Start by pressing the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Once heated, add the lean ground beef and cook until it’s browned, which should take about 5–7 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break it apart, ensuring it browns evenly. Once fully cooked, drain any excess fat and return the beef to the pot.

Next, add the diced yellow onion to the browned beef in the Instant Pot. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent.

Stir in the minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Sauté everything together for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Pour in ½ cup of reduced-sodium beef broth, using a spatula to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. This process, known as deglazing, helps to incorporate all those flavorful morsels into your sauce.

Add uncooked shell pasta, crushed tomatoes, and the remaining beef broth to the pot. Carefully push the pasta down into the sauce, but avoid stirring to prevent sticking.

Seal the lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring it's locked in place, and set it to manual high pressure for 4 minutes.

After the cooking time, carefully perform a quick release by turning the steam release handle to venting. Once the safety pin drops, you can open the lid.

Stir in the heavy cream and half of the grated sharp cheddar cheese until melted and creamy. Top with the remaining cheese before serving.