Why This Recipe is so Good
Homemade lasagna is incredibly easy and delicious using your Instant Pot! Made with fresh ricotta cheese, no-boil lasagna noodles and other fresh and simple ingredients, this recipe is perfect for Instant Pot beginners wanting to make a classic Italian favorite.
Ready to Enjoy in About an Hour
Lasagna is such a delicious comfort food that we usually only have on special occasions or Sunday dinner when we have ample time for all the preparation, and ample time for it to cook in the oven. But, what if I told you that you could make homemade lasagna with only 15 minutes of prep, and 25 minutes cook time in the Instant Pot? Yep, in about an hour – total – you can have an awesome lasagna dinner. Your favorite pressure cooker is ideal for a recipe such as this! And, not only that, but we’re actually making 2 lasagnas at once! We use 2 mini loaf pans which fit snugly in a 6 qt Instant Pot with ease. As a result, if you want to add additional ingredients to one lasagna or make one with meat you certainly can. Two custom made lasagnas in one that pleases both meat lovers and the veggie lovers equals pure weeknight dinner perfection.
Ingredients
For our starter lasagna recipe, we’re going to dive into simple ingredients that you probably have kicking around your fridge, freezer, and pantry. Frozen spinach, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, oven ready lasagna noodles, your favorite marinara sauce, Italian seasonings, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese are all (delicious) everyday ingredients. You can also go gluten free! (Please see the notes section below for special gluten free instructions.)
Easy Preparation
We start with mini loaf disposable aluminum pans that are approximately 5.5″ x 3.5″ x 2″ deep. You can get them at just about any supermarket, Walmart, Target or even dollar stores. They usually come in packs of 5-10. No need to dig out or order a springform pan. By using the mini loaf pans, we’re making it very convenient in terms of cleanup, and you double your culinary fun by making 2 different lasagnas at once. You also won’t have to order any special large pans that take up storage room.
Simple Cheese Mixture and No-Boil Noodles
We start with a simple mixture of ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Mix it all up in a bowl and this will be your cheese mixture. By using cottage cheese, the mixture melts into itself to create a rich, velvety cheese filling that’s insanely delicious. Then we use oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles. Simply break them up to fit in the pans. It’s fine if some of the pieces overlap. You don’t have to assemble perfect layers – they will all come together nicely during cooking.
How To Assemble Lasagna
A layer of sauce goes down first, followed by noodles, then another layer of sauce. We want a layer of sauce on each side of the noodles. Then goes on the cheese mixture, followed by mozzarella, then a layer of sauce. Once again, break up some noodles for the next layer, spoon sauce over the noodles, add cheese mix, then a layer of frozen spinach. For the spinach, defrost it a bit in the microwave first and be sure to drain any liquid from it. Squeeze it tightly in paper towels, or a clean dish towel. This step is incredibly important, otherwise the liquid will make the lasagna soggy. Squeezing, draining, and roughly chopping are all your friends here. Also, if you’re using fresh spinach, just cook it down in a pan with a little water for a minute or so. After the spinach add more sauce. Finally, top it off with another layer of noodles, sauce, then a good layer of mozzarella cheese. This will fill the mini loaf pan just about to the top. Then we want to cover it loosely with aluminum foil. You can spray the underside of the aluminum foil with some cooking spray to keep the mozzarella cheese from sticking. Next a cup of water goes into the Instant Pot, the trivet is placed inside, and the lasagnas are placed snugly next to each other on the trivet. Secure the lid with the valve set to “sealing” cook for 25 minutes on manual (pressure cook on high pressure), then a 10-minute natural release. Then…they’re ready for dinner!
Fun Flavor Combinations
Meat
We love the combination of spinach, two cheeses, and sauce. But, if you have leftover cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or chicken, you could add that in to make your lasagna a bit of a meat treat!Also, rotisserie chicken is a fabulous add-in to our instant pot lasagna! Just shred it and add it in to create a delightful savory poultry layer.
Vegetables
Sautéed arugula, watercress, mustard greens, kale, Swiss chard, or beet greens are all fun swaps for the spinach!Red, white, sweet, or yellow onions, shallots, leeks, or even scallions all bring a nice little bite to the layers of the Instant Pot lasagna. And of course, fresh garlic is always awesome!Pull out your favorite sharp knife and thinly slice carrots, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, or parsnips for a little extra veggie love in your lasagna.
Herbs
Even the most herbaceous jarred pasta sauce will love a little lift of fresh herbs in the lasagna. Just stir fresh chopped oregano, flat-leaf or curly parsley, basil, or thyme into the ricotta or cottage cheese. Bonus: They’re not only flavorful, they’re a beautiful addition to either of the cheese layers!
Other Ideas
Instead of traditional Italian flavors, you could make a southwestern lasagna with layers of cooked black beans, cooked ground beef or turkey, onion, defrosted frozen corn, and even a bit of diced fresh jalapeno! Swap out the traditional pasta sauce for your favorite red or green salsa and a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes. Add a Mexican blend cheese or cheddar cheese to the ricotta.For a more earthy flavored, traditional Italian lasagna, add in thin roasted eggplant slices and mushrooms to your spinach and cheese. Delizioso!
Why Do You Use Cottage Cheese for lasagna?
Answer: When the cottage cheese melts, it creates a creamy and luscious sauce in and of itself! Note: When you’re in the dairy aisle, reach past the large curd cottage cheese and grab a container of the small curd cottage cheese. The small curd cottage cheese melts more uniformly.
How to store leftovers?
Answer: Lasagna is one of those recipes which can often be even better on the reheat? Yep! Like many pasta recipes, those flavors have more time to come together and leftovers can be a really special treat. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze lasagna in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Find Your Bliss
Now that you’ve learned the magic of this Instant Pot lasagna recipe, you’ll want to make it every week! Have fun mixing up the ingredients and flavor profiles, and you’ll be a hit at the next potluck dinner or date night.
