Instant Pot Lasagna is the perfect weeknight meal. You can save the time that it takes to make a traditional lasagna but still get all the delicious cheesy flavor goodness that comes with it. This lasagna is highly requested around our house.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Onion – yellow or sweet
Garlic – minced
Pasta – lasagna noodles
Oil – Olive or Vegetable oil
Meat – ground beef, italian sausage or ground turkey –
Canned goods – tomato paste and marinara sauce
Spices – Italian Seasoning, Crushed Red Pepper, Salt, Black Pepper
Cheese – Cottage Cheese, Mozzarella and Grated Parmesan
Parsley – Fresh, chopped
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1. Press the saute function on the Instant Pot.
Step 2. While your Instant Pot is heating up, dice your onions, and mince your garlic. Break your lasagna noodles into thirds. Set the noodles aside.
Step 3. Once the Instant Pot is hot add the olive to your Instant Pot. Allow the oil to heat up.
Step 4. Once your oil is hot add ground beef and cook into brown. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 5. While the meat is cooking in a bowl combine marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (optional), salt and black pepper.
Step 6. Once the meat is completely browned, drain if you have a lot of excess grease. Then add the onion and garlic to the Instant Pot with the meat. Saute about 5 minutes to allow the onions to cook through.
Step 7. Once the onion and garlic are cooked, add in the tomato sauce and stir into well combined. Pour in your marinara sauce that is mixed with seasonings over your meat and onion mixture.
Step 8. Add in 2 cups of water and stir. Be sure to scrape the bottom of your Instant Pot well to make sure there are no stuck bits on the bottom.
Step 9. Press your broken noodle pieces into your meat mixture from different directions. Make sure that your noodles are completely covered. Once you place all noodles in your pot, using a spoon press them down a little more to be sure they are fully submerged.
Pressure Cooking Steps
Step 10. Pour in your remaining water. Next place the lid of your Instant Pot on and lock into place. Close the pressure valve and cook on Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes.
Step 11. While your Instant Pot is cooking your noodles, mix together your parmesan cheese and cottage cheese together. Shred your mozzarella cheese.
Step 12. Once the timer goes off in your Instant Pot, allow your pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, quickly release the remaining pressure.
Step 13. Spoon in the cottage cheese and parmesan mixture and stir to combine. Top with shredded mozzarella. Replace your lid to trap in the heat and allow the natural warmth to melt your mozzarella. This should only take a few minutes.
Step 14. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with salad or garlic bread and enjoy.
TIPS AND FAQS
What do I do if my lasagna has too much water?
If your noodles did not absorb all the water in your Instant Pot. Press saute on your Instant Pot and stir your lastana to prevent burning and sticking and allow the heat to evaporate the rest of the water for you.
HOW SHOULD I REHEAT LASAGNA?
I found it best to reheat the Instant Pot Lasagna by placing the leftovers in an oven safe dish and heating the oven to 350 degrees and baking the leftovers for about 10 minutes until they are piping hot again. You don’t want to overcook your leftovers so do not leave them in the oven for long.
These leftovers will also be okay in the microwave if that is your preferred way to reheat things. The oven tastes more fresh and leftover. But, the microwave will work just fine a in hurry.
Can I turn this into a freezer meal?
Yes! This lasagna recipe can easily become a great freezer meal. Brown your meat, and cook your onions. Add in your sauce and place into a freezer safe storage bag. I do recommend to NOT freeze your noodles or add your cheeses to your freezer bag. Add those once your recipe is inside your Instant Pot.
I don’t like spicy foods, can I skip the red pepper flakes?
The red pepper flakes in his recipe adds a small amount of spice or kick to the flavor. If you are not a fan of spicy foods, or a little spice, you may leave out the red pepper flakes. Leaving the pepper flakes out will not alter the flavor noticeably it will just remove the kick of spice from the Instant Pot Lasagna.
RELATED RECIPES
Beef Stir Fry
Instant Pot Lasagna
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Onion small, diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 11 lasagna noodles broken into thirds
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 24 oz marinara sauce one jar
- 3 cups water divided
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
Instructions
- Choose the sauté function on the Instant Pot. While that is heating up, dice your onions,mince your garlic, and break each lasagna noodle into thirds. Set the noodles aside.
- Once the Instant Pot is hot on saute mode, add the olive oil. Allow that to heat up. Once the oil is hot, add the ground meat. Break up the meat and brown. This should take about 5 minutes
- While the meat is cooking, in a bowl, pour in the marinara sauce, the dried Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
- Once the meat is browned, add the onion and garlic. Stirring occasionally, allow the garlic and onions to cook and soften.
- Once the garlic and onion is cooked, add in the tomato paste. Stir this well in the meat mixture. The paste should darken.
- Pour in your marinara sauce (with the seasonings) over the meat.
- Add 2 cups of water.
- Stir and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot from any leftover meat that may have browned.
- Taking your noodles that you have broken up into thirds, layer them on the meat mixture, under the water from different directions. This way each noodle will be well distributed for eating, but also,they will cook thoroughly. Once each noodle is in the pot, using your spoon,push down on the noodles enough to submerge under the water.
- Pour in your remaining 1 cup of water. Stir gently to incorporate everything in your pot.