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July 14, 2020

Instant Pot Dump and Go Meatball Lasagna

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Instant Pot Dump and Go Meatball Lasagna is a perfect dinner on those nights when you need dinner fast! This 8 ingredient pasta dish is faster than picking up pizza and it will be gobbled up in no time.

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The SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below.

pasta and meatballs

Instant Pot Dump and Go Meatball Lasagna (video)

I’m pretty sure this entire pot of food was scarfed down in 5 minutes flat. I’m okay with it. I love when the easiest and fastest dinners are also the favorites at my house. I hope you try this recipe soon! I know you’ll love it too.

What kind of meatballs do you like? There are lots of different brands of frozen meatballs out there. I have tried some really tasty frozen meatballs and also really gross ones too. For this Instant Pot dump and go meatball lasagna I went with an Italian style meatball and I purchased the Kroger brand. The Costco frozen meatballs are also tasty and at a good price. Test out several brands and find your favorite. Frozen meatballs are such a good hack for a busy night or a night when you don’t feel like cooking.

Why do you layer the dish instead of stirring it all together? To avoid the burn error code. Read more about the burn message and why it happens.

What kind of pasta sauce should I use? I threw in a can of Hunt’s garlic basil pasta sauce. Other brands and flavors of pasta sauce work great as well. Try Ragu, Prego, Classico, the store brand. It doesn’t matter much.

Can I use a different type of pasta? I used the cute farfalle (bowtie) pasta for this dish. However other types of pasta would also work well. Try penne, cavatappi, rotini (cook for 1 less minute), shells, etc. I prefer the shorter cuts of pasta for this dish as opposed to spaghetti, fettuccine and linguine.

Can I use gluten free pasta? I haven’t tried this recipe with gluten free pasta before. However Gwen from the 365 Days Instant Pot FB groups says, “I use Barilla GF pretty regular. The penne and elbows both hold up well in recipes – not rotini. I do use whatever time the IP recipe calls for and add 1-2 min of natural release.”

What if I don’t have fresh basil? You can try adding a little dry basil at the end about ½ tsp (of just leave it out).

What if I don’t like ricotta? You can leave it out or you can substitute with cottage cheese or a few dollops of softened cream cheese.

Can I use parmesan cheese from a can? Yes. I used fresh parmesan but in a pinch the stuff out of the green can will work too.

You’ll also like these recipes…

Instant Pot Cheater Lasagna

Instant Pot Italian Sausage Tortellini

Instant Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper

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pasta and meatballs on a plate

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Instant Pot Dump and Go Meatball Lasagna


★★★★★

5 from 17 reviews

  • Author: 365 Days of Slow and Pressure Cooking
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
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Description

A perfect dinner on those nights when you need dinner fast! This 8 ingredient pasta dish is faster than picking up pizza and it will be gobbled up in no time. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 24 frozen Italian-style meatballs
  • 8 oz uncooked farfalle (bowtie) pasta
  • 24–26 oz can/jar pasta sauce
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Pour water into Instant Pot. Add in meatballs and then layer the pasta and pasta sauce on top. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning. Don’t stir.
  2. Cover the Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting and release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid.
  3. Stir in the cheeses and basil. 
  4. Scoop into bowls and serve. 

Notes

 I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. You can make this in your 3 or 8 quart pot with no changes.

To make in the slow cooker: add water, meatballs, pasta, pasta sauce and Italian seasoning to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until pasta is cooked through. Add in cheeses and basil and stir. 

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

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @365dayscrockpot on Instagram

*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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70 Comments Filed Under: All Recipes, Beef, Dump and Go, Instant Pot, Pasta, Slow Cooker, Video Tagged With: 10 ingredients or less

Recommendations

Comments

  1. Sharon says

    February 26, 2023 at 1:36 pm

    It was very good and very easy….my kind of recipe. Added a few sliced mushrooms and a few chopped mini peppers.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 27, 2023 at 11:17 am

      Love the idea of mushrooms and peppers! Thanks for the 5 stars!

      Reply
  2. Marie says

    February 19, 2023 at 8:09 am

    I have homemade uncooked meatballs, can I use them or do I need to cook in instant before doing your recipe? If so how long do they need to cook? Thank you for all the delicious recipes you post!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 20, 2023 at 2:20 pm

      I usually cook meatballs that are uncooked for 5 minutes in the instant pot. So I bet if you just change the cook time to 5 minutes that will be okay.

      Reply
  3. Mandy says

    January 7, 2023 at 5:49 pm

    This was amazing! I am new to the instant pot and was a bit skepticle it would cook frozen meatballs and pasta in 4 minutes. The pasta was cooked absolutely perfect Al dente. Will definitely make this one again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 10, 2023 at 11:04 am

      It’s magic!!!

      Reply
  4. Athena says

    December 5, 2022 at 10:16 am

    made this twice already and making it again tonight! it’s now a favorite quick meal in our house! so tasty and cheesy we love it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 7, 2022 at 9:57 am

      Thanks Athena for the 5 stars!

      Reply
  5. Sarah says

    May 19, 2022 at 8:23 am

    What would the cook time be to substitute fresh raw meatballs? Everything else being the same

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 21, 2022 at 11:29 am

      I would cook for 5 minutes. They should cook in that time.

      Reply
  6. Barb says

    May 1, 2022 at 7:45 pm

    I love dump and go recipes, this was so good! No effort, just a great meal with Caesar salad. I used the Bertolli sauce. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 2, 2022 at 1:57 pm

      Yay! I love hearing this. Thanks for the 5 stars!

      Reply
  7. Donna says

    April 2, 2022 at 3:00 pm

    We all love this. My 10 year old granddaughter cooks by herself, with just supervision. She loves being able to do everything but take it to the table

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 12, 2022 at 2:47 pm

      I love that a 10 year old can make it! So awesome!

      Reply
  8. Gina says

    March 30, 2022 at 12:28 pm

    How could I make this with raw meatballs that I make myself? I won’t have time to cook and freeze them ahead of time. Would I just need to adjust the cooking time? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      March 31, 2022 at 11:41 am

      I would make small-ish meatballs (the size of ping pong ball) and they will cook in the 4 minute pressure cook time

      Reply
      • Gina says

        March 31, 2022 at 1:20 pm

        Thank you, Karen!!

        Reply
  9. Juanita says

    September 9, 2021 at 7:56 pm

    I’m disabled I need as easy recipes as I can get. Made this for my husband and he absolutely loved it so I will share this and make it again thanks so much for this recipe it really did help

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 10, 2021 at 9:40 am

      Oh I’m so glad to hear it helped! Thanks for the 5 stars!

      Reply
  10. J says

    May 13, 2021 at 6:19 pm

    I’m a university student who doesn’t have much experience cooking, and this recipe turned out great! The recipe was simple and easy to follow, and relatively budget-friendly as well. Tasted just like lasagna, but with different pasta and meat – I’ll definitely make it again, especially because I have ricotta left over.

    I even managed to modify the ratios in order to accommodate more pasta. Thanks for sharing the great recipe, Karen!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • J says

      May 13, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      Here’s a photo of a serving of the finished product:
      https://i.imgur.com/ICOwLTp.png

      Reply
    • Karen says

      May 17, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      It looks so great!! Good work 👊

      Reply
  11. Daniella says

    April 7, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    Best and fast meal ever and the family loves it! I use a 12 oz box, fill as many meatballs as I can at the bottom and use 2 cups of water and it’s perfect. A no energy meal that pleases a hungry family! Thank you Karen!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 8, 2021 at 8:23 pm

      I really like that “a no energy meal!” That’s what I’m talking about!

      Reply
  12. Tracy Garner says

    February 3, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    So a box of Bowtie pasta is 12oz….should I adjust the recipe by 1.5 times if I want to use the full box?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 8, 2021 at 2:47 pm

      Yes that’s what I would do!

      Reply
  13. Jan says

    December 21, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    Oh this was so delicious, easy & oh so fast! I sort of halved for the 3-qt, but really wanted to make no more than 2 servings, which is less than half recipe & measurements just get too weird. I browned the frozen meatballs in a little olive oil & added chopped onions/garlic, then 7/8 cup water for 1/2 recipe. Eyeballed the rest of the ingredients for 2 servings, subbed cottage cheese for the ricotta & used same cook time as full recipe. Perfection! Thanks for another fabulous recipe Karen! Your recipes never disappoint! I think it took longer to eat than it did to cook😂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 28, 2020 at 9:41 pm

      Sounds like you’re cooking the way I do! “eyeballed” it haha

      Reply
  14. Lisa says

    November 12, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    How can I adjust this recipe for a 16 oz box of pasta? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 14, 2020 at 8:30 pm

      use 3 3/4 cups of water instead

      Reply
  15. Jennifer says

    November 10, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    Amazing, me and my spouse loved it greatly!! Very delicious and will make again!

    https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/404739865872302091/775927133804953610/image0.jpg

    For Picture 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 11, 2020 at 1:12 pm

      Looks so great Jennifer!

      Reply
  16. Terri says

    October 19, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    I have made this several times. Without Ricotta. Delicious!! I never buy spaghetti sauce, have always made my own, so I just add a can of crushed tomatoes and the seasonings and still delicious. Thanks for a quick quick winner dinner

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 19, 2020 at 6:32 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it Terri!

      Reply
  17. Jeanne Erickson says

    October 17, 2020 at 4:39 pm

    Definitely a winner! My whole family loved it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 19, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      Good to hear! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  18. KB says

    October 12, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Cii I ups I substitute cottage cheese instead of ricotta?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 12, 2020 at 8:31 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  19. Stacey B says

    September 21, 2020 at 5:14 pm

    This was my first time doing pasta in my instant pot. Was so nervous. 365 days never disappoints! This was amazing and so quick for such a delicious meal!!! New fav! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 22, 2020 at 12:47 pm

      YESSSS! Thanks Stacey!

      Reply
  20. Marnie says

    August 20, 2020 at 2:38 pm

    Would love to make this recipe. I have everything but ricotta. Do I absolutely need it? Will the taste be good enough if I omit it. Don’t want to waste the other ingredients if the ricotta really makes a difference.
    TIA

    Reply
    • Karen says

      August 20, 2020 at 6:11 pm

      It will be delicious even without the ricotta!

      Reply
      • Marnie says

        August 20, 2020 at 9:55 pm

        Great!
        Thanks so much!
        Will definitely be making it. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!!

        Reply
        • Marnie says

          August 23, 2020 at 5:44 pm

          I never know if my instantpot should be on the “low”, “normal” or “more” setting.
          I always keep it on “normal “ but I don’t know what this is for. I also keep it on high pressure.
          I tried to look at your buttons on your video but I couldn’t tell. The only one I was able to see was the “high pressure” setting.

          I’m making it now on the “normal “ and the “high pressure “ settings. Hope it’s ok

          Thanks!

          Reply
          • Karen says

            August 24, 2020 at 11:56 am

            Yep that’s okay. Use high pressure most 99.9% of the time. The other settings are for the saute setting to adjust it to low medium or more. You don’t need to worry about that setting when using the pressure cook mode.

  21. Debbie Talkington says

    August 10, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    This was so quick and easy! My family loved this and the best part was that I was able to make this wonderful meal after working late. It truly is dump and go. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      August 11, 2020 at 1:27 pm

      It’s the best for that reason!

      Reply
  22. Ro says

    July 26, 2020 at 10:10 am

    I would love to use a pound of pasta and maybe less meatballs – would I have to change the water and/or the cooking time?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 27, 2020 at 2:23 pm

      Yes add more water. For 1 pound of pasta I usually use 3 3/4 cups of broth/water.

      Reply
      • Ro says

        July 28, 2020 at 3:45 pm

        Thank you. I tried it using your basic recipe – it was delish!

        Reply
  23. Phyllis says

    July 24, 2020 at 5:17 pm

    What fun! I made tofu ricotta and used vegan sausage and meatballs!! Great!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 27, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      Awesome! Glad you made it work for you 😊

      Reply
  24. Norine Z says

    July 17, 2020 at 7:00 am

    First time cooking pasta in IP and was surprised it turned out perfect thanks to your video. This recipe is so easy it practically makes itself! It was a keeper according to my husband. Halved the recipe for our 3 quart IP. I’m not a huge fan of frozen meatballs and will make my own next time.
    Thanks for sharing this great easy recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 17, 2020 at 8:51 am

      I’m so glad it turned out well for you. I love that it “practically makes itself!”

      Reply
    • Gina says

      March 28, 2022 at 5:20 pm

      Can this be made as a freezer meal (cooked and then frozen for later). Thanks!

      Reply
      • Karen says

        March 31, 2022 at 11:51 am

        yes this would be a good candidate for that

        Reply
  25. Carrie Clark says

    July 16, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    Hello KAREN,
    Just tried this for dinner tonight, We LOVED it !!! tasty
    very fast and easy, thanks for posting these great recipes, , it always fun to see your new ideas in my email.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 17, 2020 at 8:53 am

      Thank you Carrie. This one was so easy!! I love recipes like these.

      Reply
  26. Missy Foster says

    July 15, 2020 at 6:15 am

    Don’t you think leftovers of this would freeze well? That would be a solution to Mary V’s quantity problem.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 15, 2020 at 1:24 pm

      I think it would freeze okay. I would be a bit worried about the pasta getting mushy.

      Reply
  27. Brendalee Graham says

    July 14, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    Can I replace the tomatoes with anything else? Suggestions??

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 14, 2020 at 7:28 pm

      You could use a jar of alfredo sauce in the place of spaghetti sauce.

      Reply
  28. Jessic says

    July 14, 2020 at 5:18 pm

    Can I double this recipe? Meaning just double (using the whole bag) the pasta?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 14, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      Yes but you would need to double the water amount and possibly the spaghetti sauce for enough flavor.

      Reply
  29. Stacey Bream says

    July 14, 2020 at 2:27 pm

    I have the same question about cutting the recipes in half. Its only my husband and I. My question is more about timing. Is there a general rule of thumb if you half a recipe to adjust the time? Love your recipes!!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 14, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      Usually you keep the same cooking time. This article is a good one: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-halve-instant-pot-recipes/

      Reply
  30. Jen says

    July 14, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    Would it work to add meatballs i make instead of buy?

    Prob freeze 1st though and use w lazanga when decide to make it. Then add to instant pot?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 14, 2020 at 7:36 pm

      Yes I bet that would work. You should cook them first and then freeze.

      Reply
  31. Mary Vensel says

    July 14, 2020 at 1:22 pm

    To half this recipe, do I only use half the water too? Does it change the cooking time? I tried the pan in pan lasagne recently- very tasty but way too much for one person. I would have eaten It every night and still had left-overs! Ended up tossing a good bit. Must learn more about cutting recipes in half.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 14, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      Yes halve the water. No change in cooking time. Here is a good article about how to halve recipes: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-halve-instant-pot-recipes/

      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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