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January 14, 2019

Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna

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Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna–if you love the flavors of lasagna but don’t like the effort it takes this recipe is for you! You can make this Instant Pot lasagna pasta recipe with 6 ingredients and in just a few minutes.

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna--if you love the flavors of lasagna but don't like the effort it takes this recipe is for you! You can make this Instant Pot lasagna pasta recipe with 6 ingredients and in just a few minutes.

Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna

I love this recipe! We all scarfed it down it like 2 seconds flat. Mostly I love how easy it is to put together and how few ingredients you need to make it.
I love lasagna but sometimes all the layers get tedious to put together. This is a great solution to a lasagna-type dinner without all the work. These are my favorite dinners…fast, easy and delicious!

A few notes about ingredients…

Sausage: I used ground Italian sausage. I always buy the mild kind. I like Italian sausage for this recipe because it has all the flavors for lasagna in it. If you wanted to use an unseasoned ground beef or ground turkey you could. However you will need to add salt and pepper and perhaps some Italian seasoning to the meat as you brown it.

Pasta: Lately I’ve been buying my pastas from the bulk section of Winco. I decided to try a cute skinny curly pasta that was labelled as Fusilli. You can use many types of pasta with this recipe with great results. To find out how many minutes to pressure cook the pasta just take the suggested boiling time that is on the box, divide by two and subtract 1 minute.

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna--if you love the flavors of lasagna but don't like the effort it takes this recipe is for you! You can make this Instant Pot lasagna pasta recipe with 6 ingredients and in just a few minutes.

More recipes you’ll love…

Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup

Instant Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini

Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna--if you love the flavors of lasagna but don't like the effort it takes this recipe is for you! You can make this Instant Pot lasagna pasta recipe with 6 ingredients and in just a few minutes.

What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?

To make Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly.  It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.

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Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna


★★★★★

5 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Karen Petersen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 minutes
  • Total Time: 19 minutes
  • Yield: 5–6 servings 1x
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Description

If you love the flavors of lasagna but don’t like the effort it takes this recipe is for you! You can make this Instant Pot lasagna pasta recipe with 6 ingredients and in just a few minutes.


Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
  • 12 ounces pasta (I used a small fusilli pasta but you can also use bowties, rigatoni, penne, macaroni, cavatappi etc.)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 (28 ounce) can or jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the Italian sausage. Break it up (this is the tool I use*) and brown the sausage. Drain off any excess grease.
  2. Dump the pasta into an even layer in the Instant Pot. Cover the pasta as best as possible with the broth. Dump the spaghetti sauce evenly over the top of the pasta. Don’t stir.
  3. Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button for 4 minutes (4 minutes will work for most pastas–mine was super skinny and small so I set it for 3 minutes. Usually I take the suggested boiling time that is on the box, divide by two and subtract 1 to determine how long to cook for in the Instant Pot).
  4. When the time is up move the valve to venting. If foam starts escaping then move the valve back to sealing and wait 20 seconds and then try again. Remove the lid.
  5. Stir in the cottage cheese and the mozzarella. Scoop onto plates and serve. If desired, sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese.

Notes

I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.

To make gluten free: Double check your broth to be sure it does not contain gluten. Substitute noodles for GF noodles and decrease cook time by 1 minute. 

  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: Italian

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*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.

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54 Comments Filed Under: 5 ingredients or less, All Recipes, Can Be Gluten Free, Instant Pot, Pasta, Sausage

Comments

  1. Risa Kandell says

    August 1, 2019 at 8:53 am

    If you’re vegetarian, could you omit sausage and put pasta on bottom? Or do you need a layer of maybe sauteed onions underneath to prevent Burn notice?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      August 1, 2019 at 12:43 pm

      The sauteed onions are a good idea. I haven’t gotten the burn notice myself but I know others struggle with that.

      Reply
  2. Tricia says

    July 28, 2019 at 1:01 pm

    This was wonderful, it was my first dish in my instapot and I didn’t have any problems! My family loved it, thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 29, 2019 at 11:17 am

      Good for you!!!! Here’s to many more IP meals.

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    May 23, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    Can I use chicken broth instead of beef broth?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 24, 2019 at 8:49 am

      yes

      Reply
  4. Mary says

    May 13, 2019 at 1:31 pm

    Could I use oven ready lasagna noodles? Would I need to not add the broth?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 13, 2019 at 2:11 pm

      I bet you could use those. You’ll still need broth. Maybe not as much. You also might want to cut the cooking time down by a minute. Will you be breaking the lasagna noodles in pieces?

      Reply
  5. SARAH LEE GOING says

    May 6, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    Just took IP out of box. This is the first google hit for easy IP recipes so here goes. Just to be clear: The sausage I have to cook prior in a skillet and then put in the IP cooked? But the noodles go in the IP uncooked?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 7, 2019 at 10:04 am

      Hi Sarah, I am glad you found this site. You actually brown the sausage in the Instant Pot using the saute setting. The noodles do go in the pot uncooked.

      Reply
  6. Brittany says

    March 5, 2019 at 5:36 pm

    If I use a full pound of pasta what would I change?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      March 6, 2019 at 9:25 am

      I would use 3 1/4 cups of beef broth instead of 2 cups.

      Reply
  7. Sharon says

    February 25, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    Excellent! To reduce the sodium somewhat, used less sausage and a lower sodium beef broth. Also added fresh mushrooms and fresh spinach (placed on top of the pasta and beef broth). Used campanelle pasta which more closely resembles lasagna noodles. Also used homemade marinara sauce. Will definitely make again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 26, 2019 at 10:34 am

      GREAT ideas! Can’t wait to try it your way Sharon.

      Reply
  8. Susan Moeller says

    February 11, 2019 at 10:04 pm

    I made this tonight for the first time. It is so easy and quick. You are right, it tastes like lasagna. I’m going to make this a lot now.
    Thanks Karen for ask the terrific recipes. I’m telling everyone to go to your website.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 12, 2019 at 2:23 pm

      Thank you so much Susan!

      Reply
  9. Maureen Vanhook says

    February 10, 2019 at 5:48 pm

    This was incredible. However, my husband doesn’t like ricotta, so I substituted cream cheese. It turned out sooo good! This will be a keeper for us! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 11, 2019 at 12:20 pm

      Good idea! I love cream cheese.

      Reply
  10. Nikki says

    February 10, 2019 at 6:49 am

    Our family has fallen in love with this recipe! My daughter says this is the best lasagna she has ever eaten( don’t tell her papa or grandma 😉). She is a part of the “clean plate” club every time I’ve made it! It’s so easy to make, especially after a long day at work! I’ve probably made it at least 5 times now and each time it gets better and better!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 11, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      This is so nice to hear! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  11. Karin says

    February 4, 2019 at 7:05 pm

    I just finished eating this delicious recipe for dinner. I used a pound of pasta so I added a little extra broth to compensate. Cooked it for 4 minutes and came out great!!
    This one will be prepared often at our home!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 5, 2019 at 10:00 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  12. Lisa says

    January 31, 2019 at 8:32 am

    Can I half this recipe in my 3quart IP? I’m using brown rice pasta, how much broth do you recommend?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 31, 2019 at 1:57 pm

      You can halve it. However I would be worried about the brown rice pasta. you may need to decrease the cooking time or it may get mushy.

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        January 31, 2019 at 3:08 pm

        The brown rice pasta I use typically takes 14 minutes to cook on the stove top. According to your recommendation that would suggest i cook it for 6 minutes? Do you suggest less? Thank you!!

        Reply
        • Karen says

          February 1, 2019 at 5:11 pm

          I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not sure but that is what I would try!

          Reply
  13. AlixB23 says

    January 28, 2019 at 11:15 am

    This was really tasty, but a few of my noodles were still crunchy. I made sure the noodles were completely covered by the spaghetti sauce when I put everything in. Do I need more liquid? More cooking time? I did 4 minutes with fusilli pasta. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 28, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      you could try a little more liquid, that may help

      Reply
  14. Jeannie says

    January 26, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    This was terrific! In case my changes could benefit someone else, I used 16 oz. gluten free pasta (brown rice penne from Trader Joe’s), 3 cups broth, 3 oz. fresh spinach (could easily double) and 8 oz. mushrooms (sliced) (on top of the pasta and before the sauce) and it turned out great. I set the IP to 6 minutes, which was tooooo long; I will try 4 minutes next time. I think your formula to calculate time is spot on and I have no idea why I didn’t use your instructions. Thank you so much for such a yummy recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • matthew says

      February 11, 2019 at 1:14 pm

      Thanks for this veggie option!

      Reply
  15. Anne says

    January 21, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    I have an 8QT. iP think I can safely double this? And would you double all the ingredients?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 24, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      Yes double everything and keep the time the same.

      Reply
  16. dale todd says

    January 20, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    I haven’t made any of your recipes. I’m just learning my Power Pressure Cooker, after 2 years of having it. I like your site because it is teaching me so much. I’ve learned a lot here. Please continue!!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 24, 2019 at 5:19 pm

      Will do!

      Reply
  17. Connie says

    January 18, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    Entire family LOVED this!! Added a layer of frozen peas on top of noodles, also added some garlic, basil, and ground fennel. I was using an 8 quart IP—cooked for 6 minutes to compensate for peas. ABSOLUTELY a keeper!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 24, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      NICE!!! sounds great 🙂

      Reply
  18. Robin says

    January 16, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    Thanks for the wonderful recipe!! Super easy, fast and delicious!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 17, 2019 at 11:27 am

      So glad you enjoyed it Robin!!

      Reply
  19. Elise Faucheaux says

    January 16, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    Do you happen to have the slow cooker version of this recipe or something similar?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 17, 2019 at 11:29 am

      Sorry that I do not. I wish the slow cooker was better with pasta but it turns out weird and mushy.

      Reply
  20. Jamie says

    January 16, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    Would I need to change any amounts if I’m using the 8 quart?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 16, 2019 at 12:22 pm

      keep everything the same, except put 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pot so that it can come to pressure.

      Reply
      • Jamie says

        January 16, 2019 at 1:27 pm

        Put the two cups of water after I sauté the meat? Sorry, this will be my first time!

        Reply
      • Jamie says

        January 16, 2019 at 1:28 pm

        Sorry one more question! Two cups of water in addition to the two cups of beef broth?

        Reply
        • Karen says

          January 16, 2019 at 2:48 pm

          oh sorry Jami! I was thinking of a different recipe when I commented back. Sometimes that happens to me late at night. You can keep everything the same for this recipe in the 8 quart pot. It should work great.

          Reply
  21. Molly says

    January 15, 2019 at 9:36 pm

    Do you think this would work with broke up lasagna noodles, or would a tubular noodle be better?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 15, 2019 at 10:33 pm

      both would work. I would prefer a tubular noodle.

      Reply
  22. Robin says

    January 15, 2019 at 1:07 pm

    I am new to this. Do I leave the sausage in the pot and add the pasta on top of it? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 15, 2019 at 10:43 pm

      yep!

      Reply
    • Keri says

      September 19, 2019 at 10:42 am

      This was the question I was looking for. It doesn’t state it in the recipe. Thanks! Trying tonight!

      Reply
  23. Susan says

    January 15, 2019 at 8:17 am

    This recipe arrived at the perfect time! Yesterday was a super busy day and I had no dinner plan. I used ziti pasta and we really liked the size and texture. I also added some oregano, basil, onion powder and garlic powder during the pressure cooking cycle. This meal was SO good! My husband loves lasagna but I hate making it, and this was a perfect substitution. It will definitely go into the regular rotation 🙂

    Thanks for all of your great recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 15, 2019 at 11:39 am

      So glad you liked it Susan!!! We loved it too 🙂

      Reply
  24. Kelley Madsen says

    January 14, 2019 at 3:11 pm

    Can I use this same recipe (amounts etc) in a 3qt Instapot?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 14, 2019 at 3:56 pm

      yes I believe that will work. I think you’ll need to increase cooking time by one minute.

      Reply

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★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Hi! I'm Karen

I know that dinner time can be less than relaxing. Busy schedules and cranky kids and a hundred other things can lead to weariness when it comes to putting dinner on the table. I can help! I make homemade, family-friendly slow cooker and Instant Pot dinners and share the recipes with you.
 

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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.

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