Quick Cheesy Lasagna - Instant Pot

Quick Cheesy Lasagna in Instant Pot Served in Mini Cast Iron Skillets

Quick Cheesy Lasagna - Instant Pot

This one pot lasagna includes ground beef, a marinara sauce, and pasta topped with a trio of cheeses. Ready in only 30 minutes, it's our newest favorite dish!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword baklava, cheesecake, greek, pistachio, honey syrup, instant pot, lasagna, quick

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings Servings

Calories 471kcal

Author Barb

Ingredients

Pasta and Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
30 ounces diced tomatoes 2 - 15 ounce cans of tomatoes including the juice
15 ounces tomato sauce
6 ounces tomato paste
15 ounces chicken broth or sub beef or vegetable
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 ½ teaspoon salt
Black Pepper as needed
3 cups pasta; uncooked broken lasagna pieces, pasta shells, or bow tie

Lasagna Cheeses and Garnish

1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped, optional

Instructions

Select “Sauté” on your Instant Pot, add the olive oil and get it hot. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef, onion, and garlic and sauté while stirring until the beef is cooked; about 3-4 minutes. Hit cancel to turn off the pot.
Drain any excess fat from the beef and add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper to taste, and pasta.
Secure the lid; seal the pressure release valve and choose the "Manual" and then 'High' pressure setting and set for ONE MINUTE. The pot actually takes about 15 minutes to come to pressure so this is plenty of time for the pasta to cook. Don't be tempted to cook longer, your pasta might get overdone. It's a nice al dente cooked this way and a bit softer in leftovers that are stored in the fridge.
When your pot beeps that the pressure cycle is complete, release the steam via quick pressure release. The pot will go into a 'Keep Warm' mode until it is shut off. * See Notes for instructions on 'QPR' or Quick Pressure Release.

To Serve

Combine the cheeses together in a box and mix together well.
Fill a large scoop with the lasagna mixture and put into a wide bowl. Dollop a couple of tablespoons of the cheese mixture on the lasagna and add additional sauce on top. Top with more cheese, garnish with parsley, (optional) and serve.
Optional: Place bowls in the oven at 350 degrees for five minutes to completely melt the cheese before garnishing with the parsley.

Stove-top Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat; sauté the ground beef, onions, and garlic until the beef is cooked through, stirring as needed.
Stir in diced tomatoes (with the juice), tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Turn the heat up to high and heat until mixture starts to boil.
Reduce heat to medium low and add the pasta noodles. Cover and simmer until the pasta is tender (about 15 min).
Serve the same as the Instant Pot version.

Notes

Easy substitutions

Use ground turkey in lieu of ground beef, substitute black beans or even go meatless.
No ricotta? No problem. Try Cottage cheese or cream cheese; both will have a nice creamy texture, especially if melted.
Sub a large jar of marinara instead of the canned tomato products.

* How to Quick Pressure Release (QPR) of the Instant Pot

To do a Quick Pressure Release, turn the pressure release valve from “sealing” to the “venting” position using an oven mitt.

Be careful as the steam shoots upward from the pressure valve during this process. The pressure cooker will have to release ALL of the pressure and the lid won't open until you hear or see the ‘float valve’ drop.

This process can take up to 5 minutes; don't attempt to open the lid before then.

Nutrition