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March 6, 2023

Instant Pot Last Minute Dinner

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Instant Pot Last Minute Dinner–spinach and cheese filled ravioli in a lemon sauce with asparagus, chicken and parmesan cheese. This recipe can be made so fast with the help of your Instant Pot!

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spinach and cheese filled ravioli with lemon cream sauce and chicken and asparagus

Instant Pot Last Minute Dinner

We’ve all been there – you come home from a long day at work, tired and hungry, only to realize that you have no idea what to make for dinner. In moments like these, it can be tempting to reach for the takeout menu or order in. But fear not, this easy Instant Pot ravioli recipe can be put together within a few minutes (only a 1 minute pressure cook time) and it tastes amazing too!

A convenient bag of frozen ravioli (I used cheese and spinach filled ravioli) is served in a lemon cream sauce with some rotisserie chicken (Costco for the win!) and some asparagus (I used a bag of frozen asparagus). The flavors all go together beautifully. It’s a bit different than the typical ravioli served with marinara sauce. My kids and husband scarfed this down.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

  • Butter–or oil
  • Garlic
  • Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon
  • Dried thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Frozen spinach and cheese ravioli–or another type of ravioli you like. You can also use frozen tortellini. I find frozen ravioli by the frozen breads at the grocery store.
  • Cooked, chopped chicken–I used some rotisserie chicken
  • Frozen or fresh asparagus–or peas
  • Half and half–or cream
  • Cornstarch
  • Lemon juice
  • Lemon zest
  • Parmesan cheese

Steps

Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the butter and let it melt. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and turn off Instant Pot. 

Add in the thyme, salt, pepper, ravioli and chicken (my chicken was frozen). 

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 1 minute. When time is up let pot sit for about 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.

Stir in the asparagus. In a small bowl stir together the half and half and the cornstarch until smooth. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. When sauce has thickened turn off the pot.

Scoop onto plates and enjoy! Top each serving with a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • Serve with garlic bread and caesar salad.
  • This recipe can be meatless if you leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth.
  • Variation idea: try adding in a bag of frozen broccoli (steam it in the microwave) instead of the asparagus.
  • 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 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Other recipes you can make with lemon zest are Instant Pot Lemon Rice and Instant Pot Chicken Julienne.

How to freeze lemon juice and lemon zest

I love buying a big bag of lemons from Costco and then freezing the juice and zest for recipes like this one! Freezing lemon juice and lemon zest is a great way to extend the shelf life of these ingredients and have them on hand whenever you need them. Here’s how to freeze lemon juice and lemon zest:

Freezing Lemon Juice:

  1. Squeeze the lemons and strain the juice to remove any seeds or pulp. I like to use this lemon squeezer*.
  2. Pour the lemon juice into an ice cube tray*, filling each compartment about three-quarters of the way full.
  3. Place the ice cube tray in the freezer and freeze until solid, which usually takes 4-6 hours.
  4. Once the lemon juice is frozen, pop the cubes out of the tray and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Be sure to label the container with the date and contents.

Frozen lemon juice cubes can be used in recipes just like fresh lemon juice. Simply thaw the cubes in the refrigerator or at room temperature before using.

Freezing Lemon Zest:

  1. Wash the lemons thoroughly to remove any dirt or residue.
  2. Use a zester* or grater to remove the outermost layer of the lemon peel, being careful not to remove the bitter white pith underneath.
  3. Spread the lemon zest in a thin layer on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer.
  4. Freeze the zest for about 1-2 hours, or until it’s completely frozen.
  5. Once the lemon zest is frozen, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag and label it with the date and contents.

Frozen lemon zest can be added directly to recipes without thawing.

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spinach and cheese filled ravioli with lemon cream sauce and chicken and asparagus

More Instant Pot Ravioli Recipes

Instant Pot Sausage Pepperoni Spinach Ravioli

Ravioli is cooked in a marinara sauce with Italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and spinach for a super fast and easy one pot meal. 

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Instant Pot Lasagna Ravioli

A quick and easy meal made with ground beef, ravioli, spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. All the flavors of lasagna without all the work!

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Instant Pot Spinach and Ravioli Lasagna

An easy 5 ingredient dinner! Cheese ravioli, spinach, pesto, mozzarella cheese and alfredo sauce layered in a dish and cooked until hot and bubbly. 

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Instant Pot Million Dollar Ravioli Casserole

With ravioli, four kinds of cheese and Italian sausage this casserole tastes like a million bucks! Make it in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or oven.

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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. 

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spinach and cheese filled ravioli with lemon cream sauce and chicken and asparagus
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Instant Pot Last Minute Dinner


  • Author: 365 Days of Slow and Pressure Cooking
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 minute (plus 5 minute NPR)
  • Total Time: 16 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

Spinach and cheese filled ravioli in a lemon sauce with asparagus, chicken and parmesan cheese. This recipe can be made so fast with the help of your Instant Pot!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 (18 oz) package frozen spinach and cheese ravioli
  • 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken (optional)
  • 8 ounces frozen or fresh asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces (or peas)
  • 1/4 cup half and half
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the butter and let it melt. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and turn off Instant Pot. 
  2. Add in the thyme, salt, pepper, ravioli and chicken. 
  3. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 1 minute. When time is up let pot sit for about 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
  4. Stir in the asparagus. In a small bowl stir together the half and half and the cornstarch until smooth. Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. When sauce has thickened turn off the pot.
  5. Scoop onto plates and enjoy! Top each serving with a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Instant Pot

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spinach and cheese filled ravioli with lemon cream sauce and chicken and asparagus

*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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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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