A healthy vegetarian lasagna with lots of fresh spinach, artichokes and cheese layered between noodles. Step out of your comfort zone and try this delicious pressure cooked lasagna in the instant pot!
I am sure you never thought you could make lasagna in the Instant Pot! You will not believe how easy and incredible the lasagna turns out in the instant pot.
Typically making lasagna is too much work. Cook the filling, then layer and then cook again. With this vegetarian lasagna, I used no-boil noodles and the filling of spinach and artichokes that doesn't need cooking. So we could have a wonderful lasagna with hardly 10 minutes of prep. Now who wouldn't love that?
This will be your new favorite dish, if you like spinach artichoke dip and lasagna. It is an amazing combination! My husband who is a vegetarian is always disappointed that most restaurants don't serve vegetarian lasagna, but now he can enjoy this delicious lasagna any day.
Although he has not always been a fan of Artichokes, I like to sneak them into our meals. And guess what? He actually loved them in this lasagna!
Let's look at the process to make vegetarian lasagna in the Instant Pot and oven. I have included step by step images below to make it easy for you to follow along.
How to make?
Gather the ingredients
Let's gather all the ingredients and make the spinach, artichoke and cheese filling. I used a store-bought pasta sauce (marinara) and no boil lasagna noodles. To avoid having to cook the filling, I used onion and garlic powder, along with oregano and seasoning. I used freshly chopped spinach and marinated artichoke hearts. These artichokes are so versatile and easy to use.
Prepare the filling
We will first mix all the cheeses - ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan. Then, add in the onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, chopped spinach and mix it well with the cheese. Now cut the artichokes into small pieces and mix them in. I like to add some red chili flakes to the filling, however they are optional. That is all...the filling is ready!
Layer the Lasagna
I use the Fat Diddio 6"x3" baking pan with a removable bottom, so it is easy to remove the lasagna after it is cooked. A springform pan works too. You can also fit a 7"x3" pan in a 6qt Instant Pot. Grease the pan with cooking spray.
If you are making in the oven, then just layer the noodles in a rectangular pan.
Now start layering the lasagna noodles. Unfortunately all the lasagna noodles you can buy are shaped for rectangle or square pans. However we are using a circular baking pan, so try to fit them as best by breaking on the sides. There is no exact science here, just try to cover the base. Once they cook, they will all stick together.
Now spread some pasta sauce over the noodles. Then layer half of the spinach and artichoke cheese filling over the lasagna noodles.
Then the pasta sauce again and another layer of lasagna noodles.
Now spread the remaining spinach and artichoke cheese filling. Then add another layer of pasta sauce.
Add the final layer of lasagna noodles and spread pasta sauce on them. Then spread grated mozzarella - you can add as much or as little as you like.
Instant Pot Method
Now cover the baking pan with an aluminum foil. This is to avoid any condensation getting into the lasagna.
Add water to the Instant Pot insert, place a trivet with handles and then the covered baking pan. If you don't have a trivet with handles, then make a sling with aluminum foil (check out Orange Semolina Cake recipe where I make a sling).
Close the Instant Pot and cook for 25 minutes at high pressure, followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release. After that time, carefully take out the trivet with the baking pan (use mitts).
Ta da...delicious Spinach Artichoke Lasagna is ready!
Remove the foil, making sure that liquid does not drip into the lasagna. Lasagna loses some water due to the marinara sauce. Let it sit for a couple of mins in the baking pan, and it will cool down. Then take it out of the baking pan. My preferred way is to keep the pan on top of a can, then slide it out.
At this point, if you like you can broil the lasagna for 5 minutes to brown the top cheesy layer in the oven or using the Mealthy Crisplid with your pressure cooker. If you are new to the Crisplid, check out my detailed review here. It is certainly an optional step.
Doesn't it look gorgeous? It tasted even better. And we devoured it.
We all enjoyed the "healthy" lasagna. Yes, we got some veggies in along with the noodles, so I call it healthy 😉 And the marinated artichokes were perfect for this lasagna. This is the only way my husband would enjoy them, maybe in a Spinach Artichoke dip too. I love artichokes in salads, pasta or taco's. They are so versatile.
Oven Method
Follow the same steps to assemble the lasagna. You can also use a square pan for the oven, and not have to break and fit in the lasagna noodles.
Preheat oven to 350ºF and bake covered for 40 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool down before cutting the lasagna.
I hope you will enjoy this delicious lasagna. We would love to hear from you. Leave a comment or share your creation with hashtags #pipingpotcurry #StepOutOfYourComfortFood on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and others can enjoy it too! Thank you ♥
Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
Ingredients
Spinach Artichoke Filling
- 1 cup Ricotta
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan grated
- 3 cups Spinach chopped
- 1 can Marinated Artichoke Hearts 14 oz, drained and chopped
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Flakes adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
Layering Lasagna
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil to grease cake pan
- 9 No-boil oven ready lasagna sheets
- ¾ cup Pasta Sauce
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese shredded, to top at end
Instructions
Prepare the cheese filling
- Mix ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan in a large bowl. Then add in the onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, chopped spinach and mix it well with the cheese. Now mix in the chopped marinated artichokes hearts.
Layer the Lasagna
- Grease a 6"x3" push pan with oil. Make a layer of the no-boil noodles by breaking them and fitting them to cover the bottom of the pan. (7"x3" baking pan will work too)
- Spread 2-3 tablespoons of pasta sauce evenly over the noodles. Then layer the half of the spinach artichoke cheese filling on it. Add another layer of pasta sauce.
- Add another layer of the no-boil noodles, breaking and fitting them around the pan. Add the rest of the spinach artichoke cheese filling on it. Add another layer of pasta sauce.
- Now the final layer of no-boil noodles and pasta sauce over it. Spread the shredded mozzarella for the cheesy top of the lasagna. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil (try to not touch the shredded cheese on top).
Instant Pot Method
- Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot insert and place a trivet with handles (or place a long foil sling). Put the covered baking pan on the trivet. Close Instant Pot with vent in sealing position.
- Cook on Manual or Pressure Cook mode at high pressure for 25 mins. When the instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then quick release the pressure manually.
- Open the Instant Pot and carefully take out the lasagna pan. Remove the foil, making sure that liquid does not drip into the lasagna. Let it sit for about 5-7 minutes in the baking pan, and it will cool down a bit.
- (optional) Place the baking pan in the oven under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the cheese on the top has browned.
Oven Method
- Follow the same steps to assemble the lasagna. You can also use a square pan for the oven, and not have to break and fit in the lasagna noodles.Preheat oven to 350ºF and bake covered for 40 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool down before cutting the lasagna.
- Take the lasagna out of the baking pan. Spinach Artichoke Lasagna is ready to be enjoyed.
Notes
- To take the lasagna out of the push pan, place the pan on a can of soup (or another food) on a plate. Then carefully push the sides of the pan straight down. Wear mitts as the pan and lasagna will be very hot. Then slide out of the base plate using a spatula and transfer to a serving plate.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Martha Stoodley says
We served your Instant Pot Lasagne to guest last night for dinner and wow was everyone impressed with the presentation and the depth of flavor. Thanks for another winner!
Meeta Arora says
Hi Martha - So happy to hear you all enjoyed the lasagna. Thank you for sharing back!
Anne says
This was delicious! Thank you for sharing! I find the flavors to have more complexity and to be more interesting than meat lasagna. My husband, who is not a big fan of artichokes, did not mind them mixed with the rest.
Kio says
Just a little bit curious about the difference health wise between this and a regular lasagna. I'm not a vegitarian so there isn't a need, but I'm curious if replacing the meat with additional cheese, or what have you, is any healthier than the original recipe.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Kio - In my perspective, this lasagna is completely different in taste than a meat lasagna. So not sure if healthier or not compared to traditional lasagna, but a tasty different one which even meat eaters could enjoy 🙂
Andy says
Five minutes of prep time. Heh. I've made this quite a few times and it's delicious, but the prep time is misleading even if you use pre-shredded cheese. Chopping the spinach and artichokes, mixing the filling and assembling the lasagna takes a lot longer than five minutes. Also, I recommend letting it rest for at least an hour before taking it out of the pan.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Andy - Thank you for the feedback. Not sure why that was so low. I agree that it does make more prep time. I have updated the prep time. Glad you enjoy the lasagna!
Salena says
Hi. I made this this evening. It’s really good! However my lasagna slid apart and as I took it out of the Daddio pan. It wasn’t pretty at all. Am I supposed to let it cool before removing from the pan? This is my first time ever making lasagna in the instant pot. Thank you!
Meeta Arora says
Hey Salena - Glad that you liked the lasagna. I agree that letting it cool a bit will help for it to not slide apart. I will mention in the recipe as well. Thank you for sharing back your feedback!
Erica says
This sounds great. I'd like to make one vegetarian and one with ground turkey for a party I'm hosting. How would I adjust the cooking time for the ground turkey? Or should I just pre-cooked the turkey and use the same time? Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Meeta Arora says
Hi Erica - I have not tried lasagna with ground turkey, however I see a couple of lasagna recipes with ground turkey and they use uncooked ground turkey. About 30 minutes of cooking time would work based on the recipes. Hope you enjoy it!
Erica says
Thanks for the quick response! I'll be giving it a try this weekend; if it fails, at least I'll still have the veggie one. 🙂
Erica says
So, I ended up just making one with Beyond Meat Sausage (a plant based "sausage"), I had to add the extra step of browning the slices, but the end result was fantastic (and still vegetarian)! I also put sliced eggplant in place of the middle layer of noodles to cut some carbs, and I used low fat ricotta and low fat mozzarella, and I can definitively say that this is going in my top 3 instant pot recipes! Thanks, Meeta!!!
Meeta Arora says
Yay! Thanks for sharing the details of the changes you made. Love the idea of adding eggplant to reduce some carbs.
Pratima says
Very delicious
Pallavi Kothari says
Hello Meetaji!
This recipe sounds DELICIOUS, and I plan to make it just before/ after Christmas while my whole family is still here ?. I do have an IP, but it will be
“ busy” making some of your other recipes LOL!
So I’d like to make the lasagna in the oven. What size pan would you recommend? Thank you for your creative recipes, and Happy Holidays?
Meeta Arora says
Hey Pallavi - If you are making this for the whole family, feel free to double the recipe. I used a 6"x3" round pan for this, but go for a rectangular pan in the oven so it is easier to line the lasagna noodles. Hope you all enjoy it and Happy Holidays!
Pallavi Kothari says
Thank you! It worked out very well:)
I didn’t get a chance to respond sooner. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season as well!
Tami says
Hello! I so enjoy your recipes!
Do you think it would work to line the instant pot with foil or parchment paper and build the lasagna in the actual pot? I do not have a diddio and my cupboards are full. : ) Or how about just making it in the pot and spooning it out, despite the depth? If so, would the time change?
Thank you!
Meeta Arora says
Hello Tami - Thank you for trying my recipes. Unfortunately I have not tried Lasagna in the main steel insert and am not sure how it would do when in direct contact with heat. If you have any steel container or an oven safe pyrex dish that fits in the pot, that would work.