Instant Pot Baked Ziti is a quick and easy meal that is perfect to make any day of the week!
If you have never heard this classic Italian inspired dish, let me explain. Picture a 9×13 casserole dish filled with ziti noodles that are tossed and cooked in a meat and tomato based sauce. And to make it even better it is topped with melted and bubbly cheese.
![instant pot baked ziti](https://makeyourmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/featured-baked-ziti.jpg.webp)
It is a very popular dish that is served as a family meal or taken to potlucks to share with family and friends. Not to mention, it is a great budget friendly meal as well.
With just a few common ingredients, that are commonly found in your pantry, dinner can be made without an extra trip to the grocery store.
And now Baked Ziti can be made in minutes by making it in the Instant Pot rather than in the oven. We used our 6 quart Instant Pot Duo for this recipe.
Instant Pot Baked Ziti Recipe
So how do you make this delicious dish? First, start by pressing the SAUTE button. Once the display monitor reads HOT, add the oil and the ground beef.
![penne noodles](https://makeyourmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/noodles-in-instant-pot.jpg.webp)
As you brown the beef, break down the bigger chunks using a wooden spatula.
Once the beef is half way cooked, add in the diced onion. Continue to saute until the meat is no longer pink. Then add in the garlic and seasonings and continue to saute for one additional minute. Press CANCEL.
Next, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and pasta noodles to the pot and stir. If you can’t find any Ziti noodles, you can use Penne instead.
![cooked penne pasta](https://makeyourmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cooked-ziti.jpg.webp)
Unlike most tomato based recipes, it is okay to stir the tomatoes in with the other Baked Ziti ingredients prior to cooking them in the Instant Pot.
However, most recipes, including our Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe, this would cause the BURN notice to occur.
But that is not the case with this recipe. Just be sure to pour in enough water to cover the top of the pasta. This will take approximately 2-3 cups.
Cooking Instructions
Now it is time to let you Baked Ziti cook! Lock the lid in place and move the valve to the SEALING position. Pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes.
![instant pot baked ziti](https://makeyourmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/mozzarella-cheese-1.jpg.webp)
Like every Instant Pot Pressure Cooker recipe, it will take additional time for the pot to come to pressure. In fact, I would plan for about 10-15 minutes extra before the actual cook time will begin.
Once the cook time is up, slowly move the valve to the VENTING position and wait for the pin to drop.
Open the lid to the Instant Pot and stir the Baked Ziti. Then add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until melted.
![instant pot baked ziti](https://makeyourmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cooked-ziti-with-parmesan.jpg.webp)
Serve immediately with a little Parmesan Cheese and/or green onions sprinkled on top.
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Instant Pot Baked Ziti Recipe
![instant pot baked ziti](https://makeyourmeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/featured-baked-ziti-735x490.jpg.webp)
All the flavors of a classic Baked Ziti dish made easy in the pressure cooker. An easy to make, family favorite meal!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb ground lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 2 cups pasta sauce
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 lb. uncooked ziti or penne pasta
- water, enough to cover the pasta approximately 2-3 cups
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- green onions, diced
Instructions
- Start off by turning the Instant Pot to SAUTE and once the display reads HOT, add oil. Add the meat and brown until half of the meat is no longer pink. Add the onion and continue to saute until the meat is cooked through. Add the garlic and seasonings and saute for 1 minute. Press Cancel.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, tomato paste, pasta and enough water to cover the pasta. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot to remove any stuck bits.
- Lock the lid in place and move the valve to the SEALING position. PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on high for 5 minutes. As soon as the cook time expires, move the valve to VENTING to perform a Quick Pressure Release.
- Remove the lid and stir in the mozzarella cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and green onions, serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe provided by Make Your Meals
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g