Try Gluten free Lasagna noodles for a change up.
These recipes can also be assembled in a cassarole dish and baked in the oven. 350° For 30 min. Remove, uncover and cover in cheese, return to the oven 10-15 min until cheese is brown and bubbly.
Makes enough for an 8 1/2” spring form pan, which fits in the 8 q IP. You will have some leftover if using the 6q IP and 7 1/4” pan.
The most tedious part is breaking the noodles to fit. When doing so, turn pan to fit the next layer so that they alter and hold together when cutting.
Make sure to use your good judgement on the sauce and cheese…more cheese will mean a bit thicker filling. If you think that it may end up too thin, use less sauce or just stick a couple noodles on the sides to soak it up..☺️ In fact Tip….if ANY time you make lasagna and it seem that it’s going to be too thin, just tuck dry noodles in between the pan side and filling or even bread works to soak the extra liquid up.
Sauce can be used for Lasagna, spaghetti, or spaghetti squash.
2 c At least …Mozzarella cheese, grated (I buy a big Costco bag and just put about 1/2″ thick because it squishes down with next layers) or two regular bags from the grocery.
1 pkg of No Boil lasagna noodles
1 c of Parmesan cheese to Use 2 Tbsp per layer
*Optional: Sometimes I make an extra filling of egual amounts of 1/2 c Cottage Cheese. 1/2 c Parmasean, 1/2 c Ricotta, 1/2 c Mozzerella, 1 minced clove garlic, 1 egg Egg, 1 Heaping Tbsp fresh Basil or a 1/2 tsp Italian season . I even use spinach.. but spinach must be cooked and drained and squeezed dryish if you use it. You will probably have leftover lasagna makings of all. I use it to make manicotti filling as well, and it freezes. If you use this , you may have enough left for another half of Lasagna. See pic.
You will need a Long handled trivet or an Aluminum foil sling (1- 15 ” long piece of foil, folded over and over leaving you with about 1 1/2″ wide strip.. should be strong enough to hold your lasagna…don’t throw it away after using, save for other stuff)
Spaghetti Sauce for Spaghetti, lasagna, Spaghetti Squash etc:
For the Meat Filling:
3/4, lb hamburger
3/4 lb Italian sausage (add kielbasa too if desired)
1 chopped onion
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning(Tonight I’m using fresh basil but will use 3 tbsp minced plus a bit for garnish)
4 cloves minced garlic
3/4 of jar favorite spaghetti sauce (28 oz). (Only Use half for the Zucchini version) I use a whole jar but reduce it down.
2 Tbsp olive oil.
I use a frying pan but if you want to use the pot, Turn pot to Sauté More and saute hamburger and sausage, then add chopped onions, and garlic, Saute Onion and Garlic in evoo until soft. Add kielbasa (if using) and heat through.
Add sauce and Italian seasoning. REDUCE sauce, it needs to be a little dry. The pot read hot a few times, so I turned it off for a minute and hit sauté again low. (See below pic for consistency.)
Mix Parmesan and mozzarella together for ez distribution or use it separately.
Spray a LEAKPROOF Springform pan with cooking spray. Spread a very thin layer of sauce on the bottom, just to get noodles to stick, then layer the DRY No Boil Noodles, (break to fit well and even overlap a little to be sure all gaps are filled. Alter the layering pattern on ea layer, this is the most tedious part), Sauce, Cheese, Noodles, (gently push down after each layer to blend the layers), Sauce, Cheese, etc, finish with noodle, and sauce then cheese. (I got 4 layers of noodles, noodles to meat sauce ratio is important.)
Rinse the pot out.
Center pan of lasagna on the sling.
Pour 1 c water in the 6 q inner stainless pot, or 1 1/2 in the 8q. add trivet, using the sling, lower lasagna in the IP. Cover with Foil. Tuck the handles in a little so they don’t poke out of the pot.
Check seal, Lid on, vent to sealing. Hit manual 25minutes, 10 min NPR. Using sling, remove lasagna, put under broiler for 3-5 min till cheese is slightly brown. let cool 10 minutes before cutting.
SEE BELOW FOR ZUCCHINI VERSION : Or use Sweet Potatoes, I have even used “Big Ugly” Carrots.
This recipe fits in the 8q IP I use a 8 1/2” pan.
For this Zucchini version, you will need 3-4 Straight 2”x 8” Zucchini’s. Maybe 4 if your slicing by hand. I have a kitchen Aid Veggie Sheet Slicer, and I used the Thick Slicer, so you will need to slice thin, 1/16-1/8” thick. You will be making 4 layers, including the bottom and the top. It will not want to hold together as well as the lasagna with noodles so use the TIPs if you need to. Don’t forget to layer the zucchini North to South per say on the bottom and East to West on the second layer and then back to North and South, etc. Do this so that it will hold together better when you cut it.
Tip….if any time you make lasagna and it seems that it’s going to be too thin, just tuck dry noodles in between the pan side and filling. Or even bread works to soak the extra up.
RECIPE:
3-4 Zucchini’s 2”x 8” straight. Sliced 1/16”-1/8”thick
1 bunch of Spinach steamed down, drained and squeezed out.
2 tsp Corn starch for Meat filling
Meat Filling recipe from above EXCEPT …after it’s cooked along with the onions and garlic and herbs …sprinkle the meat with the 2 tsp of Corn Starch, stir and add the spinach before adding the sauce, sauté and stir to incorporated the corn starch.
Half of a jar of sauce (14 oz)
Cheese Filling from above
Slice enough of the zucchini’s (skin and all), 1/16” to 1/8” thick, and pre steam them. They should still have some body to them but still be handleable so not falling apart. You want them tender. These will be your noodles. Drain and pat dry well.
Spray the inside of your leak proof pan, layer some of the Noodles, remember the tips.
Spoon a thin layer of 1/3 Meat Filling, then dot with 1/3 Cheese filling, and 1/3 Mozz/parm Cheese mixture. Repeat two more times, finishing with top layer of Zucchini.
cover with foil. Set Lasagna pan on long handled trivet.
Add 1 1/2 c water in your 8 q pot or use 1 c in the 6q Pot, and if using a smaller 7 1/2” pan.
lower Trivet with Lasagna into the IP and set Pressure cook/manual for 15 min and then let it NR 15 min and the pin has dropped. Remove foil, add top layer of cheese. Turn pot off and Switch lids to the Air Fryer Lid… press Air Fry, and adjust the time to 6 min. Open the lid and place it on its protective tray, remove Lasagna from the pot and let it set 10 min before trying to remove from the spring form pan and before cutting. I left mine in the pan for the first servings.
