This easy Instant Pot Lasagna recipe has all the flavors of classic lasagna with layers of seasoned ground beef, tender noodles, creamy ricotta, sauce, and melted cheese, made right in your pressure cooker!
Growing up, lasagna was one of those meals made only for special occasions or if we had several guests coming over. My Grandma’s Lasagna is still one of my favorite traditional versions, but between boiling the noodles, making the meat mixture and cheese mixture, and assembling everything, the dish took a while to make. Now, lasagna is made even easier since you can make it in the Instant Pot! This version layers spaghetti sauce, creamy ricotta cheese, tender lasagna noodles, and seasoned ground beef for an easy dinner the entire family will enjoy. For another fun twist on traditional lasagna, try my Taco Lasagna next!
Quick Look: Instant Pot Lasagna
- Taste: Classic lasagna flavors with seasoned ground beef, spaghetti sauce, creamy ricotta, and melted mozzarella.
- Texture: Tender lasagna noodles layered with a creamy cheese filling, meaty sauce, and plenty of melted cheese.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Skill Level: Easy
- Tools: 6-quart Instant Pot and 7-inch springform pan
- Serving: 8 servings
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I'm pretty new to cooking. However, I've been making one instant pot recipe per week for the past couple of months. My husband's favorite food is lasagna. He LOVED it!!! And so did I. It was so delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe. I will definitely make it again.
Ingredient Notes
Using basic ingredients, this recipe will have everyone requesting the recipe and wanting seconds! See printable recipe card below for exact ingredients and full directions.
- Ricotta Cheese: Adds such a creamy flavor to the cheese layer. Cottage cheese can also be used in place of ricotta if desired.
- Ground Beef: I use 80/20 ground beef, however, any leanness works. Just be sure to drain the grease before assembling the lasagna.
- Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought sauce or make your own. For the best results, use a good, thick marinara. Thinner sauces can make the lasagna runny and harder to serve.
- Lasagna Noodles: I use no-boil lasagna noodles, however, regular lasagna noodles work too. There is no need to boil them beforehand since the sauce will soften the noodles as they pressure cook.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Freshly shredded melts best, but pre-shredded works too.
Variations & Substitutions
- Change the meat: Ground turkey, ground pork, or Italian sausage can be used in place of the ground beef.
- Swap the ricotta: Not a fan of ricotta cheese? Cottage cheese works too! I recommend draining it first so you don't add too much extra liquid to the lasagna.
- Add some veggies: Sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, or your favorite vegetables can be added to the layers.
- Change the sauce: For a fun twist, swap the red sauce for Alfredo sauce to make a white lasagna.
Looking for another ground beef dinner? My Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff is another family favorite made right in the pressure cooker.
How to Make Instant Pot Lasagna
Step 1: Make the Cheese Filling. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, and seasonings until well combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Meat Filling. Brown the ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink. Drain the grease, then add the minced garlic and stir to combine.
Step 3: Add the Noodles. Spray a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Layer 3-4 lasagna noodles on the bottom, breaking them as needed to fit the pan.
Step 4: Add the Sauce. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti sauce over the lasagna noodles, spreading it evenly to cover.
Step 5: Add the Meat and Cheese. Spread half of the ground beef mixture over the sauce, pressing down slightly. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the meat.
Step 6: Repeat the Layers. Repeat the layering process once more with the remaining meat and cheese mixtures. Add a final layer of lasagna noodles, then top with the remaining sauce and ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
Step 7: Pressure Cook. Cover the springform pan tightly with greased foil. Add 1 ½ cups water to the Instant Pot, place the pan on the trivet, and lower it inside. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes, then quick release. Remove the foil and broil until the cheese begins to brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing the pan and slicing.
Step 8: Serve. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Preparing Lasagna in Advance
You can assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and store it in the refrigerator. Since a springform pan may leak, I recommend using a cake pan if preparing it ahead of time. When ready to cook, cover with foil and pressure cook on high for 27 minutes instead of 25 minutes.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftover Instant Pot lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat individual slices in the microwave or warm larger portions in the oven until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
When serving lasagna, I love to add a side salad and some garlic bread. To me, that is the perfect combination! You can also pair this Instant Pot Lasagna with my Garlic Pull Apart Bread, Buttery Bread Machine Dinner Rolls, or even Garlic Cheese Crescents.
Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe FAQs
Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, followed by a quick release. Once the pin drops, carefully remove the lasagna and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Yes. I prefer a 7-inch springform pan because it makes removing and slicing the lasagna much easier, but a cake pan that fits inside your Instant Pot can also be used. Just keep in mind it will be a little harder to remove the lasagna for serving. If you want another recipe that uses a springform pan in the pressure cooker, try my Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole next!
Nope! I use no-boil lasagna noodles, so there is no need to cook them first. The sauce and pressure cooking soften the noodles as the lasagna cooks.
More Lasagna Recipes to try
Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and let me know what you think in the comments! You can also follow me on Pinterest for even more easy, family-friendly recipes.
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Instant Pot Lasagna Recipe
Video
Ingredients
CHEESE LAYER
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ teaspoon Basil
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
MEAT LAYER
- 1 lb ground beef
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz spaghetti sauce
- 1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Make the cheese filling: Combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, mozzarella cheese, and seasonings in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare the meat filling: Brown the ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink. Drain the grease, then add the minced garlic and stir to combine.
- Assemble: Spray a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Layer 3-4 lasagna noodles on the bottom, breaking them as needed to fit the pan.
- Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce over the noodles. Top with half of the meat mixture, followed by half of the cheese mixture.
- Repeat the layers once more with the remaining meat and cheese mixtures. Add a final layer of noodles, then top with the remaining sauce and ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Pressure cook: Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover the pan tightly. Pour 1 ½ cups water into the Instant Pot, place the covered springform pan on the trivet, and lower it inside. Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
- Carefully quick release the pressure. Once the pin drops, remove the pan and foil. Place the lasagna on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese begins to brown.
- Let rest for about 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan, slice, and serve.
Notes
- I use a 7-inch springform pan for this recipe. A cake pan that fits inside the Instant Pot can also be used, although removing the lasagna for serving won’t be quite as easy.
- No need to cook the noodles first. No-boil lasagna noodles soften as the lasagna pressure cooks.
- Use a thick spaghetti or marinara sauce for the best results. A thin sauce can make the layers runny.
- If assembling the lasagna ahead of time and refrigerating, increase the pressure cooking time from 25 to 27 minutes.
- Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes before slicing so the layers have time to set.
Nutrition
Breanna McElroy says
Hi thank you so much for sharing this! Where did you get the pink and white w gold instant pot cover from?? It’s so adorable!
Kristin says
Aww thanks! I bought it off Etsy last year! There are tons of fun, colorful designs on there!
Jeane says
In the directions you say on step five I believe, to create a layer of noodles with 3-4 noodles by breaking them apart. Do mean it will take 3-4 noodles to break up to create that layer? I created a single layer by breaking apart just 2 unless the pieces didn’t break well then I was just wasting pieces and needed three noodles because of that. I struggled to not overlap the noodlesusing only two full noodles broken up. The round pan makes it a little tricky.
Kristin says
It just depends on how you break the noodles, it is okay to overlap if needed as long as the sauce covers them. If you only need 2 noodles to break it up, thats great too! Enjoy!!
Michele says
I have a 3 quart IP. It is hard to find recipes for the 3 quart. I wish there were more recipes for the 3 quart.
Kristin says
Sorry to see the 1 star rating on this recipe 🙁
If you have a 3 quart, I recommend using mini springform pans (2) and making the recipe in that. You can stack the two springforms and it should work great! I believe you can also look for a 5 inch and that should fit!
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy!
Karen says
I was reading over the lasagna recipe and in the very beginning of the directions it says to cover the noodles with pasta sauce, then it says layer meat sauce on top of that. What is the pasta sauce. Did I overlook it? Little confused on that.
Kristin says
The meat layer is simply seasoned beef, the pasta sauce is 24 oz of your favorite spaghetti sauce (jarred or homemade). Sorry for the confusion. I labelled the meat layer ingredients as to separate things a bit, hope that helps and hope you enjoy!!
Jessica says
I LOVE lasagna and absolutely love making it in the oven. So when I found this recipe, I couldn’t wait to try it in my IP. I was very disappointed, I followed the recipe exactly but the noodles were not cooked. Also the broil time was too long, it burned the topping. Please help me understand what went wrong.
Kristin says
Hmmmm, did you use the no boil noodles? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, and it usually always still turns out.
Each oven is different as far as the broiling goes, you just want to get a golden brown color with melted cheese, so that step can be eyed.
Keep me posted on the noodles so I can trouble shoot. So bummed to hear it wasn’t a hit!
Kendra says
Can you make this without a spring foam pan?
Kristin says
Sure! You can use a normal pan, just make sure its a 6-7 inch pan to fit in your Instant Pot. You’ll just have to scoop it out of the pan, so it won’t be as pretty, but it will still taste great!
Jean Verner Melvin says
This has been the best ever lasagna I have ever eaten, and so easy to make in the I-Pot…
Thanks so much for the recipe, will be making two more to put in the freezer for the near future!
Had a nice big slice with tossed salad with my hubby….he couldn’t get enough of it….can’t wait to eat the leftovers! <3 going to try the beef enchiladas next!
Kristin says
Awwww I love hearing that!! So glad you enjoy it! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the enchilada pie next!!!
Delilah says
This is a great lasagna recipe. I love that it doesn’t make a 9×13 pan. There is just two of us now and lasagna is one of those dishes that doesn’t make for good leftovers. I never use no boil noodles. I lay them in a rectangular dish and pour boiling water over them. That does the trick and the noodles ate much easier to cut.
Kristin says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Great idea on the noodle trick!
Juan says
Hi Kristen and fellow lasagna makers,
This recipe is awesome! First time trying it and I loved it. I just started using my instant pot and this is a great addition to my nightly cooking book.
I saw that some people had issues with fitting all the layers in the springform pan. I ordered both the one Kristin recommended and the one from the instant pot brand
Instant Pot 5252051 Official Springform Pan, 7.5-Inch, Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WHHTFXC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xKxEEbMF4AH1K
I found this one to be a little bit bigger at 3.1” vs 2.4” in depth and will allow for all the layers to fit in perfectly.
As for leakage at the bottom of the pan, it will definitely leak especially if the spaghetti sauce is liquidity. I used marinara so it leaked more than expected. It wasn’t an absurd amount but definitely something to be mindful of.
This is definitely a recipe I enjoyed making and will make for many more meals to come! Thanks Kristin.
Best,
Juan
Kristin says
Yea!! I absolutely love the feedback you have provided! Thanks so much and I am glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
JansinGa says
Thanks to the reviewer who mentioned the different springform pan depths. My ingredients didn’t all fit either, but we really enjoyed the lasagna! Thanks for the recipe! (Looking for all the IP recipes while we’re “social distancing” at home!)
Kristin says
Glad you enjoyed! I too actually didn’t know there were different depths until that review, haha!
Hope you enjoy all the other Instant Pot recipes on the blog!
Jelain says
Made this yesterday in my IP turned out great!
Kristin says
Yea! So glad it was a success!
Juleen Wegman says
For those of you that couldn’t fit it all in your 7-inch springform pan, there are a couple different depths of springform pans. I haven’t made this yet but will use my deeper one when I do. I think it’s 3″ deep.
Kristin says
Great advice! Hope you enjoy this!
Lynda says
Awesome recipe!!! I did 1/2 lb of Italian sausage and 1/2 lb ground beef…it was delish!!!!
Kristin says
Yea! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Patty Thompson says
I’m pretty new to cooking. However, I’ve been making one instant pot recipe per week for the past couple of months. My husband’s favorite food is lasagna. He LOVED it!!! And so did I. It was so delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe. I will definitely make it again.
Kristin says
Awww I love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed it!!
Kim says
This was so simple, absolutely delicious and came out looking just like the picture! Win Win Win!
Kristin says
Yea!! Love hearing that! So glad it was a hit!!