Creamy Lazy Lasagna – An Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna with Cream Cheese

Creamy Lazy Lasagna uses a shortcut method and a shortcut ingredient for a family favorite ground beef dinner. Meals featuring noodles, hamburger and a tomato sauce are always winners when you are looking for a recipe that will be a hit. This Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna with Cream Cheese gets four stars from kids and adults.

Creamy Lazy Lasagna

My kids (and husband) are ground beef lovers, pasta lovers, and sauce lovers.  They pretty much gobble up any meaty, saucy pasta dish.

But, let’s be honest. Who has time to whip up lasagna on a weeknight. Not this momma. Now don’t get me wrong. I love making Aunt Shannon’s Extra Cheesy Lasagna on the weeknight, and then eating it all week long.  It just doesn’t happen too often in this stage of life.

I’ve got a solution, a very quick and easy dinner idea – Shortcut Instant Pot Lasagna.

Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna with Cream Cheese

Using the Instant Pot for lasagna cuts down on hours of work.

For one, you don’t have to pre-cook those lasagna noodles.  Instead, there are these super cute mini lasagna noodles called Mafalda pasta (affiliate link).  If you’re worried about finding these at your local grocery store, add a box to your Amazon order.  I’ve also had good luck finding them at our bulk food stores.

Secondly, instead of letting the lasagna bake for an hour in the oven, using the instant pot takes only 4 minutes on high pressure. Using the Instant Pot for this Easy Cheesy Lazy Lasagna is genius.

Lasagna with Cream Cheese Recipe

I have another genius shortcut recipe to make this an amazingly cheesy shortcut lasagna recipe.

Many lazy lasagna recipes call for cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese to be stirred in at the end.  But this ingredient is on a whole new level. It gives the lazy lasagna amazing creaminess and depth of flavor.

Are you ready for it? Drumroll, please! It is Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese. Using garlic and herb cream cheese gives this Instant Pot Shortcut Lasagna both the creaminess and cheesiness and the Italian flavors that all lasagna needs.

Ingredient List for Creamy Lazy Lasagna with Cream Cheese

• Ground Beef
• Onion, diced
• Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese
• Spaghetti Sauce or Marinara Sauce, jarred
• Mini Lasagna Noodles (also called Mafalda pasta)
• Water
• Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• Shredded Mozzarella (optional)

Instructions for Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna

Step by Step Instructions

1. Brown ground beef and diced onions using sauté mode in instant pot. Or, brown in a skillet.
2. Add cream cheese, and stir into browned ground beef until melted and creamy.
3. Stir in a jar of pasta sauce until completely blended in.
4. Add dry, uncooked mini lasagna noodles on top of ground beef mixture. Do not stir in with meat sauce.
5. Pour water over noodles until just submerged.
6. Put on the lid and seal. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
7. Release pressure using quick pressure release method. (See manufacturer’s directions to your pressure cooker, if needed).
8. Stir to combine noodles and sauce.
9. If desired, add grated Parmesan and/or shredded mozzarella cheese.
10. Serve with a side salad and garlic bread.

For the full recipe amounts and directions for lazy lasagna in the instant pot, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

What are mini lasagna noodles called?

If you are looking for those cute. little curly pasta that are shaped like mini lasagna, look for pasta shapes called Mafalda pasta.  Other times, you’ll find them called Mini Lasagna or Italian Pasta Noodles.

These be hard to find at the grocery store.  Check your local Bulk Food Stores run by the Amish or order them off Amazon.

What can I use instead of Mafalda pasta?

Can’t find Mafalda or mini lasagna pasta? Substitute in Campanelle or Mafadine or Reginette noodles (broken into small pieces).

Recipe FAQs

• Instead of using sauté mode, feel free to brown ground beef and onions on the stove first before adding to the insert.
• Be sure to scrape off the bits from the bottom of the instant pot insert after browning. Failing to do this could result in a burn error later on.
• Can’t find Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese? Use regular cream cheese and add some dried Italian herbs too. Or, substitute in a can of cream of mushroom soup for that creaminess.
• Mini lasagna noodles are also called Mafalda noodles.  Find them on Amazon.
• Do not stir the uncooked pasta into the beef/sauce mixture. Just pour it over top.
• Add just enough water over the pasta to cover and submerge.
• Use the quick release method for releasing pressure in the Instant Pot.  If you use the natural method, your pasta will be over-cooked.
• If you love Cheesy Lazy Lasagna, add Grated Parmesan and/or shredded Mozzarella Cheese before serving.  As as much or little as your cheese-loving heart desires.

Recipe Variations

• Use ground turkey or Italian sausage instead of ground beef.
• Replace cream cheese with sour cream or Boursin cheese.
• Stir in fresh spinach, and let wilt before serving.
• Use a different type of pasta such as penne.
• Garnish with fresh basil.

Pasta Recipes with Ground Beef

Ground Beef Goulash (Stove-top Recipe)

Instant Pot American Goulash

Baked Spaghetti Pie

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

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