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 savory meatballs make this dish of Instant Pot Italian Meatballs and Rice a simple comfort food you’ll love!
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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. #solidaritysister
These cheesy Italian meatballs and rice fit the bill! 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.
Savory meatballs, cheesy rice, tender peppers and carrots are cooked with Italian spices to create a flavorful and hearty dish in mere minutes!
More Quick and Easy Instant Pot Dinners You’re Sure to Love:
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Fettucine Alfredo
- Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Beef Enchilada Pasta in the Instant Pot
- Creamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
5 Quick and Easy Instant Pot Dinners that Will Save You Time and Wow Your Family
How to Make Meatballs and Rice in the Instant Pot
You’ll start by adding some white rice, beef broth, salt, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder to the insert pot of the Instant Pot.
Next, add some sliced carrots and diced bell peppers on top of the rice mixture.
Last, add frozen meatballs on top of the veggies. Do not stir–just leave the meatballs sitting on top and put the lid on. Then set the vent to the sealed position.
You’ll select a 4 minute cook time at high pressure. Once the cook time has completed, allow a 10 minute natural release of pressure, followed by a quick release of any remaining pressure.
Once the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, you can carefully remove the lid. Gently stir everything to combine without breaking the meatballs into pieces.
Last, toss in some shredded Italian blend cheese and gently stir as it melts. You can serve it with additional shredded cheese on top if you’d like!
Are you new to pressure cooking? Get my 3-day video course for beginners here!
Notes and Adaptations for Instant Pot Meatballs and Rice
- You can buy a bag of fully cooked frozen meatballs or make your own. I had some cooked homemade meatballs already in my freezer, so that’s what I used, but the kind from the grocery store will work great, too!
- 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 used Italian blend cheese, but you could also just use plain mozzarella.
- Change up the veggies as desired–peas or green beans would be a nice addition.
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant Pot (I have the DUO60 model and love it!)
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 savory meatballs create a simple comfort food you'll love! Inspired by Eat At Home As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Cheesy Italian Meatballs and Rice in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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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!