This easy Instant Pot Lasagna is comfort food done easy right in your pressure cooker. Simply layer all ingredients in a springform pan and cook!
Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is very easy! We love my Instant Pot Spaghetti and the Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta.
If you are already a fan of Instant Pot pasta dishes, you will love this lasagna! It's made with flavorful meat sauce and a creamy and cheese ricotta layer. All with no-boil (or otherwise known as oven-ready) noodles to save time. Simply layer all ingredients in a springform pan and pressure cook for 23 minutes. You can even make it ahead of time and reheat in your Instant Pot! This lasagna is bound to be a hit!
Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- olive oil
- garlic
- yellow onion
- green bell pepper
- Italian seasoning
- crushed red peppers
- crushed tomatoes
- no-boil lasagna noodles
- mozzarella cheese
- ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- egg
Step by step instructions
This dish is quite simple to make if you have the ingredients ready to use. Make the sauce in a pan, mix in ricotta cheese mixture and prepare the Instant Pot. Add water to the bottom of the pot, then place the trivet inside. For this recipe, you will need a 7" springform pan, because that is what will fit in the 6qt Instant Pot. I believe an 8" pan will fit in the 8 quart IP. Test before cooking.
Step 1: Make the sauce
In a saucepan, saute garlic, onion and peppers with seasoning. Add meat and cook until browned. Add crushed tomatoes (or marinara sauce) and stir everything together.
Step 2: ricotta layer
Mix ricotta cheese with egg and Parmesan cheese. Add spinach (torn into pieces), if desired.
Step 3: layer ingredients
Start by a thin layer of sauce in the pan. Layer the following: noodles, ½ of ricotta cheese, sauce, noodles, rest of ricotta, meat sauce, noodles, rest of the sauce and shredded cheese.
step 4: cook
Top the lasagna with shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese, cover the dish loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil. Close the lid and set the timer to 23 minutes.
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How to make it without springform pan?
If you layer everything right in your Instant Pot insert, there is a big chance your dish will burn and the Instant Pot will stop. I recommend buying a 7" round pan for lasagna. You can use it to make a cheesecake or even a breakfast casserole. If you don't have a springform pan, you can use a cake pan if it is 3" tall. Otherwise, the layers won't fit.
Storing and freezing
Yes! Like any pasta dish, this lasagna can be made ahead of time. Once cooked, cool it completely and place in the fridge. The next day, reheat in the Instant Pot.
Yes! Once the lasagna is cooked, cool it completely in the pan. Then remove and place in a disposable tin foil round pan (you can use a square pan as well), wrap in saran wrap and place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
If you made the lasagna the day before and stored it in the fridge overnight, you can simply reheat it in the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot and set the trivet inside. Place lasagna in the springform pan inside. Close the lid and set the valve to sealing position. Set timer to 5 minutes. When the timer is done, let the pressure release naturally. It takes only 5 to 7 minutes. Once it's done, let it release the pressure naturally for at least 5 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the Instant Pot, run the knife around the lasagna and release the springform side.
Sides
My family loves this lasagna with a Caesar Salad and a side of my One-Hour Skillet Focaccia or the Garlic Butter Breadsticks (made with crescent roll dough).
Variations
- vegetarian: skip the meat and use 6 ounces of mushrooms for the umami flavor
- gluten-free: use GF noodles only if you have experience with them
Expert tips
- use no-boil noodles: this makes the recipe even easier; no need to cook the noodles!
- flavorful sauce: I highly recommend using onion and green bell pepper sauteed with seasoning to make the sauce. It will ensure that the dish is flavorful.
- drain the grease: depending on what ground meat you are using, you may need to drain the grease before adding crushed tomatoes. If using ground turkey, no need to drain. If using 75% ground beef, you may need to drain it.
- cover the dish with foil: this prevents the condensation from gathering on top of the cheese layer on your lasagna. It is not necessary to use the foil. You can simply dab the moisture away with a paper towel.
More Instant Pot pasta recipes:
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Baked Ziti
- Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Check out my Instant Pot Guide for Beginners, filled with all the info you need to get started with your new appliance! Seeing BURN message on your IP? Read my Instant Pot Burn Message post to learn why and how to save your dish.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
Instant Pot Lasagna
Ingredients
for the meat sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ½ lb lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
for the cheese layer
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup of baby spinach torn into pieces
other ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of water
- 7 to 8 no-boil lasagna noodles also known as oven-ready
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- chopped parsley
Instructions
to make the sauce:
- In a skillet, heat up olive oil. Add garlic, onion and green pepper. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ½ cup chopped yellow onion, ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
- Add seasoning and stir in. This will activate the dried herbs and make the dish flavorful.1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until done and no longer pink.½ lb lean ground beef
- Add crushed tomatoes and stir in. Let it come to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.2 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
to make ricotta layer:
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese with egg. Stir in both mozzarella and Parmesan. Add spinach and stir in. Set aside.1 cup ricotta cheese, ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 large egg, 1 cup of baby spinach
to assemble:
- Make sure the stainless steel insert is in your Instant Pot. Place the trivet inside and pour 1.5 cups of water into the pot.1 ½ cups of water
- In a 7" springform pan, spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom. Take two lasagna noodles, break into large pieces and layer over the sauce.7 to 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
- Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles.
- Spread ⅓ of the meat sauce over ricotta layer.
- Add another layer of noodles.
- Top it with ½ of the meat sauce.
- Place more noodles on top of the sauce.
- Spread the remaining amount of sauce over the noodles.
- Top with shredded mozzarella.1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
- Place the pan on the trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid and set valve to sealing position.
- Make sure the Instant Pot is set to cook at HIGH pressure.
- Press "manual" or "pressure cook" setting. Set timer to 23 minutes. The IP will beep and start coming to pressure.
- Once the timer is done, press "cancel/off" and let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes. Then switch the valve to venting.
- Carefully open the lid away from your face. Remove the foil and remove the springform pan from the Instant Pot.
- Let the lasagna sit for 5 to 10 minutes on the counter. Run a knife around the edge of the lasagna, then remove the side of the pan.
Litrisha says
Hi this recipe is lovely. However can you prepare this recipe in the traditional way . Baking in an oven ?
Anna says
Hi Litrisha! Thank you for the question! You can bake it in the oven, at 375 degrees F for about 40 to 45 minutes. I hope this helps! Let me know if you make it!
Trang says
More instant pot recipes, please! I'm always on the lookout. Plus, who knew that you can make lasagna in one?!?
Aimee says
This is so fun! I love how the lasagna comes out round. Like a cake! 🙂 Looking forward to making this next time I pull out my instant pot!
Valerie says
I love cooking in an electric pressure cooker and it does do a good job with lasanga. Hubby would enjoy your lasagna because it's got peppers in it.
Julie Blanner says
We love lasagna in our house! Can't wait to make this in my insta pot, it'll be perfect for those busy weeknights.
Erin says
Lasagna is total comfort food and one of our favorites. I love that you can make this in the instant pot!