Amazing Instant Pot Creamy “Baked” Ziti
Save weeknight dinner with this SUPER easy Instant Pot baked ziti recipe. It is creamy, saucy, cheesy, and so incredibly delicious! (Pro tip: you don’t have to use ziti! Any type of tube pasta will work.)
Well, this Instant Pot “baked” ziti is straight up incredible. Life altering, really, if you are like me and are constantly searching for ways to make weeknight dinners manageable and stress-free.
I think I’ve made this pasta at least six times in the last several weeks…in large part to get it totally perfected before posting the recipe, but also because it is so ridiculously easy. I’m finding I keep turning to it as a weeknight dinner solution when the night is busy and my coping skills are low.
Bonus: it’s simple enough my kids can whip it up while I’m running everyone to where they need to be. Pretty much the most awesome thing ever.
The success of this Instant Pot spaghetti last year gave me the confidence to keep trying pasta in the pressure cooker. Which is a wonderful thing, because this “baked” ziti recipe (which clearly isn’t baked, but we’re going to pretend we’re “baking it under pressure” because the name sounds better) is phenomenal.
Like, it’s definitely one of those recipes that could stand alone for proof of why owning the Instant Pot is worth it.
Dump and go recipe
If you haven’t experienced the feeling of throwing dry pasta into the Instant Pot, walking away, and coming back a few minutes later to a saucy, creamy, delicious pasta situation…well, I’m not sure you’ve really lived.
It’s an amazing feeling. And this recipe gives you exactly that. Layer everything in the Instant Pot (you don’t even want to stir until it’s done cooking) and you’re good to go.
Substitutions: Pasta, cream, tomatoes
Over the last few weeks, I’ve used ziti, penne, and rigatoni pasta in different batches – all have worked great! The larger pastas (like rigatoni) don’t hold their tube shape as well after cooking like penne pasta does, but we’re all so busy slurping up this creamy baked ziti goodness that we don’t care.
The red sauce is simply a can of crushed tomatoes (with some dried herbs sprinkled on top). No crushed tomatoes? No worries. I’ve subbed in a can of diced tomatoes blended up with 2 tablespoons tomato paste. And…it’s amazing.
I love how adaptable this recipe has been as I’ve tested and tested and tested it out.
The recipe calls for cream which I know will freak some of you out and have you looking for a lightened up sub immediately. Never fear! Check out the notes of the recipe below for some substitution ideas (that I actually tested and that actually worked).
I will say, though, using at least part cream (or all cream, go big or go home, right?) adds an amazing silky creaminess that is totally worth it.
How to figure out how long to cook pasta in the instant pot
Pasta cooks pretty darn fast in the Instant Pot. Most tube pastas will cook in 5 minutes or less.
But different brands of pasta may have slightly different cooking times listed on the package, and that may make a difference in how long you should cook it in the Instant Pot.
My rule of thumb for pressure cooker pasta is to take the al dente cooking time on the pasta package, cut it in half and subtract two minutes (thanks to Marci at Tidbits and Jill at This Old Gal for teaching me this tip!). So for a pasta that cooks to al dente in boiling water in 12 minutes, the Instant Pot cooking time would be 4 minutes.
A quick note about the burn warning
You might be worried about adding cream/milk to the Instant Pot because of the dreaded burn warning. I have an older model 6-quart Instant Pot and have never gotten the burn warning. But I’ve heard that the burn warning happens much more often with the newer Instant Pot models (the ones that have the button that reads “pressure cook” rather than “manual” to start high pressure cooking time).
Adding the broth to the Instant Pot as the first ingredient is important to avoid this burn warning so that the cream and pasta don’t scorch on the bottom of the pot. And as the recipe instructions state: don’t stir while adding ingredients; layer them in the order given in the recipe.
If you do get the burn warning, hit cancel, open the lid, and use a spoon or spatula to dig across the bottom of the pot in case an ingredient is stuck overcooking there.
My kids preference is to add ground beef or sausage to this dish but it’s equally delicious as a meatless meal, in my opinion.
To add meat, just cook the meat of your choice in the Instant Pot, drain the grease, and then start in on the recipe. Make sure after adding the broth that you scrape up the bottom of the pot to get up any golden spots from cooking the meat (and avoid the burn warning on the Instant Pot). Otherwise, you can just proceed with the recipe as normal. Mmmm, so good!
And for observant eyes, that easy, cheesy, no-knead focaccia bread recipe in the photos is coming soon, promise!
I honestly didn’t think I could love my Instant Pot any more than I do, but this baked ziti recipe has proven that all sorts of wrong. Made with so many of my already-stocked pantry staples, I wonder how many times I can serve this in a row without getting complaints?
What to Serve With This
One Year Ago: Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
Two Years Ago: Make-Ahead Refrigerator Bran Muffins
Three Years Ago: Chili Lime Tacos with Mango Salsa {Grill or Instant Pot}
Four Years Ago: Simple and Delicious Sour Cream Muffins
Five Years Ago: Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta with Broccoli
Amazing Instant Pot Creamy “Baked” Ziti
Ingredients
- 2 cups broth, I use low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups cream (see note)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta or other tube-shaped pasta
- 15- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- ½ to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 6-quart Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the broth and cream and add the salt, pepper and garlic.
- Add the pasta; don’t stir, but if it’s mounded in the center, arrange into an even layer. Pour the crushed tomatoes evenly over the pasta and sprinkle the oregano and basil over the top. Don’t stir.
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and select “manual” or “pressure cook” and dial up or down to the minutes needed –> take the cooking time on the pasta package directions, cut it in half and subtract two more minutes. So for pasta that cooks to al dente in 12 minutes, the IP cooking time would be 4 minutes (add an extra minute if you like your pasta super soft).
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and stir thoroughly (it's ok if there are some darker, cooked spots on the bottom of the pot/bottom layer of pasta). Serve the ziti immediately with chopped, fresh basil, and additional Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
I don’t have parmesan cheese. Has anyone made this with mozzarella cheese and if so did it taste okay?
This was AMAZING!!! So good. Turned out perfectly!
I want you to know this has been the most passed around recipe of the quarantine in my neck of the woods. Made it for the second time tonight and loved it even more than the first. I that found for us
sausage > ground beef, rigatoni > penne,
28 oz can crushed tomatoes >15 oz. and extra parm>less.
I had never cooked pasta in the IP. Thank you for giving me the confidence. And thank for delicious, 1 pot wonder!
Delicious! So creamy and easy. Who knew pasta in 3 minutes!! I don’t know if I’ll cook it any other way than the instapot now! I had pizza sauce to use up so I used 1 2/3 cup instead of the 15 oz. crushed tomato. Also added beef, sausage, mushrooms and mozzarella. Everything worked perfectly as stated in recipe and comments. Not too saucy. Will be a new go to recipe for sure.
My son has been asking for this again. It was super yummy when we made it with the cream and I was a little nervous to make it without the cream (we only had 1/4 c.), but it turned out great! I used 2% milk + 2 tbsp. cornstarch and it was yummy and creamy (maybe even creamier than last time with full cream). We also stirred in spinach right before serving, which was awesome.
Delicious! I made it on the stovetop as I don’t have an instapot and it was perfect. I followed the recipe and let it cook covered on the stove for 15 or so minutes and stirred half way through. I did add a little more broth near the end. You just need to monitor it. I added 1/2 cup shredded parmesan at the end. Yum!
Can you tell me what temp you cooked it on on the stovetop?
Such a yummy recipe! Very flavorful. Love it!! We fight over the leftovers.
I could honestly eat this every night. It’s one of my go-to meals on nights when I don’t have time to mess with dinner. To make it even faster, I sometimes just dump my favorite spaghetti sauce on top rather than mess with the canned tomato and spices. So versatile and SO good. Excellent as leftovers too.
Great recipe, definitely 5 stars!! My kids love this and it’s now a part of our regular rotation. Do you have any more “dump and go” instant pot recipes? Thanks so much!
I’m working on a few more!
Super easy! I do it as a vegan meal. I mix almond milk with the corn starch and sprinkle vegan mozzarella cheese on it. I do add two cans of crushed tomatoes. Great meal!
Made this in my new instant pot. It was the first pasta recipe I tried, used what I had on hand- whole wheat rotini and did 1/2 whipping cream, 1/2 milk + cornstarch. I doubled the recipe, browned minced turkey & bulk sausage using sautee function then removed it from the pot, proceded with the recipe as written, and when it was done stirred in the meat and cheese. Came out great! Thanks again, Mel, for a delish meal especially in the Instant Pot.
Oh my goodness I just made this. It is DIVINE! I am drooling over it. I can’t believe the amazing flavor! And it was sooooo easy to make. The noodles were cooked to perfection and that creamy sauce is just heaven. Wow. Thank you for this amazing recipe!!!
Can you double keep this recipe? Would you cook for same time or up the time due to the addition of extra pasta?
As long as it fits safely in your pressure cooker, it should be fine (no need to adjust cooking time).
I’m so sad! I had high hopes but my IP kept giving the “Burn” notice. I followed the directions for layering the ingredients exactly without stirring. When the “burn” message popped up I hit cancel and stirred as directed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Hi Jill – what make and model of IP do you have? I have an older IP and unfortunately I’ve heard that newer IPs get the burn notice quite a bit more often.
This happened to me also. I decided to add meat to this recipe so I browned Italian sausage, then scraped the pan and put the meat back on the bottom. Then I layered just as she instructed and DID NOT STIR and it’s been perfect every time. I think as long as the pasta or cream aren’t on the bottom layer you don’t get the burn warning.
The first time I made this I forgot to add my sausage back to the pot! So I added it on top. It worked out great with no burning issues so I actually make it this way every time now! I have a brand new IP
Thanks for the tip, Bri!
I am a new Instant Pot user and love that your recipe was so easy to follow. I was feeling confident (and lucky) so I experimented with a few of your suggested substitutions. I used ground turkey instead of beef then I substituted the full 2 cups of cream with 2 cups of unsweetened cashew milk and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This was my first time cooking pasta in the IP and I was so pleasantly surprised to open the lid and find perfectly cooked pasta- and it was delicious too. It’s a keeper! Thank you!
Can you double keep this recipe? Would you cook for same time or up the time due to the addition of extra pasta?
This was so amazing. Followed the recipe exactly as it was written. Worked out perfect. My husband and son loved it. This is a keeper.
I made this as written but it turned out a bit overdone. Next time i’ll adjust the time accordingly. The kids loved it so i am very happy. Thanks.
Has anyone tried this with almond milk instead of cream and no cheese to make it dairy free? Or use nutritional
Yeast for cheese?
I made this last night with unsweetened cashew milk mixed with cornstarch and it was great! I typically use cashew milk instead of almond milk for milk substitutions because cashew milk is a little thicker, and in my opinion, closer to the consistency of dairy milk.
Wow. This was so incredibly easy and delicious! This was the first instant pot meal I’ve ever cooked. I put off buying one forever because I didn’t want to learn how to use a new appliance. Now I can’t believe I’ve been living all this time without one! I didn’t have high expectations for this meal, given the simple ingredient list and the fact that I have absolutely no experience with the instant pot, but our whole family was blown away by how good this pasta was. I’m soooo excited about my instant pot now, and can’t wait to try several of your other recipes with it! Thanks for the great recipe and clear instructions!!
This is one of my family’s absolute favorites! This is so easy to make when you’re in a rush and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.
Simple & Delicious!! Everyone loved it!
Mel, I love everything you post and your recipes have made my life so much easier and tastier!
I jumped on the Instantpot bandwagon early on, but I’m going to be honest, I haven’t loved it. This recipe has changed my opinion! It is perfection! I sent it to everyone I know. I added some red pepper flakes, sausage and fresh mozzarella! Everyone raved about this recipe! It could not have been easier and more delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your gift of cooking with all of us!
It was AMAZING
I’ve made this several times, it is my go-to weekday meal that everyone likes, including our picky toddler!
Made this at work for a potluck. Super east and really good. I was a little skeptical since there wasn’t much cheese but the flavor was awesome without all the cheese.
Everyone loved it!
Hi! I had this meal last week (made by a friend) and it was so delicious. I made it tonight, following the exact recipe, but mine did not turn out creamy. The noodles were hardly coated. I’m not sure what I did wrong. Any thoughts?
If you used a different brand of pasta by your friend, that could be it? It’s hard for me to know exactly without being there in your kitchen with you. It might help to verify that you used the same ingredients as your friend and try again!
We love this recipe! My husband and I are in our 30s, big runners, no kids but have hectic full time jobs. After a long day of work, and running after work, we are constantly asking “now, what’s for dinner?” This one is so easy with little cleanup and somewhat healthy! I don’t use cream. We always have fat free half n half in the refrigerator … so I use two cups chicken broth, one tablespoon cornstarch, one 16 oz box of pasta, one can of crushed tomatoes (if I have a 24 oz can, I’ve added almost the whole thing leaving a half inch and it’s yum!), 2 cups fat free half n half… and the rest as it calls for. Quick, easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand!
For optional sausage method, after you drain the grease do you just leave the sausage in amd start adding other ingredients or take out and return it later in the recipe? Making it now.
You can do either – I like to leave the meat in with everything else.
Do you add the drained meat back in later as a layer or just floating in with the broth and cream?
We love this recipe! I’d like to make it for company this weekend, but how do I double it in the Instant Pot? I’m assuming I’d need to change the cooking time?
As long as the quantities fit in the IP ok you should be fine using the same cooking time (maybe add 1 minute but that’s it)
I made a double recipe in a 14″ deep cast iron dutch oven while camping. Ours took a full hour to cook. I checked it and stirred at 30 mins and then cooked another 30 mins, then added the cheese. I was cautious with the amount of heat to avoid burning. It was delicious! Since your environment and pasta type may vary, it’s good to check as you go. Next time I would add more heat at the start of cooking to hopefully cut the time. Thanks for a great recipe Mel!
I have made this recipe so many times and LOVE it. So much so I was planning to make this for a family reunion and I have all the ingredients…. And I forgot my Instant Pot at home. What do I do? Is there a way to make it in the oven? Definitely won’t take 5 minutes…
A lot of people have made it with good success on the stovetop.
Mel! I am planning on bringing this tonight to a friend who had surgery. Do you think this would be difficult or not good to transport??? I just want to make sure its good and not dry by the time it gets to her! If you can get back to me I’d really appreciate it! Thank you so much!
Sorry for the delay, Lindy! I think if you piled it in a dish and transported it within 20 minutes, it should be fine!
I made this and it was wonderful, but turned out quite soupy for me! What did I do wrong??? I had to convert oz of pasta to grams, maybe I didn’t put enough in??
Sounds like that could definitely be part of the issue! Also each brand of pasta may differ a little too.
My cream or milk always curdles. I follow the instructions exactly. Any tips?
Does it still have a curdled texture when everything is stirred together?
I have made this twice. The first time it turned out creamy and smooth – so yummy. The second time the half-n-half curdled. It didn’t stir together smoothly., or coat the noodles. There were little clumps of curdled milk throughout. Mel, if you have any tips on how to keep the cream from curdling, I’d love to hear them. Thanks!
One more thought – the first time I made it with full cream, The second time I made it with half-n-half. I wonder if that made a difference?
Yes that probably is the difference. When I make this with cream it’s pretty smooth but when I make it with milk, it is still yummy but a tiny bit grainy. You could try mixing the half and half with a bit of cornstarch (that’s what I do when I use milk)…that might help.
I made it with half-half tonight and got the little curdling. My boys gobbled it up but next time I’m going to try the full cream.
I have made this so many times since you have posted it. Sometimes meatless, sometimes with sausage, sometimes with ground beef. All your recipes are wonderful but this one has saved my pregnant self so many times, the other kiddos still have to eat!
Best. Pasta. Ever
LOVE this one!! Such an easy, quick, one-pot-dump-it-all-in miracle. Definitely a crowd pleaser. I loved it with spicy Jimmy Dean sausage. I was so so impressed when I opened up the lid to perfect, delicious pasta. Like magic. Also, the math trick for cooking time worked great!!!
I too have made this many times & last night I accidentally used chili ready crushed tomatoes, turned out to be a happy accident! Once the can was opened (and dumped) I noticed so I left out the basil and oregano. Turned out great! Thanks Mel!!
Okay, I have to say, since I first made this pasta on the very day Mel first posted it in April, I’m sure I’ve made it at least 6-8 times. My family LOVES it! It’s so easy and turns out great with each variation or substitution that I do! Just last night, I had a horde of teenagers to feed, and figured this (doubled recipe) would be perfect. We had just gotten back from vacation, and I hadn’t gone grocery shopping in a couple weeks, so I had to make do with what was already in my kitchen: I substituted ALL of the cream with the milk + cornstarch tip, ziti with half penne and half macaroni, crushed tomatoes with whole tomatoes run through the blender, Parmesan cheese with Monterey Jack, and added some pre-cooked ground beef at the end. Plus, I even got the “Burn” warning for the first time on my InstantPot, but I didn’t do anything about it. With all those deviations from the original recipe, it STILL turned out amazing! I was able to feed eight teenagers, and they all went back for seconds or thirds. . .AND asked to take leftovers home. This recipe is a game-changer!
Delicious and super easy! I followed your instructions pretty closely, but I used diced tomatoes, stirred it all together- accidentally, and added spinich on top. Cooked perfectly at 5 min.
If I double this, will I need to increase the cooking time?
No
I have made this recipe three times already, and we love it, especially with Hot Italian Sausage! I pulled my 13 yr. old daughter into the kitchen last night to show her how to make it. Next time, I’m turning the InstaPot controls over to her! It was because of this recipe my husband and I decided to get our other kids who have are no longer living at home InstaPots for Christmas this year. I can’t wait to share this recipe with them!
yes! yes! YES! my new favorite go to IP dinner. thanks for the easy easy, tasty recipe!!!
This is FANTASTIC and so easy!!! Thanks Mel!!
This was very good. We used super lean ground beef but next time will try Italian sausage. I will also add more cheese, maybe a cup or two of mozzarella.
Hi,
What kind of cream do you use? Is it heavy cream, whipping cream?
Thanks!!
I use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
Thank you!!
This was simple to make and worked perfectly! Everyone in my family loved it. Thank you for this yummy recipe.
Just have to say I LOVE this recipe! Followed the recipe, did cook 1 lb. of italian sausage to start with in the IP. My Creamette brand penne rigate called for 5 minute al dente cook time. So I set IP to manual high pressure 2 minutes. It came out great. Leftovers reheat super well!!
I’ve made this twice now and we really like it. Kids devoured it! Both times with whole wheat penne, and this second time I added in another 15oz can of tomatoes and a little extra broth (as another reader mentioned) and this made it a more perfect amount of creamy sauce for me. The first time was a but dry for my taste. Also, did the half cream, half milk but completely forgot to mix in the cornstarch the second time we made it and it seemed just fine. Thanks for a great, easy recipe!
One of the comments mentioned using spaghetti sauce to make it a little less dry. I used a roasted garlic spaghetti sauce. The result was very bitter. With research, I found that over cooked garlic can turn bitter. But the noodles cooked up amazing in the insta pot!!!
We have a BIG track meet tomorrow and are currently carb loading. This recipe is fantastic. I was really skeptical about cooking pasta in the Instant Pot, I have done it before with less than stellar results. The pasta was perfectly cooked and delicious!
Mel! This was FANTASTIC! This was my first time attempting pasta in the Instant Pot. Your directions worked brilliantly, even with gluten free pasta. The flavor was lovely – I would just add a little extra salt next time. Delicious!
Do you have instructions to make this if you don’t have an instapot?
Just kidding. Found it in the comments
Ridiculously easy and quick and tasty. A winner. We will keep this in our weeknight rotation, especially with spring sports still going. Thank you!
Made this with low sodium organic chicken stock and it was very bland so I had to add a bunch of extra salt. Other than that it was creamy and yummy!
I bought half and half to use for this recipe because I could only find heavy cream at the store and wasn’t sure if that would be too “heavy” for this. Can I use all half and half in place of the cream? Thank you!
You could definitely try! I haven’t tried it, but I think someone else in the comments did with good results.