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Instant Pot Baked Ziti


  • Author: Tyla
  • Total Time: 35 minutes

Description

So you want that cozy, bubbly, cheesy baked ziti goodness but don’t have two hours to babysit the oven? Meet your new best friend: Instant Pot Baked Ziti. This is basically all the comfort food magic of traditional baked ziti, but done in a fraction of the time and with way less cleanup. We’re talking tender pasta, rich meat sauce, and three kinds of cheese all getting cozy together in your pressure cooker.

The genius here is that everything cooks together in one pot — the pasta, the sauce, the meat, everything. Then you top it with cheese and give it a quick broil for that golden, bubbly top that makes baked ziti so addictive. It’s like having a magic wand for weeknight dinners, except the magic wand is your Instant Pot and the spell is “make dinner happen fast.”


Ingredients

Scale

For the Meat Sauce:

  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage (or ground beef)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pasta:

  • 1 lb ziti pasta (or penne)
  • 2 cups water

For the Cheese Situation:

  • 15 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Step 1: Sauté the Good Stuff Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add the ground sausage and cook, breaking it up as it browns (about 5-6 minutes). Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Step 2: Build the Sauce Add the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Add the Pasta Add the uncooked ziti pasta and 2 cups of water. Stir gently to make sure the pasta is mostly submerged. Don’t worry if some pieces are sticking up — they’ll cook just fine.

Step 4: Pressure Cook Magic Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. When it’s done, let it natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.

Step 5: Make the Cheese Mixture While the pasta is cooking, mix the ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup of mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, and garlic powder in a bowl. Set aside.

Step 6: Stir and Check Carefully remove the lid and stir the pasta. It should be perfectly tender. If there’s excess liquid, set it to sauté mode and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce.

Step 7: Add the Cheese Dollop the ricotta mixture all over the pasta and gently fold it in. Don’t overmix — you want pockets of cheesy goodness throughout.

Step 8: Top and Broil Transfer everything to a greased 9×13 baking dish (or you can use an oven-safe Instant Pot insert if you have one). Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Preheat your broiler and broil for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Keep an eye on it — broilers are sneaky and can burn things fast.

Notes

  • Serve with a simple green salad and garlic bread
  • A glass of red wine pairs perfectly with this comfort food
  • Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving for extra flavor
  • Side of roasted vegetables to balance out all that cheesy goodness
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

  • Calories: ~520 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: ~48g
  • Protein: ~28g