Instant Pot Lasagna:
Layers of lasagna noodles topped with spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, ground beef and Italian sausage, finished off with mouth-watering melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese, this Instant Pot Lasagna recipe is a winner of a dish.
This perfectly cooked lasagna is conveniently made right in your Instant Pot so you don’t have to constantly be checking on your lasagna while it cooks. You end up with a deliciously savory, sauce-y, cheesy dish that your whole family will love, and it only takes a fraction of the time it normally takes to make lasagna.
Serve this with some cheesy garlic bread, Roasted Asparagus Oven Baked, an Italian garden salad, and a delicious dessert like cheesecake for a complete meal.
This Instant Pot Lasagna recipe is not only delicious, but it is a very easy lasagna recipe. No prior experience needed with lasagna to make this Instant Pot Lasagna recipe. The steps are easy to follow and the finished result is fabulous!
You don’t even have to cook the noodles ahead of time!
- Look for a low carb lasagna? Try this Keto Lasagna.
- Want a healthier marinara? This sugar-free marinara is amazing.
- Prefer lasagna soup? I’ve got your covered with Easy Lasagna Soup.
Can You Cook Lasagna In The Instant Pot?
Absolutely! The more and more I use my Instant Pot the more I feel like the better questions is, what can’t you make in the Instant Pot?
From soup, to chicken, to yogurt, to potatoes, to of course lasagna, the list goes on and on of all the things I have made in my Instant Pot that I have loved.
Now, if you aren’t super comfortable with your Instant Pot, don’t worry. You still can definitely make my lasagna recipe in the Instant Pot. And if you want to learn more about using the instant pot, check out this Guide to Using the Instant Pot, which shares all the tips and tricks to make it easy to use.
While it’s not hard to make my lasagna recipe in the Instant Pot, you do need a few items to make the process go as smoothly as possible.
Cooking Tools for Instant Pot Lasagna:
- Instant Pot, of course, you will need a 6 QT or larger, I used an 8 Qt
- 8 Inch Springform Pan or 6 inch springform (deep) (Use a 6 inch if cooking in the 6 qt pot, and do more than 3 layers.)
- Parchment Paper to line the pan (optional)
- Foil to cover it
- Trivet, which comes with the Instant Pot.
Before cooking the lasagna, place a trivet in the Instant Pot so the springform pan that holds the lasagna and is covered in foil is not laying directly on the Instant Pot’s inner pot, this helps keep it up and out of the water.
You can also line the springform pan with cut out parchment paper and then place the prepped ingredients into the pan, this makes it easier to serve. Wrap the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil, including the bottom as the liquid may leak out, otherwise.
*Note: I also like to make a foil sling to go under the springform pan so I can easily take out the lasagna when done. If you do not make the sling, it will be very difficult to remove the springform from the instant pot without dumping out your lasagna. So just fold a long piece of foil into thirds, and lay it over the trivet, so the pieces of foil come up the sides, then put the spring form over it, that way you have two “handles” to pull the pan out with.
Using these tools will help ensure a successful finished product.
How Long Do You Cook Instant Pot Lasagna?
Instant Pot Lasagna does not take too long at all. For this Instant Pot Lasagna recipe, once the Instant Pot is pressurized, it takes only 30 minutest to cook the lasagna and then I let it naturally release for an additional 10 minutes.
If you are using oven-bake noodles, it can be a little shorter. Plan on about an hour start to finish to make this lasagna, but only 15-20 minutes of that being hands on time.
How Long Do I Cook Lasagna in a Pressure Cooker?
The important thing to remember is that you want your dish to be fully cooked through, but not overcooked.
30 minutes for my Instant Pot Lasagna, followed by an additional 10 minutes for letting the Instant Pot to naturally release the pressure seems to be the perfect amount of time to get the best desired result. But you have to make sure you add the water, or your top noodles will be a little crunchy.
Can You Boil No Boil Lasagna?
When I made this recipe I tested several different noodle types. The ones that bake in the oven, the traditional ones you boil before assembly, etc. The no boil lasagna works great for this recipe. However, if you use those noodles, don’t add the cup of water. I used the traditional lasagna noodles.
A lot of lasagna recipes that use regular lasagna noodles require boiling the noodles beforehand.
With no boil lasagna noodles, the noodles have already been cooked prior to being sold. Then when the noodles bake the liquid from the sauce softens the noodles.
If you boil no boil lasagna noodles and then cook them in the instant pot, my guess is the noodles may be mushy.
With this lasagna recipe, I don’t use no boil lasagna noodles because the pressure, and the extra water, along with the juices, cooks the noodles perfectly. Regular lasagna noodles are used, but fortunately, with my recipe, the normal lasagna noodles go right into the Instant Pot, uncooked, and you don’t have to worry about boiling them.
What Is The Best Cheese For Lasagna?
Like most lasagna recipes I have chosen to use ricotta for the filling. Its mild taste and texture works really well in this recipe.
I also used mozzarella for the top, and parmesan cheese to add some zip.
The parmesan cheese has salt in it, which makes it nice and flavorful, and the mozzarella gives it that delicious cheesy chew! I love when I cut a piece of lasagna and see the cheese pull.
Instant Pot Lasagna and Other Great Recipes
This Instant Pot Lasagna recipe is delicious. It has a great texture and great use of spices and ingredients.
My family and I love it.
And, if you’re looking for other great Instant Pot recipes, don’t worry I’ve go you covered.
Try Instant Pot French Dip or Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff. Warning though, once you try one Instant Pot recipe, you will want to use your Instant Pot for EVERYTHING!
Instant Pot Lasagna
Ingredients
- 8 lasagna noodles
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded in large pieces
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2.5 - 3 cups spaghetti sauce
- Salt + pepper to taste
Meat Mixture
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1/2 lb Ground Italian Sausage
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ¼ cup mushrooms sliced
- ¼ cup zucchini diced
- ¼ cup yellow onions chopped fine
Ricotta Cheese Mixture
- 1 1/2 cups Ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ⅓ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Meat Mixture
- Chop all the vegetables into small pieces. Set aside
- Turn pot on to Saute.
- Add olive oil to the Instant Pot, once oil is heated, add ground beef and italian sausage.
- Add seasonings.
- Stir seasonings into the meat, and brown the meat, chunking it up as you go.
- When nearly cooked, add the vegetables. Saute for 3 additional minutes.
- Turn pot off by pressing “cancel”, Remove the liner, and take the meat mixture out of it, and set aside.
Create Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, beat one large egg until frothy
- Then add in Ricotta cheese and all the seasonings.
Assemble Instant Pot Lasagna:
- Get an 8-inch springform pan. Make sure it is assembled, with the bottom of the springform secured with the ring, and spring closed.
- Break the lasagna noodles into smaller pieces, then layer them at bottom of the pan in a single layer.
- Top with 1 cup of spaghetti sauce and ⅓ cup of water.
- Layer 1/3rd of the Ricotta cheese mixture on the spaghetti sauce, then 1/3rd the meat mixture. Then add shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Repeat twice, don’t forget the water, the noodles need it to cook through.
- Then, wrap the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil, including the bottom as the liquid may leak out otherwise. I would use two pieces, one around the bottom to prevent leaking, and another over the top to prevent condensation from getting into the springform.
Pressure Cook Lasagna:
- Pour 1 cup cold water into the liner of an 8 qt instant pot
- Place a trivet in Instant Pot.
- Create a foil sling by taking a 24 inch or so piece of foil, and folding it to be 2-3 inches wide and 24 inches long. Put the sling into your instant pot, over the trivet. Then place your foil wrapped springform over the sling. The sling will be under the springform pan to make it easier to remove from the instant pot, with pieces coming up on both sides. Just tuck those down so you can put on the lid.
- Close the lid, and lock into place. Set pressure valve to sealing.
- Pressure cook at High Pressure for 30 minutes
- Let naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure. Remove the lasagna from the instant pot using the foil sling you created. Just pull up on it, but be careful to not tip the lasagna out.
Broil (Optional)
- Preheat oven to Broil on High while Instant Pot is natural releasing. Then remove the lasagna and the foil from over the top.
- Place the cooked lasagna in oven and cook until the cheese is browned on top 3-5 minutes.
Serve:
- Garnish with fresh parsley
Run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to gently release the Lasagna from the springform pan.Cut and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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