This Instant Pot lasagna has all the flavors of the classic, but cooks up without the need for an oven! Surprisingly simple to prepare and packed with delicious flavor.
The Instant Pot is a great way to cook your favorite pasta recipes; Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce has been one of my personal faves, but this lasagna recipe is officially taking the top spot in my heart these days!
Cooking lasagna in the Instant Pot means you can keep your oven off and your kitchen cool. I love that this recipe tastes just like classic lasagna, but somehow feels simpler to assemble. And yes- despite the fact that it cooks in a smallish cake pan, it's nearly the same amount of lasagna as a 9 x 13 inch pan!
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Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
- cooking the lasagna in the Instant Pot keeps your oven off and kitchen cool
- this lasagna is simple to prepare and does not produce as many dishes as other lasagna recipes
- you can assemble the lasagna ahead and pop it into the Instant Pot when you're read to cook!
- you can replace the beef for a meat substitute and turn this into a meatless meal
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see how to cook Instant Pot lasagna! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Ingredient notes
- ground beef- use lean ground beef or swap for ground turkey. We also tested this recipe with beyond beef and could not even tell there was a difference. Great option for a meatless meal!
- marinara- use your favorite store bought marinara; I went for a classic tomato basil combo here
- ricotta- look for small portions of ricotta- 250 g or roughly 9 oz is all we need here.
- basil- you'll want to add fresh basil for this recipe; it adds a ton of flavor to the lasagna!
- worcestershire- brings out the meaty flavors in this recipe; I don't recommend skipping
- lasagna noodles- make sure you purchase oven-ready lasagna noodles; they cook right in the lasagna and get the perfect texture in this recipe. This recipe had not been tested with traditional lasagna noodles (boil and drain type) or freshly made pasta.
Step by step directions
1. Sauté ground beef- Select the sauté function of your Instant Pot, and add the ground beef to the stainless steel insert. Cook, breaking the beef up with a spatula, for around 5 minutes, until the beef is mostly cooked through.
Make a space in the middle of the beef, then add the garlic. Cook for one minute.
Add the oregano, fennel, salt and worcestershire. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then remove the inner pot.
2. Prep meat sauce- Transfer the beef mixture to a large bowl, and stir it together with the jar of marinara sauce. Set aside.
3. Prep ricotta- In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, basil and salt until smooth.
sauce noodles ricotta sauce
cheese
4. Assemble- Add 1 cup (6 quart models) or 1.5 cups (8 quart models) to the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot. Use a spatula to scrape any bits of beef stuck to the bottom.
Add the trivet, then a 7 inch round cake pan. Layer in the following order:
- ¼ of the sauce
- 1-2 lasagna noodles, broken
- ½ of the rictotta
- ¼ of the sauce
- ⅓ of the cheese
- repeat
- top the last layer of noodles with all remaining sauce and mozzarella
TIP- I used this 7 inch cake pan
5. Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, position the valve to the 'sealed' position, and set it to cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
When the cooking cycle completes, allow it to naturally depressurize for 10 minutes before carefully transitioning the steam release handle into the 'venting' position.
6. Optional- Air fry or broil- If you want the cheese to be golden and browned, you have two options:
- air fryer lid- If you have an air fryer lid for your Instant Pot, place it over the lasagna, programming the air fryer setting to cook at 400°F for 5-8 minutes (lift the lid to check on it a few times).
- oven- set your oven to broil, and carefully pull the lasagna from the Instant Pot using oven mitts- this can be a little tricky! Place the lasagna onto a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.
TIP- here's my Instant Pot air fryer lid!
7. Rest- Make sure you rest the Instant Pot lasagna for 10-20 minutes before slicing into it. This helps the liquids settle and absorb in. The first slice is the hardest to remove, but it scoops easier after that!
FAQ
You can make this in a 6 quart Instant Pot or in an 8 quart Instant Pot. Unfortunately it won't fit in an Instant Pot mini.
No, this is not necessary.
I've seen other recipes that use a springform pan, and suspect this recipe would work well, but I've only tested in the cake pan. Drop us a comment if you give it a try!
Storage and reheating
Instant Pot lasagna stores and reheats great!
- fridge- cool completely, then either cover the cake pan and store away, or portion out into individual portions. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- freezer- portion out into individual portions in freezer-friendly containers. Cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- thaw- overnight in the fridge.
- reheat- in the microwave until steaming hot.
More Instant Pot dinners
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Easy Instant Pot Lasagna (classic)
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef lean; see note 1
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon fennel crushed with the side of a knife
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 22 oz marinara sauce 650 mL; 1 jar
Ricotta
- 9 oz ricotta 250 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup basil leaves
- 1 egg
Other
- 6 oven ready lasagna noodles broken; see note 2
- 2 cups mozzarella
- 1 cup water (6 quart models) (or 1.5 cups for 8 quart models)
Instructions
- Sauté ground beef- Select the sauté function of your Instant Pot, and add the ground beef to the stainless steel insert. Cook, breaking the beef up with a spatula, for around 5 minutes, until the beef is mostly cooked through.Make a space in the middle of the beef, then add the garlic. Cook for one minute.Add the oregano, fennel, salt and worcestershire. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then remove the inner pot.
- Prep meat sauce- Transfer the beef mixture to a large bowl, and stir it together with the jar of marinara sauce. Set aside.
- Prep ricotta- In a separate bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, basil and salt until smooth.
- Assemble- Add 1 cup (6 quart models) or 1.5 cups of water (8 quart models) to the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot. Use a spatula to scrape any bits of beef stuck to the bottom.Add the trivet, then a 7 inch round cake pan. Layer in the following order:¼ of the sauce1-2 lasagna noodles, broken and arranged in a single layer½ of the rictotta¼ of the sauce⅓ of the cheeserepeat top the last layer of noodles with all remaining sauce and mozzarella
- Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, position the valve to the 'sealed' position, and set it to cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.When the cooking cycle completes, allow it to naturally depressurize for 10 minutes before carefully transitioning the steam release handle into the 'venting' position.
- Optional- Air fry or broil- If you want the cheese to be golden and browned, you have two options:air fryer lid- If you have an air fryer lid for your Instant Pot, place it over the lasagna, programming the air fryer setting to cook at 400°F for 5-8 minutes (lift the lid to check on it a few times).oven- set your oven to broil, and carefully pull the lasagna from the Instant Pot using oven mitts- this can be a little tricky! Place the lasagna onto a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Rest- Make sure you rest the lasagna for 10-20 minutes before slicing into it. This helps the liquids settle and absorb in. The first slice is the hardest to remove, but it scoops easier after that!
Tips:
Video
Nutrition Information
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Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.
Suzanne Steffy says
Sounds wonderful. I assume we are to add water: 1 cup for 6 quart 1 1/2 cups for 8 quart.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Suzanne! Yes you are correct, for the 6 quart it's 1 cup and 8 quart it's 1.5 cups. Thank you for pointing that out! I hope you enjoy this recipe, we'd love to know how it turns out once you make it!
Christine says
I was craving lasagna this week, bought all the ingredients and then realized I didn’t want to bake anything in the oven during our heatwave. And then this recipe appeared! It turned out great. Flavourful, easy. Thanks!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Christine, that is too funny! You must have known 🙂 We're so glad to hear that you loved this recipe! The instant pot is such a great way to avoid turning on the stove during these heat waves. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review!