33 Instant Pot Italian Recipes

If you can't go to Italy, bring that delicious trattoria dining experience into your kitchen with these awesome Italian Instant Pot recipes. From hearty lasagna and tomato meatballs to creamy risotto and tiramisu, we'll have you scream 'Belissimo' every time you release the pressure. 

From making the classic marinara sauce to velvety risotto, the Instant Pot can be a valuable kitchen assistant in Italian cooking.

It brings speed, efficiency, and flavor-enhancing capabilities, which are great for making many Italian dishes such as tender-braised meat sauces, hearty stews, pasta sauces, one-pot meals, and even desserts.

So, whether you're whipping up a quick weeknight dinner or preparing a sumptuous Sunday feast, the Instant Pot is your trusty sidekick on your Italian culinary journey.

In this Italian Instant Pot recipes roundup we will visit different corners of Italy to bring you a selection of dishes from Naples-born lasagna to Tuscan stews and more. Instant Pot can really satisfy most of your Italian cravings.

Best Instant Pot Italian Recipes

Below is our curated list of scrumptious Italian dishes. We've includes our personal highlights for each dish to make it easier for your browse and choose what to cook next.

Bolognese Sauce

Classic Italian Bolognese sauce is a must for every cook and our Instant Pot recipe comes with step-by-step instructions and images making it easy for anyone to make.

Highlights: beginner-friendly, easy, nutritious, family-favorite, kid-friendly.

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Vegan Lentil Bolognese

This meat-free version is made with red lentils and mushrooms, pressure cooked in a gorgeous, rich tomato sauce. You’ll be surprised by how satiating and hearty this dish is, making it a worthy rival to its traditional meaty cousin.

Highlights: vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free.

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Incredible Instant Pot Beef Ragu

A great hearty recipe for cooler weather is this ragu. It’s paleo and Whole30 friendly, gluten-free, high in protein and iron, and full of flavour. Perfect for weekend meal prep. 

Highlights: paleo, whole30 friendly, gluten-free, meal prep. 

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Instant Pot Pasta E Fagioli

A perfect balance between a hearty chili and a brothy soup.  Outstanding in flavor and will warm you up with beans, meat, and pasta. Pasta E Fagioli means pasta and beans. Pasta E Fagioli is a traditional Italian dish introduced as a peasant dish for its inexpensive ingredients.

Highlights: crowd-friendly, vegetarian, vegan, budget-friendly.

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Italian-Style Mac & Cheese

This isn't your ordinary mac and cheese, it has a rustic Italian flare to it. With the addition of olives, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, and a hearty helping of mozzarella, this vegetarian wonder will have you drooling for days.  

Highlights: vegetarian, rustic, kid-friendly.

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Zuppa Toscana Soup

This Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is authentic Italian in one bowl with cannellini beans, carrots, celery, kale, zucchini, and bacon. Just break up some crusty Italian bread to go with this yummy deliciousness.

Highlights: soup, nutritious, family-favorite.

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Braised Chicken Scarpariello

This Instant Pot chicken scarpariello recipe is a pressure cooker version of the American-Italian classic dish made with poultry and sweet and sour sauce of pickled roasted red peppers and rosemary. This sensational dish can be served over your favourite pasta, polenta, rice or vegetables.

Highlights: gluten-free

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Orzo With Lemon, Parmesan & Spinach

Learn how to make simple Instant Pot Orzo with lemon, Parmesan cheese and spinach for a perfect, hearty side dish or main. This lemony, cheesy orzo recipe only takes 20-25 minutes from start to finish.

Highlights: vegetarian, one-pot, quick, beginner-friendly.

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Chicken Drumsticks In Italian Sauce

Rich in Italian tomato sauce with herbs and garlic and meat falling off the bone are great to serve with pasta, rice or veggies. 

HIghlights:  accessible, affordable, gluten-free, paleo and whole30-friendly.

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Instant Pot Beef Cheeks

Braised in red wine and tomatoes, these Instant Pot beef cheeks are rich and melt-in-your mouth soft. Enjoy 4 ways from pasta to tacos.

Highlights: versatile, budget-friendly, make-ahead.

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Spaghetti With Shrimp Scampi

Learn how to make easy, delicious Instant Pot spaghetti with garlic butter shrimp scampi and Parmesan cheese for dinner in under 30 minutes.

Highlights: quick, easy, one-pot meal, kid-friendly.

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Italian Meatball Caprese Sandwiches

Juicy, tomato meatballs, squishy mozzarella, fresh tomato and aromatic basil are sandwiched together for a perfect bite in this Instant Pot recipe.

Highlights: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, easy lunch, entertaining.

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Hearty Pork Stew With Beans & Tomatoes

If you love an Italian minestrone or a good Bolognese sauce, you will love this gorgeous, Tuscan pork and beans stew. It's an absolute family favourite, featuring ground pork meat, juicy tomatoes and legumes of your choice.

Highlights: Budget-friendly, nutritious, freezer-friendly.

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Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

This Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta is seasoned with Italian herbs and tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and cream.

Highlights: quick and easy, one-pot, beginner-friendly.

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Instant Pot Tomato Basil Sauce

Easy homemade tomato basil sauce is a fresh tomato sauce, light, tangy and sweet, with hints of aromatic herb, perfect for pasta or stews.

Highlights: seasonal, homemade, versatile, vegan, freezable.

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Beef & Barley Soup With Pesto

This delicious recipe combines tender beef, nutritious barley, and a variety of savory herbs and vegetables to create a comforting and filling meal. What really sets this soup apart is the addition of pesto, which adds a bright and zesty burst of flavor.

Highlights: hearty, comforting, cozy, one-pot meal.

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Kabocha Squash & Pea Risotto

Instant Pot Kabocha squash, rosemary, and pea risotto recipe is a delicious vegetarian-friendly dinner meal that is easy to make in your pressure cooker.

Highlights: one-pot, easy, vegetarian.

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Instant Pot Lasagna

A lasagna cooked in the pressure cooker makes a delicious comfort food meal that tastes just like classic lasagna but takes much less time to make. We love this recipe from Spaceship & Laser Beams.

Highlights: crowd-pleaser, family-favorite, kid-friendly.

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Chicken Cacciatore

Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian and this old Italian “hunter-style” dish is usually made with tender chicken, tomatoes, bell peppers, kale, carrots and sliced mushrooms. A comforting rustic dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Highlights: paleo, keto, ,ow-carb.

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Chicken Piccata With Lemon & Capers

This Chicken Piccata is made with zesty lemon and capers for that light citrus flavor. It’s perfect to serve over angel hair pasta.

Highlights: frozen chicken.

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Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

Vegan and gluten-free, this detox-friendly Instant Pot vegetable soup is hearty and nutritious, filled with veggies, greens and mushrooms. It’s a great example of a traditional Italian farmhouse soup. 

Highlights: vegan, gluten-free, detox-friendly.

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Easy Italian Beef Roast

Are you hesitant to try a pot roast in the Instant Pot? This roast is amazingly tender! Enjoy it with cauliflower rice or make sandwiches. Make sure to make enough for leftovers!

Highlights: keto, high-protein, one-pot.

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Italian-Style Lamb Shanks WIth White Beans

Bring a little Tuscany into your kitchen with these succulent Instant Pot lamb shanks served over soft white beans and tomatoes. 

Highlights: grain-free, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Tomato Barley Risotto With Marinated Feta

Have you tried pearl barley? This one comes with delicious Mediterranean flavors of tomatoes and thyme and is topped with fresh marinated feta. The combination of bold flavors and unique textures will make you love it. 

Highlights: one-pot, family favorite

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Italian Tomato Instant Pot Meatballs

Traditional Italian meatballs are made with half beef and half pork, this recipe uses ground beef only and it's gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 friendly. So these meatballs contain no breadcrumbs or other fillers and the sauce is made from in the pot rather than using a pre-made jar variety.

Highlight: gluten-free, whole30, paleo, homemade.

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Osso Buco & Rice (Italian Veal Stew)

This delicious Instant Pot osso buco dish is made with veal shanks and ripened tinned tomatoes and we have thrown in the rice to turn it into a hearty, one-pot, family-friendly meal. It can be made with regular beef steak, pork chops or even chicken.

Highlights: gluten-free, family-friendly meal.

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Italian Beef Sandwiches

This classic dish is a staple in Italian-American cuisine and is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Pile juicy, beefy goodness high on a roll, slather on some zesty giardiniera, cheese, and dip away in a pool of savory au jus.

Highlights: lunch idea, meal prep, crowd pleaser.

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Instant Pot Fish Braised In Italian Broth

A super quick and easy recipe for Instant Pot fish braised in Italian broth of cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and roasted peppers. It’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors, and you can make it with frozen white fish or salmon. 

Highlights: gluten-free, paleo, low-carb, whole30, frozen fish.

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Creamy Tortellini Alfredo With Italian Sausage

Budget-friendly Instant Pot tortellini alfredo with Italian sausage. At $2.16 per serve, this crowd-pleaser recipe won’t break the bank.

Highlight: crowd-pleaser, budget-friendly

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Italian Chickpea Stew With Pesto

Chickpeas are the basis for this savory Italian stew, which gets an extra kick from a spoonful of intensely flavoured pesto at serving time. This recipe is a one-pot meal to give you plenty of time to make some homemade pesto if you so desire. From Epicurious.

Highlight: one-pot meal, homemade, vegetarian.

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Instant Pot Meatballs & Spaghetti

You can't say Italian without the image of spaghetti and meatballs. And to make it truly Italian, you have to make huge meatballs that take up the whole plate. 

Hightlights: gluten-free and egg-free.

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Instant Pot Torta Caprese

This dense, fudgy Italian flourless cake is typically made in the oven, but making it in an Instant Pot keeps it moist without drying it out. From All Recipes.

Highlights: fudgy, gluten-free, entertaining, special occasion.

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Tiramisu Cheesecake

If you love coffee and you love cheesecake – this dessert is just for you! Your guest will love seeing these served in cute 4 oz. mason jars and your belly will thank you for portion control. Recipe from Sandhya's Kitchen.

Highlight: portion control, make-ahead dessert.

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We hope you enjoy these fabulous Italian Instant Pot recipes! Do you have a dish that you absolutely love and cook all the time? Let us know in the comments below.