My plan seemed so simple - use pressure cooking to get the flavors of a long-simmering sauce in the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta. I’ve already got a stovetop quick tomato sauce recipe - it will be easy to convert, right?
Easy. Riiiight.
It’s time for another episode of “Why can’t I get this recipe to work the way I want it”?4
I sauté some onions and garlic, add spices, pour in crushed tomatoes, and lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Five minutes under pressure is not enough time for flavors to mingle; the sauce comes out like a salsa, with distinct tomato and onion pieces. Fifteen minutes is just right - the sauce is thick, like it was simmered all afternoon by an Italian Nonna.5
But…as I’m testing the recipe, every now and again, the sauce scorches on the bottom. I’m running right on the edge of overheating the pressure cooker; the thick, crushed tomatoes have just enough liquid to get up to pressure…most of the time. If the pressure valve doesn’t seal quickly, the heating element starts to burn the tomatoes before it switches from “high heat, bring to pressure” mode to “under pressure, low heat to maintain pressure” mode. To be safe, and to add more flavor, I add a half-cup of red wine before adding the tomatoes. Problem solved.6
Now, if it was just me and my wife, I’d serve the sauce just like it comes out of the cooker, with some chunks in it. But the kids? Chunks in the sauce? They’re not having it. I take my stick blender to the sauce, pureeing it right in the pressure cooker pot.
So, after some fiddling around, I have it. A quick weeknight sauce with minimal effort. It takes a little longer than my stovetop recipe…but it’s a much richer, fuller bodied sauce, with a lot less active effort. Once the pressure cooker is locked, there’s nothing to do but wait, and boil water for the pasta.
Video: How to make Pressure Cooker Quick Tomato Sauce - Time Lapse (1:30)
Pressure Cooker Quick Tomato Sauce - Time Lapse [YouTube.com]
Pressure Cooker Quick Tomato Sauce
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart of sauce 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker Quick Tomato Sauce recipe - 15 minutes under pressure gives you a fantastic pasta sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or dried basil)
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup red wine (or chicken broth, or water)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. Set the pressure cooker to sauté mode (medium heat for a stovetop PC) and pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt, the Italian seasoning, and the pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about five minutes.
- Add the liquid and the tomatoes. Pour in the wine (or broth, or water). Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck bits of onion. Stir in the crushed tomatoes.
- Pressure cook for 15 minutes on high pressure. Lock the pressure cooker lid, then cook on high pressure for 15 minutes in an electric PC, or 12 minutes in a stovetop PC. Quick release the pressure by turning the pressure release valve. Once the pressure has dropped, remove the lid, tilting it away from you to protect yourself from the hot steam.
- Season, purée, and serve. Stir in ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. If you like a chunky, rustic sauce, serve it as-is. If you want a smooth sauce, purée with a stick blender right in the pot before serving.
Notes
Recommended equipment:
- 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot electric pressure cooker)
- Stick Blender (optional, if you need a smooth sauce)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
Pressure Cooker Italian Meat Sauce
Pressure Cooker Tuscan Bean Soup
Pressure Cooker Beef Shank (Osso Bucco)
My other Pressure Cooker Recipes
My other Pressure Cooker Time Lapse Videos
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marc says
Not expecting to hear back in time for tonights dinner... BUT
Is there a way to make this AND cook penne noodles in with it, to impart that flavor into the noodle?
Frances says
Just made this sauce for the second time. It’s delicious and so easy! Both times I’ve made it when I ran out of Jarred sauce but it is so much better I’ll just keep making it as long as I have 30 minutes. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Lisa says
We like ground beef and/or sausage in our sauce. If we wanted to add meat, when would be do it?
I've literally just got my brand new Instant Pot out of it's box and I'm itching to use it!
Mike Vrobel says
Follow this recipe: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-italian-meat-sauce/ and substitute ground beef for some or all of the sausage.
Kathleen Jones says
I threw in 8 large basil leaves and 4 cups fresh spinach. Used my Blender on a stick. Turned out dark reddish brown and is delicious. Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Elizabeth says
Really delicious sauce! We just had it for dinner both of us loved it. I am amazed at the depth of flavor for such a quick sauce. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and videos. I have learned a lot from your site and appreciate all of the work that you do in preparing your informative and enjoyable posts.
Mike Vrobel says
You're welcome - thank you for the kind words, and I'm glad my recipes help you out!
Jane says
I'd like to try this but wonder if I can double it?
I'm with you on having kids (and a husband) that don't want the chunks. I've been using the stick blender on all my pasta sauces (store bought and home made) for years!
Mike Vrobel says
I haven't tried to double it - it should work, though. If you try, let me know how it turns out!
Louise S says
Very, very good sauce!
If I may add, you MUST try freshly grated superior quality parmesan (not the K stuff that's in the video) for fear of killing your great sauce. Garnish with FRESH BASIL and you are an honorary Napolitan chef.
And, as always, thank you!!!
★★★★
Mike Vrobel says
Um...there's no parmesan in the video. Those are red pepper flakes?
Razzy 7 says
Glad you tried to make a PC version of Marcella Hazan’s simple tomato sauce recipe. I can see why it doesn't lend itself well to a pressure cooker. However, I hope you and your readers will try the recipe sans pressure cooker. It's a fabulous and amazingly simple sauce.
Nancy says
Why would you not cook it PIP to avoid possible scorching?
Mike Vrobel says
I want the flavor from browning the onions in the sauce...and I don't mind a little browning of the tomatoes, either. That, and PIP takes a lot longer, in my experience.