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.
More recipes you’ll love…
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini
Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper
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.
PrintInstant Pot Cheater Lasagna
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 5–6 servings 1x
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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Colleen says
I made the cheater lasagne so I could portion it into lunches to take to work instead of buying store bought microwave meals.
I have 2 portions to take to work this week and 2 portions to freeze for next week.
I made mine without any meat but sauteed some onions, and increased the broth to about 3 cups and it worked. I am so happy to have a quick recipe to use either for an evening meal or batch cooking some lunches.
My plan is to reheat in the microwave and then add the ricotta/grated cheese when it is ready to eat.
I look forward to trying some more of your recipes. Thanks.
Karen says
I love that plan!
Cheryl Fisher says
Karen:
After reading the comments (all of them, as well as your reply comments), I added chopped onions, garlic and mushrooms and the pureed can of tomatoes because I used 16 oz of pasta.
Also I wanted to let you know that I have made many of your IP and CP recipes, and they work perfectly when I freeze dry the left overs. Freeze Drying is kinda new to me so I mainly am doing MRE (meals ready to eat) food because that will be the easiest to reconstitute, and they are the easiest for Grab-and-Go needs. Your recipes are hearty, healthy (mainly) and tasty and that works well for my freeze drying needs. [One note, when Freeze Drying for long term storage (talking 10-20 years), it is best to avoid as much of the fat as possible in the meats, so when I saute meat (whether in the IP or stove top), I cook it submerged in water without any added oil, and then drain the water off and that takes the residue cooked grease with it, leaving the meat very lean and yet cooked for the rest of the cooking process.) Even when I make your recipes not for FD, I cook the meat (hamburger or sausage or other ground meats) in water and drain it before proceeding with the recipe. Thanks again for such good recipes.
Karen says
So interesting! I didn’t know you could do that. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Janet Ellis says
haven’t made it yet, but will tonight! How would vegetables be added? I usually do one layer of meat and one of vegetables.
Thanks, Janet Ellis
Karen says
What kind of vegetables are you thinking?
Jeanette says
Delicious! This, your Chili Mac, Taco Pasta, and Pizza Pasta are just the best go-to, easy, quickie and tasty meals I love to throw together when I don’t have time for something fancy. And you make me look like a star! Thank you so much for these great recipes and your perfect directions!! Please keep up your great work, we really appreciate you!
Karen says
Thank you so much Jeanette! I appreciate that 🙂
Cela Orr says
This was yummy and quick to make! both my husband and I enjoyed it very much. We do not eat pork so I used ground meat instead of italian sausage and it was fantastic…I added salt, pepper and a few spices of course. We will be making this again!
Karen says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience!
John says
Another excellent recipe! I also made this in my 3 qt. Instant Pot Mini and cooked it for 4 minutes. Thanks again, Karen!
Karen says
Woo hoo! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Elizabeth says
Will be making this again. So easy and good. I used my 3 qt.instant pot. Also I only used 8 oz. of pasta. Cook it for 4 minutes and it was perfect.
Karen says
Thanks for the 5 stars Elizabeth!
Amanda Zakovec says
I made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit for our 7 picky eaters. My hubby and I loved it and so did our kiddos! I will definitely be making this again! It made dinner so easy with my hectic mommy life of 7 kiddos!
Karen says
WOOHOOOOO!!!
Jax says
Delicious! I liked it even better than lasagna because it had lots of sauce. Keeper for sure. Even better as leftovers. Thank you!
Karen says
You are welcome! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Denise Nash says
Have you tried cooking zucchini “zoodles” with any recipes in the Instant Pot?
Karen says
no I haven’t! But they would cook so quick that I would probably use a zero minute cooking time: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-zero-minute-vegetables/
Kim B. says
This recipe is the B.O.M.B.! So fast & easy & tastes amazing. Use the sausage. No more hot kitchen/baked lasagna for our house. Hubby loves it & it’s even better a few days later as leftovers. Try it, you’ll like it….& you’ll like that you didn’t make a big mess & spend a lot of time doing it. I use the Victoria brand Arrabbiata Spicy Marinara, get it at Walmart.
Karen says
I will defs have to try that sauce Kim!
Becca says
I almost didn’t try this recipe because the pasta recipes tasted “too starchy” to me. But, hubby shared it, so I tried it. SHOCK & AWE! It was delicious! I used marinara sauce, mild Italian sausage, rigatoni pasta, with no extra seasonings. I did add 1/2 cup more water as my sauce was only 24 ounces. Cooked 5 minutes with 1 minute keep warm. It was perfect!!! Hubby was a happy man!
Thank you!
Karen says
Yay! So happy that you and he both liked it. I love this recipe!
Becca O says
I always feel the pasta dishes are too starchy. But, we will try this one soon with your recommendation!
Karen M. says
My family LOVES this recipe!
Karen says
Yay! We love it too Karen.
Diana says
Fabulous. Loved it with GF spirals. I used a 16 oz bag of pasta. So I upped the sauce and the broth a bit. Did 2lbs of meat, only one cup of ricotta and cheese. It was so perfect.
Karen says
Good to know the gluten free pasta worked! Thanks for sharing 😊
Odino Ciai says
Good recipe but that’s not lasagna. Lasagna is a type of flat pasta.
Jennifer says
This is a recipe for a lasagne-type casserole, which would be evident to anyone reading this with a 4th grade education.
Kat says
Wow, totally uncalled for comment. Quite rude.
Bill Breen says
Wow. Just…Wow!! My 1st full meal in my new Instant Pot. Tasted as good or better than any real lasagna and was super simple. I added onions and mushrooms to the sausage, and used my homemade riccotta. Very satisfied and full!! Thanks for all the help, your recipes and tips have been great! Can’t wait to try more!
Karen says
I like that idea…to add mushrooms! Will have to try.
Jenny Baum says
I want to try this out but my pressure cooker is not a IP. It is a old school canning pressure cooker that you use on the stove top and it does not have settings it has 4 different sized valves to determine the pressure. I use it all the time for meats and vegetables but cooking pasta in it is a little intimidating. Do you think it could still work and with wait time to come to pressure I wonder how long I should leave it on and if I should do a natural release your open the valve to release?
Karen says
I just don’t know! I really am not help as I’ve only ever used Instant Pots. I would try pressurecookingtoday.com or hippressurecooking.com for ideas on the stovetop cookers.
Randy Young says
My mother had the same as you do. For stews and soups. You can make this recipe in your Pressure Cooker as described but leave out the PASTA for the cooking part. Do all of the first part of the recipe and cook it. I’m sure you know your cooking times for stews it will be about the same. Release the pressure after cooking. Be careful of the pressure relief. It will be hot, so you can add your pasta into the sauce and mix it up. Replace the cover and seal it. I’m not sure if you should turn your stove back on, but I would for about 12 min. to get it back to pressure. Turn off your stove and move your pressure cooker to another element and let sit. This should allow the pasta to soften. I hope this will help you. I use different methods by trial and error.
Gloria says
Could I use ground beef, love your recipes
Karen says
Sure!
Steph says
I’ve had my instant pot for at least a few years now and you just taught me that the lid fits in the handles and it blew my mind. Thank you thank you!
Karen says
LOL Steph!
Angel says
Omg same! I actually went downstairs just to see if mine did the same thing and once it did I of course yelled for my husband to come check it out! 😂😂 I am amazed and grateful I now (apparently always have had it but anywho…) have a place to put the lid!!
Sarah says
I made this two weeks in a row as my meal prep for dinners, as I couldn’t find a container of ricotta or mozzarella in anything but twice what’s called for and I wanted to make sure to use it all up. I don’t regret this choice one bit! It’s the first recipe I’ve tried in my IP and I ate every bit of it! I added garlic, mushrooms, and fresh basil, and with the sausage, the flavors were irresistible. I used two different types of pasta (first farfalle, then orechiette), and the provided calculation worked perfectly each time. A bit more al dente on day one, but leftovers were never mushy. Thanks for inspiring my first successes with the IP and meal planning! Very encouraging. =D
Karen says
YaY!!!! So glad to hear this Sarah!
DebbieT says
So easy and yet so flavorful! Adding that ricotta is key for our family. Next time, I will add in some minced garlic in the meat, we are garlic lovers around here. Made a sizeable serving for four, smaller servings for six. Thank you for this recipe…. it’s added into my regular rotation now, and I”ll share on my facebook page!
Karen says
Thank you Debbie. I am a garlic lover too! I need to add that next time 😊
Daphne H. says
I just made this for our supper and it is so good!!! I put more beef broth (4 cups) than was called for because the noodles were not covered and I worried they might not cook them properly without the extra broth. My lasagna ended up being too watery but I went ahead and used the sauté feature on high for just a few minutes (before adding the cheese) to reduce the extra liquid and it worked perfectly! Thank you! This lasagne is phenomenal!
Karen says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Teresa says
I made the “Cheater Lasagna” yesterday and we LOVED it! It’s a quick method of satisfying our craving for lasagna when I don’t want to take the time to make regular lasagna! My recipe for lasagna takes 3 hours – this was so much quicker! Mine turned out a bit soupy so I served it in bowls with garlic bread. I’m not sure what happened – I followed the recipe exactly – except I added an additional handful of mozzarella cheese. Thanks for this recipe!
Karen says
Glad you loved it Teresa! It’s so much easier than regular lasagna!!
Dale Pelot says
I made this recipe recently, and I love it.
forget all the prep and waiting to bake for 45 minutes.
4 minutes and done.. glad I found this.
I used ground turkey and turned out great.
Karen says
Yay!!! Love this one too 😊
Michele Wolosyn says
Made this for dinner tonight. SO good! We’re not fans of ricotta so I chose cottage cheese and blended it up. Happy that it made a large amount because we’re having it for leftovers tomorrow. My favorite food blog to follow!! Thank you!
Karen says
Ahhh, thank you Michele! So glad you liked it.
Dana Read says
While I will have to try this, I cannot imagine anything being easier than your regular IP lasagna recipe! It was the third or fourth recipe I did in my IP and I LOVE IT!!! Have made it for company – always a popular choice!!!! Thanks!!!!
Karen says
Oh haha! That is great that you like that one. Both are good! A little different but good!
Barbara says
What would the cooking time be if I used whole wheat pasta? Can I use chop meat instead of sausage?
Thank you.
Karen says
Yes you can. And I’d keep the same cooking time!
Erin says
I have made this recipe no fewer than 6 times. It is my favorite go-to recipe, and also the first one I ever made with my InstaPot! Thank you SO MUCH for this amazing recipe!!
Karen says
YAYYYYYY!
Kim says
Can I use ground turkey sausage? I don’t have any Italian sausage right now. Thanks.
Laurinda Norris says
It will taste a bit different but should work.
Karen says
Yes you can!
Kay L says
Can the full recipe be made in the 3 qt instapot?
Karen says
yes, it should work fine in the 3 quart.
Ashley says
I made it in the 3qt & it’s like juuust last the max line but still ends up okay… haha! However, I had to add like double beef broth to try to cover the pasta?? I’m not seeing any other comments with that problem? It’s still cooking so it may be fine, just odd
Karen says
How did it turn out? Super watery?
Samantha Stegner says
Hello,
I have a 6 qt instapot I Wanted To know if i could double.
Thank You!
Karen says
yes you can!
Janna says
Would the cook time be the same if the recipe is doubled? Thanks!
Karen says
Yes! https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-double-instant-pot-recipes/
Helen says
I have found the gluten free pasta foams a lot more than regular pasta. It takes forever to do the release. I open the valve and close it and open it and close it until there is no more foam. Have other people had the same experience with gluten free?
Risa Kandell says
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?
Karen says
The sauteed onions are a good idea. I haven’t gotten the burn notice myself but I know others struggle with that.
Tricia says
This was wonderful, it was my first dish in my instapot and I didn’t have any problems! My family loved it, thank you!
Karen says
Good for you!!!! Here’s to many more IP meals.
Katie says
Can I use chicken broth instead of beef broth?
Karen says
yes
Mary says
Could I use oven ready lasagna noodles? Would I need to not add the broth?
Karen says
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?
SARAH LEE GOING says
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?
Karen says
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.
Brittany says
If I use a full pound of pasta what would I change?
Karen says
I would use 3 1/4 cups of beef broth instead of 2 cups.
Cheryl Fisher says
Or you could puree a can of tomatoes (Italian diced, whole, etc) and add that to make up the additional liquid needed.
Sharon says
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.
Karen says
GREAT ideas! Can’t wait to try it your way Sharon.
Sharon says
I just made this a few days ago. So good. I used baby portabella mushrooms and a handful of spinach again. It makes a lot even though it’s only 12 oz. of pasta. Can feed 6 easily.
Karen says
I love the idea of portabella mushrooms!
Susan Moeller says
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.
Karen says
Thank you so much Susan!
Maureen Vanhook says
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!
Karen says
Good idea! I love cream cheese.
Nikki says
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!
Karen says
This is so nice to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Karin says
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!!!
Karen says
So glad you liked it!
Lisa says
Can I half this recipe in my 3quart IP? I’m using brown rice pasta, how much broth do you recommend?
Karen says
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.
Lisa says
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!!
Karen says
I haven’t tried it myself so I’m not sure but that is what I would try!
AlixB23 says
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!
Karen says
you could try a little more liquid, that may help
Jeannie says
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!
matthew says
Thanks for this veggie option!
Anne says
I have an 8QT. iP think I can safely double this? And would you double all the ingredients?
Karen says
Yes double everything and keep the time the same.
dale todd says
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!!
Karen says
Will do!
Connie says
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!
Karen says
NICE!!! sounds great 🙂
Robin says
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!! Super easy, fast and delicious!!
Karen says
So glad you enjoyed it Robin!!
Elise Faucheaux says
Do you happen to have the slow cooker version of this recipe or something similar?
Karen says
Sorry that I do not. I wish the slow cooker was better with pasta but it turns out weird and mushy.
Judy says
Could you make this recipe in the slow cooker but leave out the pasta and just cook it on the stove?
Karen says
I would just cook the whole thing on the stove rather than the slow cooker. you’ll have to brown the sausage anyway. I would brown the sausage, boil the pasta and stir everything together in a large pan.
Judy says
If cooking in the IP, how long can it sit on keep warm?
I’m taking it to a pot luck and need to have it ready close to an hour before we have to leave.
Thanks!
Karen says
It’s fine for up to 2-3 hours on warm.
Jamie says
Would I need to change any amounts if I’m using the 8 quart?
Karen says
keep everything the same, except put 2 cups of water in the bottom of the pot so that it can come to pressure.
Jamie says
Put the two cups of water after I sauté the meat? Sorry, this will be my first time!
Jamie says
Sorry one more question! Two cups of water in addition to the two cups of beef broth?
Karen says
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.
Molly says
Do you think this would work with broke up lasagna noodles, or would a tubular noodle be better?
Karen says
both would work. I would prefer a tubular noodle.
Robin says
I am new to this. Do I leave the sausage in the pot and add the pasta on top of it? Thanks.
Karen says
yep!
Keri says
This was the question I was looking for. It doesn’t state it in the recipe. Thanks! Trying tonight!
Susan says
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!
Karen says
So glad you liked it Susan!!! We loved it too 🙂
Kelley Madsen says
Can I use this same recipe (amounts etc) in a 3qt Instapot?
Karen says
yes I believe that will work. I think you’ll need to increase cooking time by one minute.
Randy Young says
No, you can’t. Spices are made a specific recipe. This recipe is for a 6Qt and must be followed. If you are using a 3Qt cut the spices by a 3rd. When you double the recipe the same goes. Cut spices by a 3rd. If you don’t the spices will overwhelm the taste. I know this from experience.