Making meatballs and rice in the Instant Pot pressure cooker is a quick and easy way to prepare a delicious and hearty dinner.
Cheesy rice, Italian spices, and frozen meatballs make this dish of Italian Instant Pot Meatballs and Rice a simple comfort food you’ll love!
LAST UPDATED October 14, 2021
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As a homeschooling family, we are blessed to have some flexibility in our days. However, that also means I have three young kids running around all day, so the amount of time I can spend making dinner is limited.
Because it’s only a matter of time before someone will start fighting over a toy, need my help with something, or get a busted lip. Truly, some days it feels like a miracle that I’m able to make dinner at all!
I am always on the hunt for new ways to make quick and easy meals in my Instant Pot. I’m especially grateful if I can create an Instant Pot meal that is also a one-pot meal, meaning that everything cooks together in the Instant Pot.
It’s so nice to only have one pot to clean afterward! Tasty, quick, easy, and minimal cleanup? That’s a win in my book!
Whether you have small kids running around, a taxing job with a long commute home, or you’re shuttling big kids back and forth between soccer practice and piano lessons, I’m guessing you need quick and easy meals, too.
That’s why I’m sure you’re going to love this Instant Pot meatballs and rice recipe, made with frozen meatballs, white rice cooked in the Instant Pot, and basic pantry staples.
It’s one of my favorite Instant Pot frozen meatballs recipes, and for good reason.
Pressure Cooker Meatballs and Rice Recipe
These cheesy Italian meatballs and rice fit the bill for an easy Instant Pot weeknight dinner!
And they’re made entirely in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, so this recipe is a really simple way to get a tasty dinner on the table fast. It’s a delicious Instant Pot frozen meatballs recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight.
Savory meatballs, cheesy rice, tender peppers and carrots are cooked with Italian spices to create a flavorful and hearty dish in mere minutes!
More Easy Instant Pot Frozen Meatball Recipes:
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs with Rice
- Easy Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs
- Instant Pot Meatball Subs
- Delicious Instant Pot Albondigas Soup
- Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
How to Cook Frozen Meatballs with Rice in the Instant Pot
The original version of this recipe involved cooking the frozen meatballs along with everything else in the pot, all at the same time.
It worked great when I initially tested it in my Instant Pot DUO 60, and many readers had great success with the recipe.
However, over time, I heard from more readers saying their Instant Pot gave them the burn notice.
I knew some models of the Instant Pot were more prone to getting the burn error, so I decided to re-test the recipe in my newer Instant Pot DUO EVO (one of the models that gets the error more often).
Sure enough, I got the error as well. So, I needed to revamp the recipe so it would work in any model of Instant Pot, including the newer models with more sensitive burn sensors.
What follows is my “new and improved” recipe for Instant Pot meatballs and rice, which will provide more consistent results, regardless of which type of Instant Pot you own!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Beef broth
- Frozen meatballs (I use Italian meatballs)
- Uncooked white rice
- Salt
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Carrots
- Bell pepper
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Pressure cook the meatballs. It’s important to cook the frozen meatballs first, before cooking the rice and veggies.
This is because the cold frozen meatballs lower the temperature of the liquid, causing it to take longer to come to pressure, which is what was causing the burn error in some instances.
So play it safe, and simply cook the meatballs first. I start by adding the beef broth to the insert pot of the Instant Pot, then placing the meatballs in a steamer basket and lowering them in.
You could also just set them on your trivet if you don’t have a steamer basket for the Instant Pot.
Add rice and seasonings. After the meatballs have cooked for a couple of minutes, pull out the steamer basket. Add the white rice into the hot beef broth, then stir in the seasonings.
Add the meatballs and veggies. Add the cooked meatballs back into the pot, and layer the carrots and peppers on top. Don’t stir anything at this point, but do make sure the rice is all completely submerged in the broth.
Pressure cook. Program a cook time of 4 minutes at high pressure. Since the broth is already hot, the pot will come to pressure pretty quickly.
Once the cook time is complete, allow a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.
Add cheese. Carefully remove the lid and add in the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Stir gently to combine, allowing the cheese to melt. If you want it extra cheesy, you can add in another handful, or sprinkle some on top of each individual serving.
Serve and enjoy!
This recipe makes 6 servings, but you can safely cut the Instant Pot recipe in half if you only need 2-3 servings.
Notes and Adaptations for Instant Pot Meatballs and Rice
- You can buy a bag of fully cooked frozen meatballs or make your own. I have used frozen meatballs from the store as well as cooked homemade meatballs already in my freezer, and both kinds work fine!
- I used white rice in this recipe because its cook time is shorter, making it ideal for cooking along with vegetables and meatballs. Since brown rice takes longer to cook, the veggies would be mushy if cooked that long.
- Feel free to substitute a different cheese if you prefer. I’ve used plain mozzarella and I’ve also used Italian blend cheese.
- Change up the veggies as desired–frozen peas or green beans would be a nice addition.
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant Pot (I have the DUO60 model and love it!)
Cheesy Italian Instant Pot Meatballs and Rice
Making meatballs and rice in the Instant Pot is a quick and easy way to prepare a delicious and hearty dinner. Cheesy rice, Italian spices, and frozen meatballs create a simple comfort food you'll love!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 24-30 fully-cooked frozen Italian meatballs
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3 carrots, thickly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Pour beef broth into the insert pot of the Instant Pot. Add frozen meatballs to a steamer basket and lower into the insert pot (alternatively, set the trivet in place and set the meatballs on the trivet).
- Close lid and set vent to the sealed position. Pressure cook the meatballs for 2 minutes at high pressure, followed by a quick release of pressure.
- Remove meatballs and steamer basket from the pot. Add rice, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder to the hot broth in the pot. Stir to combine.
- Remove meatballs from steamer basket and place them on top of the rice mixture in the Instant Pot. Add carrots and peppers on top of the meatballs. Do not stir, but do make sure the rice is submerged in the broth.
- Close the lid and set the vent to the sealed position. Pressure cook for 4 minutes at high pressure. When the cook time is complete, allow a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release of remaining pressure.
- Add shredded cheese to the rice and meatballs, stirring gently to combine. Allow the cheese to melt for a couple of minutes, then serve.
Notes
- I used white rice in this recipe because its cook time is shorter, making it ideal for cooking along with vegetables and meatballs. Since brown rice takes longer to cook, the veggies would be mushy if cooked that long.
- If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, be sure your meatballs are gluten-free.
- Feel free to substitute a different cheese if you prefer. You can also omit the cheese entirely if you need a dairy-free meal.
- Change up the veggies as desired--peas or green beans would be a nice addition.
Recipe last updated October 14, 2021
Inspired by Eat At Home
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 804mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Adapted from this skillet meatballs and rice recipe.
I was so excited to find a meatball recipe without tomato sauce and pasta. Unfortunately, this didn’t work for me at all. The pot never came to pressure and after about 20 min I got the “Burn” notification. There was no liquid left and the (semi cooked) rice was burning to the bottom of the pot while the meatballs were still cold inside 🙁
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear this, Mia! I know how frustrating it is when a recipe doesn’t turn out right. If the pot never came to pressure, it sounds like the vent may not have been set to the sealed position…so all of the liquid evaporated out through the vent (I have learned this the hard way!). That would cause the rice to burn and would also explain why the meatballs weren’t cooked all the way through. I hope it works better for you next time if you decide to try it again!
Hi! I was so excited when I came upon this recipe for exactly the same reasons as you and I also got the burn signal…….I wish I had read the comments first as I was so short on time! But I will try it again with the meatballs on the bottom and the rice on top as it seemed the rice was burning to the bottom of the pot….
I’m so sorry to hear you got the burn message too! If you know your seal was good (silicone ring in place, vent turned to the sealed position), your idea of layering the meatballs first on the bottom could help!
Thank you for this recipe! I used brown rice and mozzarella and added frozen mixed veggies (which I cooked in the microwave) to the mix after the rice and meatballs were done cooking. My two and a half year old loved it! I even got a, “Yum!” as he dug in!
Yay! Thank you for your comment, Lindsay–So happy to hear you and your little guy loved it! 🙂
Mine also got a burn. And I did check the seal. But it was cooked all the way. So that was good and everyone loved it. Maybe next time I’ll add more broth to it. Thanks.
Hi Sandy! That is interesting that you got the burn message–I’ve never had that happen when cooking rice, but perhaps another 1/4-1/2 cup of broth would help prevent the issue in the future. I’m so happy to hear that everyone loved it! 🙂
how can i make this and use instant brown rice instead of white rice
Hi Peggy! I haven’t personally tried this with instant brown rice, but I looked on the Minute Rice website and they recommend a 5 minute cook time for their instant brown rice. I think you could probably use the same amounts for the ingredients as in the recipe, just increase the cook time to 5 minutes. I hope it turns out well!
I got the burn notice as well with this recipe. It must have happened toward the end because my vegetables were cooked through. I wish I was able to to let it natural release for 10 minutes because it was slightly dry. All that aside my husband and I loved it. I might try more liquid next time to see if that helps. I feel if the rice is added last it may not be completely covered in the liquid. It may cook well on the stove top as well. I will definitely cook this recipe again with a few tweaks. Thanks!!
Hi Serena! I’m so sorry you got the burn notice, too! I’m glad you all enjoyed the recipe in spite of it! It does sound like some additional liquid would have done the trick. Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you! 🙂
We have the burn message as well. Added about a total of 6 cups of broth and still got the burn message. Ended up coming out cooked after 3 rounds of burn message…. Tasted good, but took forever and frustrating.
I’m so sorry this happened to you! I appreciate you letting me know–I can imagine how frustrating that was. I’m working on finding a solution that produces consistent results–and I think I’ve found a way to eliminate the BURN message problem–but want to test it one more time before updating the recipe, just to be sure. I never want my recipes to be unreliable, so I’m working on perfecting a technique that will hopefully provide more consistent results.
I made this, and it turned out delicious, with no burn issues at all. I did halve the recipe, using 1 c of rice, and a can of beef broth. I added the sliced carrots, diced pepper, chopped onion, and fresh minced garlic. I even used chicken frozen meatballs. So nice to have a recipe that wasn’t for pasta of some kind. Next time, I think I’ll add even more veg, maybe mushrooms and spinach or kale?
Hi Tonya! I’m so happy to hear it turned out well for you! Your tweaks sound delicious–and yes, I think kale would be a great way to add some greens!
” I think I’ve found a way to eliminate the BURN message problem–but want to test it one more time before updating the recipe, just to be sure. “……….have you done this yet? I would like to try this recipe, but am hesitant due to all the burn notice comments.
Hi Lisa! Yes, I did re-test, and the current recipe that’s published is the way I recommend doing it now! Steaming the meatballs first before cooking the rice eliminates the problem (previously, the frozen meatballs were cooked at the same time as the rice, but as it took longer to come to pressure that way, some users were getting the burn notice). I hope that helps! 🙂