Instant Pot: Oxtail Bolognese Pasta

A rich, one-pot pasta with tender oxtail, minced beef, and a hearty tomato sauce—comfort food at its best.

I first had this at my brother-in-law’s place—he slow-cooked it in a Dutch oven for 3 hours, and the kids were blown away! But with hungry little ones at home, I needed a quicker version. So I turned to the Instant Pot—and it delivered big flavour in a fraction of the time.

Ingredients (Serves 4–5)

3 tbsp olive oil

300g minced beef

1kg oxtail

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

3 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 can cherry tomatoes

½ cup red wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 tbsp salt

1–2 tbsp dried oregano

½ pack spaghetti (softened in pot of boiling water for 10sec)

Method

1. Sauté & Sear

• Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode.

• Add 3 tbsp olive oil and cook minced beef and until browned.

• Add in onion, carrot, and garlic and saute for 2–3 mins until fragrant.

• Stir in tomato paste, canned cherry tomatoes, red wine, chicken stock, and salt.

2. Pressure Cook the Sauce

• Add in oxtail.

• Cancel Sauté.

• Set to High Pressure for 45 minutes, then natural release for 25 minutes.

3. Cook the Pasta

• Stir in softened spaghetti gently (don’t break it).

• Press down so it’s mostly submerged—do not stir. Add in oregano.

• Pressure cook for 4 minutes on High, then quick release.

• Stir to combine. If sauce is thin, set to Sauté to thicken for a few minutes.

4. Serve

• Plate and top with grated Parmesan or chilli flakes if desired.

Ready in under an hour, this Instant Pot Oxtail Bolognese is proof that slow-cooked flavour doesn’t have to mean slow cooking. Perfect for busy families craving comfort food—give it a try and watch it disappear!