able to double it but it will be close and may be difficult to stir after. The cook time would be the same!
Brittany says
Made tonight and will definitely be going into dinner rotation for those busy nights. I doubled everything in recipe, as I have 6 in my family. The only change I made was using rotini instead of egg noodles due to a food allergy. I still used same cook time besides letting it rest for 2 minutes before quick release since my pot was so full and not wanting the steam to be messy. It was quick,simple, and tasty!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Brittany! I’m glad you liked it!
Linda says
Can I used different type of noodles? I don’t have egg noodles only spaghetti and bow tie
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, you can substitute the noodles just fine! I would choose bow tie over spaghetti for this recipe
Maura says
This was excellent. I doubled the recipe and used frozen turkey meatballs and chicken broth instead of beef. I think I’ll try veggie meatballs and veggie broth next time. At first, my instant pot wouldn’t come to pressure as usual and I realized the valve wasn’t closed properly, so I took a minute off cooking. I like my noodles al dente, so it worked out great and even the kids loved it! This is going on regular rotation.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Maura! I’m glad you liked it!
Jessie Owen Payne says
This is amazing! We had chicken meatballs, so we used chicken broth instead of beef broth, used a can of cream of mushroom soup instead of the half and half, omitted the salt, and increased the garlic and spices. Will definitely make this again!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jessie!
KT says
This is such a great recipe! My Instapot attempts have been big hits or big misses lately and this was definitely a HIT! My husband and I finished the whole pot off in one sitting, lol! My only one, small, baby complaint was that I personally found it a bit salty, but that was probably the broth I used. Next time I will make sure to get low sodium broth and omit the extra salt, cause I WILL be making this again. Thanks!
KT says
Annnnnnnd because I was in such a hurry to make this, I skipped the part you said to make sure to buy low sodium broth! 100% my fault.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks KT! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Brianna says
Made this tonight and it came out perfect! I’m going to have to double up for next time because now there’s no leftovers.
Autumn says
Just tried this recipe, and let me tell you that it’s definitely becoming a staple in our household now. It takes such little time (and effort), as well as being so adjustable, and most importantly, incredibly delicious and can be very nutritious!
I made some adjustments that have seemed to work well. I made use of fresh meatballs which were browned first, used 1 can cream of mushroom soup instead of half and half, reduced broth by 1 cup, and added freshly diced onions as well as a variety of frozen veg (mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, peas) into the cream broth – making sure to layer the pasta ontop of the liquid.
In short, thank you so much for this recipe! truly life altering!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Autumn!
Melinda says
I made this tonight and had high hopes but was kind of disappointed. First, some of the noodles didn’t cook even though I added an extra minute like was recommended to one of the commenters who had the same issue. They weren’t just a little hard, they were still completely dry and “raw”.
Second, I didn’t have low sodium broth so I used regular and just ommitted the actual salt since you warned that not using low sodium broth would make the dish salty. When I tasted this after mixing in the 1/2 and 1/2, this definitely needed salt so I sprinkled just a bit of coarse salt in.
Overall, my daughter liked this and she is picky. But neither of us were clamoring for seconds.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Melinda! I’m sorry it wasn’t a favorite! I would see if you can push the noodles down a little further into the broth during the cook time, and that should help. I find that after I stir upon opening, they are all perfectly cooked. Also, if you used a noodle other than egg noodles there’s a chance they would not have been fully cooked.
Lynn says
Oops, no sour cream in the ingredients list! I guess I just assumed. Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
No problem!
Dennis Carter says
Simple but really tasty. Made this forJuly 4th dinner. Will definitely make this again!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Dennis!
ChrisB says
Wonderful, easy recipe, but the weight directions were a bit off. I weighed my noodles (don’t ask) and 140 grams was not nearly enough! But easy enough to fix, I just cook two more cups in the microwave. Also, I used regular milk to keep the fat/calories down. Was excellent!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Chris! The weight of noodles will definitely depend on the type you are using. Egg noodles are much lighter than regular pasta.
Tom B says
I’ve made this exactly to the directions many times and it always turns out FABULOUS! Thank you for this recipe, it’s a staple in our house these days!
Wanted to let everyone know that it’s equally easy to make this with white rice instead of noodles using pot-in-pot cooking.
Simply omit the noodles, put a trivet in the pot, put an oven safe dish on top of the trivet (I used a large ceramic bowl – mine is safe up to 350F) with 1:1 ratio of water and well-rinsed white rice (I did 1.5 cups of each), and cook on manual high pressure for 4 minutes with a 10 minute natural release, followed by a quick release. Thicken the meatballs with the cornstarch/half and half mixture – you may need up to 1 extra tbsp of cornstarch to thicken, as the absence of the pasta means more liquid left in the pot than normal.
The rice was perfect and fluffy, and the meatballs and sauce were amazing as always!
Thanks again for this recipe, and best wishes! 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Tom! And thank you for sharing that!
M. Aiello says
I made this recipe and it was delicious!!! Perhaps it was user error? 😉
Beth says
My family loves this recipe! It always comes out delicious and is so easy to make.
Great on days when I need a quick and satisfying meal.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that Beth!
Nora says
If I don’t have corn starch can I use flour? Maybe twice the amount? Can’t wait to try!
Ashley Fehr says
you could use flour! I would still whisk it together with some liquid before adding
Nora says
Thanks! We’ve made this 3 times now & it is a family fave! Sometimes a few noodles don’t cook long enough though. Should I try cooking an extra minute or maybe letting natural release for a few?
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Nora! I’m so glad you like it! Are they a touch dry or are they uncooked? Sometimes the noodles on top can seem a little dry if they haven’t been submerged, but I find that giving it a good stir usually fixes that. If they are uncooked, I would just add one more minute!
Christina says
Hello! Made this recipe yesterday and everyone loved it! Question, if I were to double this to yield 8 servings would I be able to double your exact measurements and the consistency stay the same? Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Christina! I’m so glad! Yes, I would double everything!
Lauren says
I made this tonight for my husband, 5 year old and 3 year old who are all fussy eaters and it was a game changer!! Everyone, including me, loved it! Thank you so much, fab recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Lauren!
Dave says
Would mushrooms hold up in this recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
I actually am not much of a fan of mushrooms, so I can’t say how they would be in the Instant Pot. If you’ve cooked them in the Instant Pot before, then they should be fine!
Lynn says
Looks awesome. I’m planning to sub whole milk Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Will that work?
Emily says
Thickly sliced mushrooms did great!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Emily!
Madeline Scocco says
Can i use heavy cream instead of 1/2 1/2.. if so still 1/2 cup?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, any will work, and I would still use the same amount
Kevin says
Question – could you use GF oven ready lasagna noodles for this recipe – I don’t have any egg noodles. Maybe break them up and put them in?
Ashley Fehr says
You probably could, but I can’t say how it would turn out since I’ve never cooked gluten free pasta in the Instant Pot before
Kristena says
I’ve been married for 15 years, and my husband just got more excited about this than anything I have ever made. 15 years.
Ashley Fehr says
That makes my day Kristena! Thank you for sharing!
Jayme says
Wondering if you can cook this earlier in the day and put on keep warm until dinner?
Ashley Fehr says
I wouldn’t leave it on keep warm for very long because the noodles will get mushy. If you are doing just the meatballs, I would cook them in the slow cooker and then cook pasta to serve with.
Dani says
Could I use something else for the cream like milk? I don’t have sour cream on hand either
Dani says
Also could I use it with fresh meatballs? Would the cook time be the same? I would just brown the meatballs first then cook correct?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, I would just brown the meatballs (make sure to scrape the bottom well after) and then continue with the recipe. You can use milk or evaporated milk, you just have to be careful because milk can curdle if it gets too hot too quick.
Lannilulu says
I plan to use regular pasta, will the cook time be the same as when using egg noodles?
Ashley Fehr says
yes, cook time will be the same!
Smoothie says
This worked really well. I hve the 8qt pot so I doubled everything. I found that 4 minutes wasnt quite enough, as I had a good layer of hard noodles. I set it for 2 more minutes and they were great. I did add 8 ounces fresh halved portobellos.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m glad you liked it!
Tara Martin says
Perfect! Followed to a tee. Next time I will increase broth and noodles cuz i love noodles!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Tara!
Heather says
Can I use chicken stock or should I go beef bouillon and water?
Heather says
Also can I use milk or sour cream instead of half and half
Ashley Fehr says
Sour cream definitely works!
Cate says
How much sour cream? And when should I put it in? At the end?
Ashley Fehr says
you will just swap it out for the cream in the recipe
Ashley Fehr says
The beef flavor is what makes them taste like swedish meatballs, but you can use chicken
Megan Johnson says
Is it high or low pressure?
Ashley Fehr says
Always high pressure unless specified
Karlene says
Sooo good, and sooo easy. Made it with Italian meatballs, YUM! I thawed the uncooked meatballs and they were perfectly cooked through. This will be one of my go to recipes.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Karlene!
Cassy says
Favorite meal to come out of my Instant Pot yet!!! My husband had 3 plates worth.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Cassy! I’m so glad!
Stephanie says
Trying to double this for my family….should the cook times stay the same?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, the cook time will stay the same
Mike K says
How did doubling the recipe go? Thanks!
Rachel Hendricks says
I made this for dinner and it is so good and so easy to throw together and put in the instant pot and was done in no time.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Rachel! I’m glad you liked it!
Kristyn says
One of the best recipes! My picky eaters love it! It is creamy & so delicious!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kristyn!
Anna says
My Hubby loved this dish! I am adding it to our meal plan!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Anna!
Jennifer says
LOVE how fast and easy this is! One of my favorite instant pot recipes!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! It comes together so quickly!
Natalie says
I can’t believe this is on the table in 8 minutes! Love the instant pot! This is super creamy & I love the meatballs!
Ashley Fehr says
You do have to factor in the time it takes to build pressure, but it’s still very quick!
Renee Goerger says
There are several good recipes that I use frozen meatballs for, and this will be one of them going forward. This looks delicious!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Renee!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Wow this is new for me never had it an my mouth is watering cant wait to taste this recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Claudia! I hope you enjoy it!
RonneeSue Scott says
I just asked the same thing. Did anyone reply? I’d love to make this. Thx.
RonneeSue Scott says
What if I don’t have an instapot? Can I cook this in my crock pot? For how long? Sounds delicious.
Ashley Fehr says
Yes it could! You would cook it much the same way, and leave out the cream and pasta until the end. Once the meatballs are tender you would add the remaining ingredients and cook 10-20 minutes until the pasta is tender.
Patricia M Olson Cieslak says
Can this recipe for swedish meatballs and noodles be adapted to make in a slow cooker pot
Ashley Fehr says
Yes it could! You would cook it much the same way, and leave out the cream and pasta until the end. Once the meatballs are tender you would add the remaining ingredients and cook 10-20 minutes until the pasta is tender.
Jane says
How long in the crock pot? Low or high?
Toni says
This will be a huge hit at my house!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Toni!
Dorothy Reinhold says
I am beginning to wonder how I got dinner on the table before I had the Instant Pot! This looks really tasty!
Ashley Fehr says
Right?! It’s so quick!
Britney Thompson says
I had to double the recipe to feed my family and it worked great in my 8 qt Instant Pot! The sauce didn’t get as thick as we would’ve liked but it was still so yummy!
Sherrie says
How long did you cook it
Sherrie says
Wow I made this and it was great. My son said I can cook that again and my critics is my son
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that Sherrie and so glad you enjoyed it Britney!