Instant Pot baked ziti
All the saucy, cheesy comfort of baked ziti made in one pot in half an hour, with creamy spoonfuls of ricotta melting into every scoop.
- 30 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 6
- About $1.60 a serving
- 560 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 1 lb ziti
- 1 jar marinara sauce, 24 oz
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup grated parmesan
From your pantry
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Each serving has about 560 calories, 28 g protein, 70 g carbs and 18 g fat, and costs about $1.60 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No ricotta cheese? Cottage cheese works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Put the water, salt and ziti in the Instant Pot, stir, and press the pasta down so it’s mostly under the water.
Pour the marinara over the top and sprinkle on the Italian seasoning. Don’t stir.
Dolly’s tip: Sauce on top, water underneath. Stirring now is what sets off the burn warning.Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes.
Timer: 6 min
Dolly’s tip: It takes about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the countdown starts. That’s normal.When it beeps, carefully turn the valve to Venting with a long spoon, keeping your hand and face away from the steam.
Stir well. If it looks soupy, press and let it bubble 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, then press Cancel.
Sauté. Sautéing means cooking cut-up food in a little oil or butter over medium to medium-high heat, stirring now and then. It cooks things quickly and browns them lightly without burning.
How you’ll know: You hear a steady, lively sizzle, not a hiss and spit, and the edges start to soften and color.
Timer: 1 min 30 sec
Drop spoonfuls of ricotta over the top, scatter on the mozzarella and parmesan, and set the lid back on without locking it for 5 minutes, until .
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 5 min
Scoop into bowls, getting a little ricotta in each one.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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30-minute dinners ›One-pan dinners ›What to make with parmesan and shredded mozzarella ›What to make with parmesan and ricotta cheese ›What to make with ricotta cheese and shredded mozzarella ›