Grandma's Divine Italian Lasagna

Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. You catch that scent of tomatoes and garlic mingling in the air. It's like a comfy hug from the kitchen itself.

Pressure starts building and you notice the float valve pop up, signaling that things inside are cooking just right. That sealing ring is doing its job, keeping everything locked in tight.

You sense the kitchen filling with warmth and the knowledge that this lasagna is gonna be tender to the pull. You can't wait to get a slice on your plate.

Why Your Cooker Beats Every Other Pot

• Locks in flavors with tight sealing ring so nothing escapes - just pure yum.
• Pressure build cooks things way faster than normal pots.
• Quick release helps you cool down the cooker fast without waiting forever.
• Float valve tells you when pressure has built so you know what's going on.
• Even heat all around means no hot spots or burnt edges.
• Less cleanup since you do everything in one pot.
• Makes those long recipe times a whole lot shorter - dang it's handy.

What Goes Into the Pot Today

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

These ingredients bring together the classic flavors you recall from Grandma Manning's kitchen. The ground beef and Italian sausage team up for a hearty sauce. You'll soften up the onion and garlic first, then add crushed tomatoes for that rich tomato vibe.

Don't forget the fresh basil and dried oregano to keep the aroma just right. The noodles and cheeses get layered in later to finish this dish with creamy and melty goodness.

Walking Through Every Single Move

1. Heat olive oil in your pressure cooker on the sauté setting. Toss in chopped onion and minced garlic, cook until softened and aromatic, about 3 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and Italian sausage. Break it up with a spoon while cooking until browned all over.
3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix real good to combine everything.
4. Close the lid, make sure that sealing ring's snug and the valve set to sealing. Pressure build until float valve pops up.
5. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Then do a quick release to safely drop the pressure and open the lid.
6. While the sauce cooks, boil lasagna noodles in a separate pot till tender, drain and set aside. Mix ricotta cheese and egg in a bowl till smooth.
7. Layer your baking dish: spread a thin layer of meat sauce first, then 4 noodles, one-third of ricotta mix, meat sauce again, and mozzarella cheese. Repeat this twice more. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover with foil, then bake in preheated oven at 3756F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more till bubbly and golden. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Smart Shortcuts for Busy Days

• Use no-boil lasagna noodles to skip that step and save time.
• Grab pre-chopped onions and minced garlic from the store for less prep.
• Make sauce a day ahead in your pressure cooker, then just layer and bake later.
• Swap fresh basil for dried if you don't have fresh on hand1 still works real good.

When You Finally Get to Eat

The cheese melts together in gooey, golden layers with that meaty sauce bubbling underneath. Every bite fills your mouth with warm, cozy flavors that bring back memories of family dinners.

The noodles offer that tender pull that just sings comfort with each forkful. You feel the softness and the way the sauce sticks just right.

This lasagna hits all the right spots when you're hungry and craving a meal that's both filling and downright heartwarming. You can kinda taste the love in each slice.

Making It Last All Week Long

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze individual portions wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil for longer keeping.
• Reheat in the oven at 3506F covered with foil to prevent drying out.
• Or zap in the microwave covered loosely, stirring halfway to warm evenly.

When you gotta stretch that lasagna across several meals, these storage tips help keep it tasting fresh and delicious without losing that homemade feel.

The FAQ Section You Actually Need

• Can I use pre-cooked sausage? Yea, that works. Just add it after saute9ing onion and garlic so it warms through without drying out.
• What if my float valve doesn't pop up? Sometimes that happens if the cooker isn't sealed right. Double check your sealing ring and make sure the lid's locked tight.
• Can I skip the oven baking? You can try finishing the lasagna in the pressure cooker using the saute9 mode but the top won't get as golden and bubbly.
• How do I do a quick release safely? Always use a long utensil or towel to move the float valve away from you so steam doesn't burn your hand.
• Can I freeze the finished lasagna? Yep, freeze in portions and thaw overnight for easy meals later.
• What's the tender pull mean exactly? That's the perfect feel of noodles when they're soft but still hold together, not mushy or dry.

Grandma Manning’s Lasagna Pressure Cooker Recipe

This pressure cooker lasagna brings together classic Italian comfort flavors with efficient modern cooking. Layers of sausage, beef, tomatoes, and cheeses meld perfectly for a rich, cozy dish with minimal fuss.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 480 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pressure cooker with sauté function
• 1 Baking dish 9x13-inch

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 6 ounce cans tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in your pressure cooker on the sauté setting. Toss in chopped onion and minced garlic, cook until softened and aromatic, about 3 minutes.
• Add ground beef and Italian sausage. Break it up with a spoon while cooking until browned all over.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix real good to combine everything.
• Close the lid, make sure that sealing ring’s snug and the valve set to sealing. Pressure build until float valve pops up.
• Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Then do a quick release to safely drop the pressure and open the lid.
• While the sauce cooks, boil lasagna noodles in a separate pot till tender, drain and set aside. Mix ricotta cheese and egg in a bowl till smooth.
• Layer your baking dish: spread a thin layer of meat sauce first, then 4 noodles, one-third of ricotta mix, meat sauce again, and mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat this twice more. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Cover with foil, then bake in preheated oven at 375°F for 25 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more till bubbly and golden.
• Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use no-boil noodles to save time. Store leftovers in fridge or freeze for later.