While I like to think that I am in charge of the menu at my house, I am quickly reminded that my 13 year old daughter is often in control of what we have for dinner. Why? Well, I can cook whatever I want, but that doesn’t always mean that she will eat it. Life is so much easier when I only get to cook one meal for dinner instead of 2! :)
So, when my daughter started asking to have lasagna on almost a weekly basis, I decided that I would give Lazy Lasagna a try. I expected it to come out very soupy with mushy pasta. To my delight, neither happened. The pasta cooked perfectly and all of the cheese incorporated well with the other ingredients. The final result is cheesy, meaty, pasta goodness.
I will still make traditional lasagna on occasion because there is just something about all of the stacked layers of pasta that just can’t be beat. But, my take on the Ninja Foodi Lazy Lasagna is a nice substitute if you want all of the flavor but not all of the time and energy that goes into making homemade lasagna.
Tips for making Lazy Lasagna-Ninja Foodi recipe:
Be sure to crisscross the pasta when you add it. Crisscrossing it helps eliminate the possibility of the pasta sticking together and cooking unevenly.
If possible, try to use fresh basil. Fresh herbs have a much fresher taste and texture than dried herbs.
If your family doesn’t like mushrooms (it’s a tricky vegetable for some!) you can omit it without altering any other part of the recipe. If you are feeling a bit more daring, you can even add in some spinach. This little addition will taste like spinach lasagna! :)
Don’t get the dreaded “burn” notice. I have never gotten this with my Ninja Foodi but have seen it on my Instant Pot. To ensure that nothing burns, be sure to deglaze the pan after browning the meat. Do so by scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon or spatula to make sure that all of the cooked bits of meat are not stuck to the bottom. Also, do not stir once you have added the pasta. If you do, there is a chance that the pasta will get stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Looking for more recipes for pasta? Check out some of our favorites below!
Once pot is hot, add sausage, ground beef and onion and saute until browned.
Add garlic and mushrooms and stir.
Add seasoning and pasta sauce. Stir well. Be sure to use your spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove the browned bits of meat.
Add broth and water-do not stir.
Add pasta by breaking in half or thirds and stacking in a criss cross pattern.
Set Ninja Foodi to Pressure cook function on high for 3 minutes, close the lid and move valve to seal position.
When timer beeps, quick release pressure and then remove lid.
Add in ricotta cheese and stir.
Add in Parmesan cheese and stir.
Add in basil and stir.
Add in mozzarella cheese and stir.
It's time to eat! Enjoy!
Tips for this recipe:
Be sure to crisscross the pasta when you add it. Crisscrossing it helps eliminate the possibility of the pasta sticking together and cooking unevenly.
If possible, try to use fresh basil. Fresh herbs have a much fresher taste and texture than dried herbs.
If your family doesn't like mushrooms (it's a tricky vegetable for some!) you can omit it without altering any other part of the recipe. If you are feeling a bit more daring, you can even add in some spinach. This little addition will taste like spinach lasagna! :)
Don't get the dreaded "burn" notice. I have never gotten this with my Ninja Foodi but have seen it on my Instant Pot. To ensure that nothing burns, be sure to deglaze the pan after browning the meat. Do so by scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon or spatula to make sure that all of the cooked bits of meat are not stuck to the bottom. Also, do not stir once you have added the pasta. If you do, there is a chance that the pasta will get stuck to the bottom of the pot.
