YIELD: Serves 6 to 8 | PREP TIME: 10 minutes | COOK TIME: 45 minutes
The best comfort food in history! Easy to make, cheesy, made from scratch lasagna with layers of flavorful meat sauce, cheese mixture, and pasta noodles. Perfect for everyone and with a bottle of wine for date night.
INGREDIENTS
1 small yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
10 oz dried lasagna noodles (about 11)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 (24 to 25 oz) jar marinara sauce
3 c water, divided
1 c whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Set a 6-quart or large Instant Pot or pressure cooker in sauteing.
Step 2: Dice a small yellow onion, mince 3 garlic cloves and break to around thirds the 10 oz lasagna noodles. Set aside.
Step 3: Into the Instant Pot, add and heat 2 tbsp olive oil.
Step 4: Once the oil is shimmering, add the ground beef. Cook for about 4 minutes until brown. Use a wooden spoon to break the beef. Cook for another 6 minutes until brown and cooked through.
Step 5: Saute the onion and garlic for about 4 to 5 minutes until softened. At the last minute, add in 2 tbsp tomato paste, a tbsp dried Italian seasoning, half to a teaspoon red pepper flakes, a tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper. Continue to cook for a minute more or until the tomato paste has darkened.
Step 6: Then, add in a jar of marinara sauce, pour in 2 cups of water, the rest of the kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 7: In various sections, layer the broken noodles over the sauce. Press them down until the noodles are barely submerged.
Step 8: Pour in the rest of the water and gently stir until combined. Ensure that the noodles are covered with a bit of liquid.
Step 9: Cover and seal the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes on high.
Step 10: While waiting for the pressure to come up (about 12 minutes), mix a cup of ricotta cheese with half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl. Tatter 4 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese and roughly chop 2 tbsp parsley leaves.
Step 11: When done, naturally release the pressure for about 10 minutes and “quick” release the rest of the pressure.
Step 12: On top of the lasagna drop a dollop of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle over the mozzarella.
Step 13: Cover and allow the cheese to melt for about 10 minutes.
Step 14: Before serving, garnish with parsley. Enjoy!
NOTE:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts:
Per serving, based on 8 servings (% daily value): Calories566 | Fat32.2 g (49.5%) | Saturated13.5 g (67.4%) | Carbs37.0 g (12.3%) | Fiber3.2 g (13.0%) | Sugars6.9 g | Protein30.7 g (61.5%) | Sodium859.0 mg (35.8%)