Ingredients
Meat and Aromatics
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional, for very lean beef or if using turkey)
- 1-1.5 pounds lean ground beef or ground Italian sausage (use ground turkey for a lightened-up option)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
Soup Base and Seasonings
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Pasta and Cheese
- 8 lasagna noodles (broken into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Sauté Meat and Aromatics: Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and heat the olive oil, if using. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 7-8 minutes, breaking it up into smaller pieces. Discard any excess oil carefully using tongs and a paper towel if needed. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes until they start to soften and become fragrant. Then, turn off the Sauté function.
- Deglaze and Add Soup Ingredients: Pour in a small amount of the chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot – this prevents the burn warning. Add the remaining broth, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, dried basil, parsley, onion powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and dried rosemary. Add the broken lasagna noodles, pushing them down into the liquid so they are just submerged. Avoid stirring.
- Pressure Cook the Soup: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on Manual high pressure for 6 minutes. Note that it will take approximately 20 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the cooking time starts.
- Release Pressure and Finish: Once the cooking cycle completes, perform a quick release of the pressure. Carefully open the lid, then stir in the balsamic vinegar, ricotta cheese, and parmesan cheese. Season the soup with salt and pepper to your taste. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese on top, place the lid askew to allow residual heat to melt the cheese, then serve immediately garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- If using very lean ground meat or ground turkey, adding olive oil helps keep the meat from sticking and enhances flavor.
- Do not stir the pasta into the soup before pressure cooking to prevent sticking and burning.
- Quick release when the cooking time ends to avoid overcooking the noodles.
- Use fresh herbs if available for more aromatic flavor, but dried herbs work well.
- This soup can be adapted to vegetarian by substituting meat with mushrooms and using vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
