Description
Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna combines seasoned ground beef, tender pasta, marinara sauce, tomatoes, ricotta, and mozzarella in one pressure cooker. It delivers classic lasagna flavor with only 10 minutes of preparation and 4 minutes of pressure cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
- Olive oil, as needed, for very lean beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground Italian sausage
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 22 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 15 ounces
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 10 to 12 ounces short Mafalda pasta
- 1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley and grated Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Turn on the Sauté function and wait until the display reads hot.
- Add olive oil only if the ground beef looks very lean. Add the beef, salt, and black pepper.
- Cook until the meat nearly loses its pink color, breaking it into small pieces as it browns.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Continue cooking until the onion softens and the beef finishes browning.
- Drain excess grease, then turn off the Sauté function.
- Pour in a small splash of chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a flat spatula to loosen every browned piece.
- Add the remaining chicken broth.
- Layer the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, parsley, onion powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes over the broth.
- Spread the pasta evenly over the sauce. Gently press it toward the liquid, but do not stir.
- Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- Release the pressure in short, controlled bursts to reduce splatter.
- Open the lid and stir the pasta well.
- Fold in the ricotta cheese, then sprinkle the grated mozzarella over the top.
- Rest the lid askew on the pot for a few minutes until the mozzarella melts.
- Serve immediately with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Use 10 ounces of Mafalda pasta for a saucier texture or 12 ounces for a thicker texture.
- When substituting another short pasta shape, use the full 12 ounces because Mafalda absorbs more liquid than many other pasta shapes.
- To calculate pressure time for another pasta, divide the lowest package cooking time by two. When the package time is an odd number, round down before dividing.
- For example, round a 7-minute package time down to 6 minutes, then pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- The recipe works in both 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Add a splash of broth or water before reheating because the pasta absorbs sauce during storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 463
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 884
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 47
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 83