Have the easiest, cheesiest homemade lasagna on the table in one hour with my Instant Pot Lasagna recipe! Prepared in the pressure cooker with layers of savory ground beef, tangy marinara sauce, tender noodles, and lots of melty cheese.
Serve this quick and easy lasagna recipe with a side of Garlic Knots for a cozy, fuss-free family dinner.
The Best Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe
Today I’ve taken inspiration from my Skillet Lasagna recipe and translated it into a fun and easy Instant Pot meal.
This Instant Pot version is the best lasagna recipe for the lazy cook. We’ve all been there. That’s why this is seriously a savior on weeknights! All the dreamy layers of marinara sauce, ground beef, lasagna noodles, and cheese are prepared in the pressure cooker, then cooked to melty, meaty deliciousness. Perfect for the evenings when you’re craving something cozy, without the need for preheating, baking, roasting, or hauling out half the cookware in your kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Making an easy meat lasagna in the Instant Pot is just the best. Here’s why:
Ready in an hour. The Instant Pot is the quickest, mess-free way to have lasagna on the table in no time.
No oven. Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food any time of the year. This Instant Pot recipe is even great to make in the summer, as you don’t need to heat up your kitchen by turning on the oven!
Easy clean-up. All the sautéing and cooking happens in one spot. You even serve this lasagna straight from the pot!
Great to make ahead. You can make this easy lasagna recipe ahead of time and then reheat it again right in the Instant Pot.
What You’ll Need
Everything you love about a traditional lasagna goes into this Instant Pot recipe, too! Below is an overview of the ingredients, with the full amounts found in the recipe card:
Lean Ground Beef: Alternatively, use ground turkey.
Onion: I recommend brown or yellow onion. Sautéing onion with the beef brings out loads of extra flavor.
Garlic: Freshly minced. You can adapt the number of cloves depending on how garlicky you like your lasagna.
Seasoning: I season this lasagna with Italian seasoning, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce from the store.
Cheese: I blend classic ricotta cheese and grated parmesan for the cheese layers.
Fresh Spinach: I like layering fresh spinach leaves into my lasagna, but feel free to leave it out if you’d prefer.
Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella, for melting over top.
Lasagna Noodles: About eight full sheets should be enough for this Instant Pot recipe.
What Are the Best Cheeses to Put In Lasagna?
A classic lasagna will always have ricotta cheese! Other flavorful options are mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, and pecorino romano. You can mix it up and use any combination you’d like.
How to Make Lasagna in the Instant Pot
Let’s make some Instant Pot lasagna! It’s super simple. Your mind will be blown when you lift the lid!
Prepare the Ricotta: First, mix up the ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Sauté the Beef: With your Instant Pot set to sauté, brown the beef with the onion. After a few minutes, add the garlic and Italian seasoning. Once the beef is browned, switch off the pot and transfer the ground beef to a separate bowl using a slotted spoon. Drain the leftover grease from the pot (be careful, as it will be hot!).
Deglaze: Pour two cups of water into the pot, and scrape the bottom with a (not metal) spatula or wooden spoon. This lifts up all those stuck-on, flavorful bits. Add about a third of the ground beef back into the pot with the water. Cover this first beef layer with lasagna noodles, breaking them apart to fit inside the pot.
Assemble: Cover the noodles with some of the marinara sauce, and another layer of beef, followed by half of the ricotta mixture. Top this with a layer of spinach and one more noodle layer. Now, repeat with the remaining fillings, ending with a layer of noodles topped with marinara.
Cook: Close the lid and set the Instant Pot valve to seal. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Finally, manually vent the remaining pressure.
Add Mozzarella: Cover the top of the lasagna with a layer of shredded mozzarella, then close the lid. Leave your lasagna to sit for about 10 minutes while the cheese melts.
Once the mozzarella is nice and melty, take the lid off again and serve!
Tips for Success
Some bonus tips for making lasagna in your Instant Pot:
Budget the time correctly. The pressure cooking time needed to make this Instant Pot lasagna is quite short. However, remember that your pot will need additional time to come to pressure, and also to release that pressure once the cooking time is up. Be sure to budget accordingly!
Don’t add too much water to the pot. The water should just barely cover the first layer of lasagna noodles.
Turn up the heat. Spicy heat, that is. If you like your lasagna with a little bit of kick, use spicy marinara sauce or stir some crushed chili peppers into the ground beef as it browns.
How long should lasagna rest before serving? It’s a good idea to let any lasagna (baked, Instant Pot, or otherwise) rest for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This recipe makes use of that resting time by melting the mozzarella layer that’s added after cooking.
What Goes With Lasagna
We love dishing up a serving of fresh-from-the-Instant Pot lasagna topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. The Italian-inspired flavors pair perfectly with a side of zesty Ranch Beer Bread or Stuffed Garlic Bread.
Here are more easy side dishes to serve with homemade lasagna:
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
This easy lasagna recipe is so delicious, we almost always scrape the pot clean! If you do have leftovers, they can be stored airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating lasagna is easy to do in the microwave, oven, or Instant Pot:
To reheat in the microwave, zap the lasagna in increments until it’s warmed through.
Alternatively, you can heat your leftover lasagna in the oven at 350ºF, until warmed and bubbly.
Or, pop it back into the Instant Pot with a cup of water and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, leftover Instant Pot lasagna can also be frozen for longer storage. Simply transfer the contents of your Instant Pot to an airtight container or resealable, freezer-safe bag. Store it frozen for up to 3 months, and thaw the lasagna in the fridge before reheating.
Have the best homemade lasagna ready in one hour with my Instant Pot Lasagna recipe! Prepared in the pressure cooker with layers of savory ground beef, marinara sauce, and noodles, plus loads of melty cheese.
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water
1 (25 oz) jar marinara sauce
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Approx 8 full-sized lasagna noodles
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Set the instant pot to saute. Add the ground beef and onion to the instant pot. Cook for 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and Italian seasoning to the beef. Continue to cook until beef is browned.
Turn off the instant pot. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef into a separate bowl. Pour out the grease, taking care when handling the hot metal pot.
Return the pot to the cooker. Pour in the water. Use a spatula to remove any stuck-on bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add 1?3 of the cooked beef back to the pot.
Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles. You will have to break the noodles to make them fit in the pot. The water should cover the noodles just barely.
Spread 1?3 of the marinara sauce over the lasagna noodles. Then add another layer of ground beef, followed by half of the cheese mixture, followed by half of the spinach. Top that with lasagna noodles and repeat.
Once all of the fillings have been used, top with a final layer of lasagna noodles and finish it with marinara sauce.
Put the lid on the instant pot. Set the valve to seal and turn it to high pressure for 6 minutes. Naturally release the steam for 10 minutes, then open the valve to release the remaining steam.
Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the cooked lasagna and replace the lid. Let the lasagna sit for about 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and serve.
Keywords: best lasagna recipe, homemade lasagna, instant pot meals
