Drama Casserole–this cheesy sausage and noodle Instant Pot dish gives you all the cozy lasagna vibes without the layering, fuss, or extra time!
Drama Casserole
This is like lasagna without all the drama! No layering, no using 5 different pans, pots and bowls to create a meal. But you get all the rich drama and deliciousness of lasagna! The sausage is such a fun change-up from the usual ground beef and gives the sauce so much extra flavor. The noodles have this perfect thickness and bite The melted cheese on top is the perfect finishing touch. Enjoy!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Ground sausage–I used Jimmy Dean. You can also use Italian sausage.
- Onion–or shallot
- Beef or chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon
- Mrs. Millers Old Fashioned Wide Noodles–or penne
- Crushed tomatoes
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Crushed red pepper
- Cottage cheese–or ricotta cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the sausage and break it up. Brown for 3-4 minutes and then add in the onion and cook for another 3 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Sprinkle in the noodles. Pour tomatoes over the top of the noodles. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and red pepper. Don’t stir.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Stir in the cottage cheese. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top and let it melt.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with green salad and garlic bread.
- You can find the Mrs. Miller’s brand by the other pastas in the clear stand up bags. I like the thickness of the noodles. Mrs. Miller’s wide noodles work best here, but you can swap in other egg noodles. You’ll want to change the cooking time to 1 minute with regular egg noodles.
- If you like heat, add a little more crushed red pepper or use spicy Italian sausage.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with cottage cheese are Trillionaire Casserole and Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Drama Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
This cheesy sausage and noodle Instant Pot dish gives you all the cozy lasagna vibes without the layering, fuss, or extra time!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 8 oz Mrs. Millers Old Fashioned Wide Noodles
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the sausage and break it up. Brown for 3-4 minutes and then add in the onion and cook for another 3 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle in the noodles. Pour tomatoes over the top of the noodles. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and red pepper. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the cottage cheese. Sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top and let it melt.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Instant Pot
More pasta recipes to try…
Instant Pot Amish Beef Noodles
Tender bites of roast with mushrooms and egg noodles. A homey, comforting dish.
Instant Pot Cheesy Beef Tortellini
Beef smoked sausage, tortellini, spinach, mozzarella and parmesan make an easy and fast one pot dinner.
Instant Pot Chicken Ranch Mac & Cheese
Pasta with white cheddar, crumbled bacon and tender rotisserie chicken. A one pot meal that is a family favorite!
Instant Pot 5-Ingredient Meatball Casserole
It only has 5 ingredients and it only takes about 5 minutes of prep! A tasty and hands-off way to make pasta and meatballs.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
So, this should be the No-Drama Casserole? 😉
yes it totally should!
Hi Karen,
This recipe sounds awesome but I don’t own an instant pot. Do you have stove top instructions please 🙏
Yes.
1. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, cook the ground sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. After 3-4 minutes, add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 more minutes. Drain excess grease if needed.
2. Stir in the broth (add a half cup more for this version), crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
3. Stir in the uncooked noodles, making sure they’re mostly submerged in the liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender. (If it starts looking too thick, you can splash in a little extra broth or water.)
4. Once the noodles are cooked, remove from heat. Stir in the cottage cheese or ricotta. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan over the top, then cover for 2-3 minutes so the cheeses melt.
5. Serve and enjoy!