Instant pot baked vegetarian, meatless ziti pasta with spinach! Creamy ziti pasta noodles with cheese (without ricotta cheese), tomato based pasta sauce (like marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce) and spinach leaves made in instant pot pressure cooker for a super simple, quick, easy yet delicious meatless vegetarian pasta meal or pasta side dish!
This is also an easy baked ziti noodles recipe without ricotta cheese and it's still very delicious. Ziti is cylindrical shaped pasta similar to rigatoni and penne pasta in appearance and texture so if you do not have ziti pasta, you may substitute with rigatoni or penne pasta as well. The shape of ziti noodles, penne and rigatoni pasta are perfect to absorb all the delicious sauce and flavors!
Meatless Baked Ziti Without Ricotta Cheese
Ziti is often baked in the oven with added meat like sausage, but this is a super simple, meatless vegetarian baked ziti with spinach made in instant pot pressure cooker that is very delicious as well! Also, ricotta cheese is often used in baked ziti recipes, however this is an easy baked ziti recipe in instant pot with ricotta cheese as well and it is still very delicious. If you do not have ricotta cheese at home and want to enjoy simple meatless ziti without ricotta cheese, do try this easy recipe for baked ziti in instant pot pressure cooker! I also have this easy lasagna recipe without ricotta cheese as well, which is delicious, easy lasagana made with no ricotta cheese!
Other pasta types that works well with this recipe include shell pasta (conch pasta shells), elbow macaroni pasta shells, cellentani or cavatappi pasta etc! I have this rigatoni pasta in creamy pumpkin pasta sauce which is another easy rigatoni recipe (where you may use ziti noodles as well) using canned pumpkin puree based sauce which is perfect for fall season or holidays like Thanksgiving!
This instant pot baked ziti with spinach leaves is another delicious side dish perfect for Thanksgiving holidays or Christmas if you love simple, easy and quick pasta recipes for easy holiday meal planning. So if you are looking for a meatless dinner made with ziti noodles as a substitute for regular baked ziti, do try this easy instant pot baked ziti noodles with spinach leaves!
If you like spinach pasta recipes, do try this spaghetti rigatti noodles with spinach and chickpeas as well!
Ingredients used to make instant pot baked ziti
- ziti pasta 16 oz
- water 5 cups
- salt adjust to taste
- garlic powder 1 teaspoon
- onion powder 1 teaspoon
- marinara sauce 2 cups (or your favorite tomato based pasta sauce)
- baby spinach leaves 2 cups
- whole milk ½ cup
- heavy cream 1 cup
- butter 4 tablespoons
- olive oil 2 tablespoons
- shredded cheese 4 cups (Mexican blend or cheddar)
How To Make Instant Pot Baked Meatless Ziti With Creamy Sauce And Spinach?
Step by step instructions to make instant pot baked vegetarian ziti with spinach
Step 1 - Place the ziti noodles in inner pot of instant pot.
Step 2 - Add water, salt, garlic and onion powder, gently mix in.
Step 3 - Place the butter (sliced) on top of the pasta, close the instant pot with lid in sealing position.
Step 4 - Cook in high pressure for 1 minute.
Step 5 - Once the cooking is done, wait for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then after that gradually do a controlled manual pressure release. Once the pressure is all released, carefully open the lid of instant pot pressure cooker (do not stir the cooked pasta at this point).
Step 6 - Add olive oil, shredded cheese, milk and heavy cream, now gently stir in with the pasta so all the ingredients are mixed with the pasta to form a creamy sauce.
Step 7 - Finally, add the fresh spinach leaves & marinara sauce, gently mix in to combine with the pasta.
Step 8 - Enjoy the instant pot baked ziti with spinach hot for best results! As the pasta cools down, the sauce will thicken naturally.
You may store the cooked pasta in air tight containers and store in refrigerator for another couple of days, so you can reheat and use as needed!
Instant Pot Baked Ziti Pasta With Spinach (No Meat, Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 16 oz ziti
- 5 cups water
- salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups marinara sauce (or your favorite tomato based pasta sauce)
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups shredded cheese Mexican blend or cheddar
Instructions
- Place the ziti noodles in inner pot of instant pot.
- Add water, salt, garlic and onion powder, gently mix in.
- Place the butter (sliced) on top of the pasta, close the instant pot with lid in sealing position.
- Cook in high pressure for 1 minute.
- Once the cooking is done, wait for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then after that gradually do a controlled manual pressure release.
- Once the pressure is all released, carefully open the lid of instant pot pressure cooker (do not stir the cooked pasta at this point).
- Add olive oil, shredded cheese, milk and heavy cream, now gently stir in with the pasta so all the ingredients are mixed with the pasta to form a creamy sauce.
- Finally, add the fresh spinach leaves and marinara sauce, gently mix in to combine with the pasta. Enjoy the instant pot baked ziti hot for best results!
- As the pasta cools down, the sauce will thicken naturally.
- You may store the cooked pasta in air tight containers and store in refrigerator for another couple of days, so you can reheat and use as needed!
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