Lasagna Soup in the Pressure Cooker

Serves 8 in about 1 hour. A pressure cooker recipe built around ground beef sausage and spinach.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef or sausage (or do ½ and ½)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 4" sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon basil, dried
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 4 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, with juice
• 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
• 5 cups chicken broth (4 cups for thicker soup)
• 9 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into about 1.5-inch pieces
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup cottage cheese* (or ricotta)
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed (optional ingredient)
• Fresh basil or parsley leaves
• Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Turn pot on to Sauté function. When the display reads Hot, add the meat, bay leaf, rosemary, and red pepper flakes.
2. Tip in the onion, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes, until onion starts to turn translucent, while stirring now and then.
3. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms, and cook for 1 instant, while stirring often.
4. Tip in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Mix well and let contents come to a simmer.
5. Stir in the pasta and stir well.
6. Put the lid on and turn the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
7. Turn off/cancel the Sauté function.
8. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button (or dial) and then the +/ - button (or dial) to choose 6 minutes.
9. When the cook time ends and the pot beeps, Let it sit and Naturally Release pressure for 5 minutes. Then Quick Release the remaining pressure. Start slowly, in bursts, to make sure no sauce comes out with the steam, then turn the steam release knob fully.
10. When the pin in the lid drops down, open the lid. Mix the soup and separate any noodles that stuck together. Then add the Parmesan and the mozzarella cheeses. Mix well and let melt. Then add the spinach and cottage cheese.
11. Plate in bowls with fresh basil or parsley, and extra parmesan cheese.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.