Meaty Cheesy Instant Pot Ziti
Hello! Monday was crazy! I baked and blogged all morning so when it was time to fix dinner I wanted to do anything I could to make it quick and easy. Of course I grabbed my Instant Pot. It’s always a time saver.
This recipe can be adapted to your preferences. You could use different meat, different vegetables and you can even cook it differently. What does that mean?? Let me explain.
I started by browning my meat on the stove in a large cast iron skillet. You can brown it in the Instant Pot on the saute setting. I just did it on the stove because it was a lot of meat and spreading it out in the cast iron skillet seemed like it would make this part go faster. I also wanted to be able to scoop the meat out of the skillet and into the pot while leaving behind any grease. I use 93% lean ground beef. If you use anything less than 96% your likely to have a little grease.
This turned out amazingly well. One thing I really love about using the Instant Pot is the way it really locks in flavor. This was packed with flavor. So much deliciousness in one pot!
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 1/2 – 2 lbs ground beef
1 lb sausage
1 medium onion (diced)
1 small red bell pepper (diced)
1 small green bell pepper (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
4 oz cream cheese (cubed)
1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
1 cup Italian blend cheese
1 cup parmesan (grated)
16 oz ziti (uncooked)
3 TBSP oregano
1 tsp McCormick Italian Seasoning
1 tsp McCormick California Style Garlic Powder
2 tsp McCormick California Style Garlic Pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
Ok. Let’s do this!
Start by browning ground beef and sausage together in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat, or in the Instant Pot set to saute.
When meat is beginning to brown, add minced garlic, onions and peppers.
Season meat mixture with oregano, garlic pepper, salt and red pepper flakes.
When meat is no longer pink, add mixture to your Instant Pot. If you browned it in the Instant Pot, turn off.
Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
Place uncooked pasta on top of meat mixture.
Place cubes of cream cheese on top of pasta.
Pour spaghetti sauce over pasta and cream cheese. Add garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Those are the seasonings I normally add to jarred sauce. Use whatever seasonings you desire.
Do not stir to combine anything! You should have layers. Meat mixture, pasta, cream cheese and sauce.
Close the Instant Pot lid and set valve to sealing.
Cook on manual or high pressure for 5 minutes.
Allow a natural release for 1 minute, then do a quick release in short bursts. This helps prevent a mess from the pasta water.
Open the lid and add the cheeses. Stir to combine until cheese melts.
Now serve this up and enjoy. Maybe make a salad and garlic bread to go with it. It is so delicious and satisfying!
You can follow me on Facebook @This Country Girl’s Life and on Instagram @thiscountrygrl. I’m also on Pinterest @This Country Girl’s Life.
Thanks for stopping by!
Meaty Cheesy Instant Pot Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 – 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb sausage
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
- 4 oz cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1 cup Italian blend cheese
- 1 cup parmesan grated
- 16 oz ziti uncooked
- 3 TBSP oregano
- 1 tsp McCormick Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp McCormick California Style Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp McCormick California Style Garlic Pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups beef broth
Instructions
- Start by browning ground beef and sausage together in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat, or in the Instant Pot set to saute.
- When meat is beginning to brown, add minced garlic, onions and peppers.
- Season meat mixture with oregano, garlic pepper, salt and red pepper flakes.
- When meat is no longer pink, add mixture to your Instant Pot. If you browned it in the Instant Pot, turn off.
- Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
- Place uncooked pasta on top of meat mixture.
- Place cubes of cream cheese on top of pasta.
- Pour spaghetti sauce over pasta and cream cheese. Add garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
- Do not stir to combine anything! You should have layers. Meat mixture, pasta, cream cheese and sauce.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set valve to sealing.
- Cook on manual or high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Allow a natural release for 1 minute, then do a quick release in short bursts.
- Open the lid and add the cheeses. Stir to combine until cheese melts.