Easy Instant Pot Baked Ziti
Easy Instant Pot Baked Ziti is a fabulous one-pot cheesy pasta dinner recipe that's effortless and the quickest version of the traditional baked ziti. This Instant Pot Baked Ziti with Ricotta has all the good flavors of it's baked counterpart.
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Servings: 5 people
Calories: 544kcal
Ingredients
- ½ pound Ziti Pasta **8 oz / 227 grams
- 1 pound Ground Italian Sausage **or ground beef or 1:1 ground beef : ground sausage. We used only mild ground Italian sausage.
- 24 ounce Marinara Sauce **or any pasta sauce. 680 grams.
- 1 cup onion **yellow onion roughly chopped.
- 1.5 tbsp garlic **minced
- ½ cup red bell pepper **roughly chopped
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil **or any neutral oil.
- Salt **according to your personal taste preference.
Seasonings
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper Powder **skip if heat intolerant.
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes **skip if heat intolerant.
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp oregano
Cheeses
- 2.5 cups Mozzarella Cheese **shredded. We used pre-shredded cheese.
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese **shredded. We used pre shredded cheese.
- ½ cup Ricotta Cheese **can sub with cottage cheese
Liquid
- 1.5 cups chicken stock **1 tbsp Better than Bouillon paste diluted in 1.5 cups warm/hot water.
Instructions
- Saute Aromatics: Set the instant pot on SAUTE function & set it on HIGH heat. Add oil & when the oil becomes moderately hot gently release the onion & the garlic and saute until they become translucent. Add salt to quicken the process.
- Brown the ground Sausage/beef: Add the ground Italian sausage or beef and saute until the color changes. Than, add the bell pepper and mix well. Also, add all the seasonings and brown the meat. This will add huge depth of flavor.
- De-glaze Pot: Now, add the chicken stock and de-glaze the pot very well scraping the sides and the bottom of the pot with the help of a spatula. There should not be any stuck food particles at all. This will prevent the BURN error. CANCEL the SAUTE function.
- Layer the Ziti & sauce: Now, dump the ziti pasta in a single and even layer. DO NOT stir or mix. Pour the pasta sauce on top of the ziti in a single and even layer. Make sure that the ziti is all covered in the sauce. DO NOT stir. Scoop out the ricotta cheese and add it on top of the sauce. DO NOT stir or mix.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid of the instant pot, seal the valve and PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 5 minutes. Once, the cooking cycle is over the instant pot will begin to beep, wait for 4 mins natural pressure release. Than, release the rest of the pressure manually by moving the valve from the sealing to the venting position. Open the lid carefully. You'll find excess liquid on top of the pasta, need not worry it will be absorbed well by the ziti.
- Stir cooked Ziti: Hit the KEEP WARM function of the instant pot. Now, gently stir to mix the cooked ziti in the instant pot. As you stir you'll notice that the excess liquid is being absorbed by the ziti.
- Add Cheese & Serve: Now, add the parmesan and the mozzarella cheese on top of the pasta in a single and even layer. Secure the lid and allow it to rest for 10 mins. The residual heat will help melt the cheese to form a super cheesy crust. Serve the baked ziti right away. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Making it for kids: Skip adding the cayenne and the red pepper flakes. They add a subtle spicy kick to the baked ziti.
- Can I freeze the baked ziti? No, the pasta won't hold up very well. They will turn mushy when thawed and re-heated. This dish is best served from pot to plate :)
- Ziti Pasta: Always weigh the pasta before making the recipe. The pasta and the liquid ratio is very important and critical when made in the instant pot.
- Ground meat: You can use ground Italian sausage or plain ground sausage. You can even make the dish with 1:1 beef : sausage ratio or use only ground beef. It's totally up to you.
- Cheeses: If you do not prefer ricotta skip using it or sub it with cottage cheese. The amount of other cheese can also be altered. Use less for a less cheesy version. Today's recipe will yield a super cheesy crust!
Nutrition Facts
Easy Instant Pot Baked Ziti
Amount Per Serving
Calories 544
Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 55mg18%
Sodium 1193mg52%
Potassium 723mg21%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 1815IU36%
Vitamin C 32mg39%
Calcium 443mg44%
Iron 3mg17%
* Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition
Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1193mg | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1815IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 443mg | Iron: 3mg