Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti is saucy, cheesy and delicious. 20 minutes is all you need to make this creamy red sauce pasta dish!
Don’t have an Instant Pot yet? HAVE NO FEAR!! One Pot Creamy Ziti Recipe is here!! Check it out!
Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti is a favorite at my house! I’ll be honest, it totally reminds me of Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti dish. AKA the only thing I ever get while visiting Olive Garden.
I think I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve actually gone to Olive Garden though.. and most of those occasions were for the end of season formal dinner for the high school tennis team. (I was totally JV. All 3 years.)
There are two reasons why we hardly ever choose to go out to eat at Olive Garden. 1. I am cheap. 2. I can make the exact same thing, just as good without having to get dressed. I’d call that a win win.
Also, every single person in my family enjoys this for dinner. That right there is a miracle, people. If you have kids, were a kid a some point or haven’t been living under a rock you’ll know that is nearly impossible.
How to Make Creamy Ziti
‘Dump and Start’ are a funny combination of words to be on my favorite word list.. but it’s there alright. This dish is so easy! Dump and Start easy. If you like dump and start recipes as much as I do, check out Top 25 Instant Pot Dump and Start Recipes.
Broth, cream, garlic, s&p and pasta go into the Instant Pot. Make sure that the pasta is covered with liquid.
Pressure cook for 6 minutes, NPR for 6 minutes and then QR the rest of the pressure. The sauce will be very liquidy, totally normal.
Turn the Instant Pot onto sauté, then in goes some red pasta sauce.
Slowly add in the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. This will thicken the sauce nicely for you. Once the sauce has thickened, turn the Instant Pot off and serve immediately.
See, I told you it was easy.
Don’t have an Instant Pot yet? HAVE NO FEAR!! One Pot Creamy Ziti Recipe is here!! Check it out!
Looking for a lighter version?? Try my SKINNY CREAMY ZITI!
Try out these other Recipes!
- Instant Pot Cashew Chicken and Noodles
- Dump and Start Instant Pot Alfredo
- Pulled Teriyaki Chicken Sliders
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells
- Chicken Wraps
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Alfredo Sauce
- Pressure Cooker Steak
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Asiago Bagel
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Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti
Ingredients
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- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp minced garlic dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz dry ziti pasta
- 1 cup red pasta sauce
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Add the broth, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and noodles to the instant pot in that order. DO NOT STIR, but make sure all noodles are covered. If you need to move some noodles around, thats okay.
- Set your Instant Pot to Manual for 6 minutes. Let it naturally release its pressure for an additional 6 minutes then quick release.
- Add the red pasta sauce to the Instant Pot and give it a stir.
- SLOWLY add in the cheese while stirring. The cheese will melt and thicken the sauce. The sauce will also thicken as it cools.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti
Dump and Start Instant Pot Creamy Ziti is saucy, cheesy and delicious. 20 minutes is all you need to make this creamy red sauce pasta dish!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp minced garlic dried
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz dry ziti pasta
- 1 cup red pasta sauce
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Add the broth, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and noodles to the instant pot in that order. DO NOT STIR, but make sure all noodles are covered. If you need to move some noodles around, thats okay.
- Set your Instant Pot to Manual for 6 minutes. Let it naturally release its pressure for an additional 6 minutes then quick release.
- Add the red pasta sauce to the Instant Pot and give it a stir.
- SLOWLY add in the cheese while stirring. The cheese will melt and thicken the sauce. The sauce will also thicken as it cools.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
This is a very saucy dish- If you like yours with less sauce, just cut back on the red pasta sauce at the end.
Serve alongside some Oven Roasted Broccoli!
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Becky says
My whole family loved this even my husband who usually likes meat in his pasta! This will be added to my regular go-to list!
Karli Bitner says
Yay! I am so excited to hear that, Becky! Thanks for the comment!
Ruby says
This has become a staple in our meal rotation. I actually just had my 17 yo son make it since it’s his favorite dish and he needs to learn to cook. Very tasty!
Karli Bitner says
Yes!! This is the perfect starting point for teens. 🙂 He will be a pro in no time! I am so happy that you enjoy this dish so much!
Tara says
Excited to try this recipe. What is your “go to” red pasta sauce that you use in this recipe? Homemade or store bought?
Thanks!!
Karli Bitner says
I usually use Hunt’s Garlic Red Pasta Sauce or Prego Garlic Basil sauce.
J Mollie Sample says
I sauteed ground beef & onions first, siphoned off any extra grease with a turkey baster, then followed the recipe. Came out great & I’ve made it twice now. My 5 yr old loves it!
Kristi Terlecki says
So delicious! My family loved it! If I double the recipe, how long to cook it?
Karli Bitner says
The cook time will stay the same. 🙂
Jessie says
Love this. So easy to make. I use more cheese, but we like our pasta cheesy.
Lana Glasgow says
How can you make this without an instant pot?
Karli Bitner says
https://cookingwithkarli.com/one-pot-creamy-ziti-pasta/ This link will give you those instructions. 🙂
Sheila says
Is “Red Pasta Sauce” = jarred spaghetti sauce???
Is the parmesan cheese fresh cheese or like the shaker container in the fridge?
Thanks.
Karli Bitner says
Yes, any red spaghetti sauce will work. You’ll want the fresh shredded cheese, not the grated cheese in the green container.
Amanda says
Any suggestions on how to double the recipe? Do I double all of the ingredients AND the cook time?
Karli Bitner says
Double the ingredients- keep the cook time the same! 🙂
Amanda Hill says
Thanks. And I’m having a hard time finding ziti. Other suggestions for pasta?
Karli Bitner says
Penne would work great as a substitution!
Hollie says
This has become a dinner staple since first trying it months ago. I use vegetarian chicken stock, to keep it vegetarian friendly. Amazing!
Ashley says
Can I use Milk or does it have to be heavy cream ?
Karli Bitner says
Milk doesn’t have a high enough fat content to cook under pressure without curdling. That is why heavy cream is used, it won’t curdle. If you would like to use something other than heavy cream, I suggest following this method and recipe (it’s the same, just adapted so you can use something besides heavy cream.) https://cookingwithkarli.com/instant-pot-skinny-creamy-ziti/
Alexandria M Cordova says
My family loves this recipe! We make this all the time with sausage in the ziti pasta. 🙂 My little sister said it tasted just like an Olive Garden pasta! Great meal we can just come home and dump in real quick!
Dan Bitner says
Yes Yes Yes! I’m glad you like this recipe, quick and easy is the best especially when you are busy.
Alana says
OMG!!! I made this last night and it was so, so easy and fantastic! I have an 8 qt Instant Pot and with 5 people in our family, I doubled the recipe and it came out perfect! Everyone absolutely loved it and there wasn’t one noodle left! The only thing I did differently was used bowtie pasta instead of ziti, but otherwise, I didn’t change a thing. Definitely will be making this again! Thanks for a great recipe.
Karli Bitner says
I am so glad it was a winner at your house, Alana! Not a noodle left is a pretty good review. 😉
haley says
This was delicious. I broiled it with some extra cheese on top for a couple of minutes. Yum!
Karli Bitner says
That sounds like a great addition! Delish!
AmyT says
Wow, this was so incredibly easy and yet so yummy! My husband didn’t even miss meat with this one. Thank you so much!
Karli Bitner says
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe! You are so welcome. 🙂
Julie says
I’m in the process of making this, but there is a discrepancy between the video and the written recipe regarding the heavy cream. On the video you say 1.5 cups of cream and the recipe says 1 cup. Which is correct? Thanks in advance!
Karli Bitner says
Either will work. 😉 My family just likes it extra saucy so I tend to add in a little bit extra cream when I make it at home. 🙂
Helena says
I routinely make this and love it! I do not find it to be saucy. I actually double the amount of sauce and half the cheese. Super yummy
Dan Bitner says
Thanks Helena, I’m glad you like it. Keep on cooking!