Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

When I was growing up, one of our favorite meals used to be Spaghetti Bolognese.  Homemade Bolognese with wine and garlic and bay leaves and all that goodness.

I remember when my stepmother would call us for dinner, I knew immediately what we were having because that delicious aroma would waft in from the kitchen and into the whole house.  Homework was set aside, TV was turned off, and we gathered around the table, eager to sink our teeth into that yumminess.

My children have been blessed to have a mother who loves cooking.  You don't know how many times I've counted myself blessed to have been born into a house where the women were some of the best cooks around.

Down home filling, comforting good food.  I learned from a very early age that some ingredients went well together, and some didn't.  To this day my children, husband and family and friends will always say that they're amazed that I can come up with a delicious meal out of nothing, and always seem to know what goes with what.

Practice, and love.  Those two together can create amazing things.

Now as much as I love cooking and being in the kitchen, I'm not above using appliances that will make my meals come together faster, especially on really busy days.

Saturday was a busy one for us, we were outside working on the property.  We live on a 3 acre home out in the country and there is always something to be done.

This is where my trusty and much loved pressure cooker comes in.  This meal comes together in about 20 minutes and is absolutely delicious.  I sometimes throw in a veggie or two just because it's healthy and it's a way for the kids to eat it without complaining....well too much at least ;)

Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
garlic finely diced (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
paprika
wine (we use whatever we have on hand, sometimes white, this time I used merlot red)
tomato sauce
frozen veggies (whatever you have on hand, I used a handful of peas this time)


Plug in your pressure cooker and set it to Saute.  I don't pop the lid on mine otherwise it will seal it and end up steaming instead of actually sauteing.

Either spray the pressure cooker bowl, or add a tiny little bit of olive oil.  Add your ground beef and saute until brown.  Add in the onion, tomato, garlic, seasonings to taste, tomato sauce and wine.   I just eyeball everything.  I added about half a cup of tomato sauce and about 1/4 cup of wine.  Stir everything well and check the taste.  Adjust accordingly.

Cancel the saute function.  Pop on your lid and lock it, then make sure the pressure release is set to airtight.

Select manual and click the + button until you get to 10 minutes.  That's it.

After it's done, I just use the quick release method.  To do that make sure you are not standing right in front of the valve as the steam WILL burn.  I usually just grab a big wooden and push the valve over to Exhaust.

Once it's done releasing the pressure, open and give it a stir.  If it's too watery, you can switch it back to saute and cook it for a few minutes more until it thickens up.  Mine is usually perfect for the 10 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!