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Home » Instant Pot » Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

Dec 27, 2018 · 64 Comments

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Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti is a play off of my popular Dump and Start Creamy Ziti recipe. This time reducing the calorie and fat content substantially! Substituting Evaporated milk for Creamy Ziti makes this Instant Pot Pasta dish still creamy, cheesy and full of flavor with none of the guilt!

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

Instant Pot Pasta- The healthier Creamy Ziti!

When I started my blog way back when (HA! Literally 10 months ago.) one of my very first recipes that I created and posted with my infamous Dump and Start Creamy Ziti. This recipe hit the ground running! It took off on Facebook and Pinterest very quickly. 

Still to this day, it is my most viewed recipe day in and out! It is loved by all, for good reason too! This dish reminds me of Olive Garden’s Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno. Although, I have to be honest, I haven’t actually had that dish in a really long time because I can make this in my Instant Pot for a lot cheaper and much faster. 

With the new year rolling around (ps. like HOW did this year go by so quickly?) I thought it was high time for the Creamy Ziti to slim down a bit. ?

Instant Pot pasta skinny creamy ziti

I polled all of my followers over on Instagram and a crazy 90% of my followers are making resolutions this year to eat healthier! I think homemade food vs fast food is healthier all the way around. 

Some other great healthily Instant Pot  meals are my Chicken Lo Mein, Teriyaki Chicken Bowls, Copy Cat P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps and my Skinny Alfredo Recipe. These are always a hit at my house! 

Speaking of my Skinny Alfredo Recipe.. Can I let you in on a little secret?? The original Creamy Ziti recipe is actually my Dump and Start Alfredo Recipe with red pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese added in!  So here is my Skinny Alfredo Recipe with different pasta and added red pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese. Voila, Skinny Ziti!

The difference between the two recipes is just substituting the heavy cream from the original with Evaporated milk in the skinny recipe. There is hardly a difference in taste or creaminess, but there is a major difference in calories and fat content! Plus, evaporated milk is shelf stable so it is a great meal to always have the ingredients on hand.

Instant Pot pasta creamy ziti healthy

How to make Instant Pot Pasta-Skinny Creamy Ziti

Because The fat content is not there in the evaporated milk, the evaporated milk can not be added to the Instant Pot until after the pasta is done cooking. This is a difference between the regular and skinny recipe.

To make this recipe, chicken broth, ziti pasta, minced garlic and salt and pepper go into the Instant Pot and cook on high for 6 minutes.

ziti pasta and broth for the skinny creamy ziti

Allow for a 6 minute NPR before quick releasing the pressure.

One the lid has been removed, add red pasta sauce. I generally use Hunt’s 4 cheese pasta sauce in the can.

red pasta sauce added to the Instant Pot

After the red pasta sauce has been mixed in, add in the evaporated milk. Stir until well combined. Turn the Instant Pot onto Sauté HIGH and sauté until boiling.

Turn off the Instant Pot and slowly slowly add stir in the cheeses.

cheese added to the Instant Pot for skinny creamy ziti

Once the cheese has been melted into the sauce, the sauce will thicken some. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. 

Serve with either garlic cheese bread or oven roasted broccoli! 

skinny creamy ziti in the Instant Pot

Frequently Asked Questions about Instant Pot Pasta- Skinny Creamy Ziti

Can I double this Skinny Creamy Ziti recipe?

Yes! No need to change the cook time. Double all the ingredients, everything else stays the same.

Can I use different pasta?

Yes, you can substitute Penne or linguine (broken in half) with no change in time. 

Can I add a chicken to this dish?

Yes! Toss frozen chicken tenders on top of the pasta before pressure cooking and you’ll be good to go! Pull the cooked chicken out and let it rest while finishing up the pasta, slice or shred then stir into the pasta!

Can I add Ground beef or sausage?

Yes, Brown the meat and then add in at the end after the cheese.

skinny creamy ziti in the Instant Pot

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

(Printable Recipe Below)

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti is a play off of my popular Dump and Start Creamy Ziti recipe. This time reducing the calorie and fat content substantially! Substituting Evaporated milk for Creamy Ziti makes this Instant Pot Pasta dish still creamy, cheesy and full of flavor with none of the guilt!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 lb (8 oz) dry ziti pasta
  • 1 tsp minced garlic, dried
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3/4 cup red pasta sauce
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff!)
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Place the broth, garlic, salt and pepper into the Instant Pot liner. Add the pasta to the pot. All noodles should be covered with the broth. DO NOT STIR.
  2. Cook on Manual HIGH for 6 minutes. Allow for a 6 min NPR before QR the pressure. Stir the noddles, some may be slightly stuck together, but that is okay. Once you add in the evaporated milk and warm through, all will be well.
  3. Add the red pasta sauce to the Instant Pot and stir well.
  4. Add the evaporated milk to the Instant Pot and stir well.
  5. Turn the Instant Pot onto Saute HIGH until the sauce is bubbling.
  6. Turn the Instant Pot off and gradually stir in the parmesan cheese then the mozzarella cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted completely and the sauce has thickened. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti is a play off of my popular Dump and Start Creamy Ziti recipe. This time reducing the calorie and fat content substantially! Substituting Evaporated milk for Creamy Ziti makes this Instant Pot Pasta dish still creamy, cheesy and full of flavor with none of the guilt! |Cooking with Karli| #instantpot #instantpotrecipe #instantpotpasta #pasta #healthy #onepotmeal #recipe #dinner

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Instant Pot pasta creamy ziti healthy

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti is a play off of my popular Dump and Start Creamy Ziti recipe. This time reducing the calorie and fat content substantially! Substituting Evaporated milk for Creamy Ziti makes this Instant Pot Pasta dish still creamy, cheesy and full of flavor with none of the guilt!
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4.56 from 69 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Instant Pot
Keyword: creamy ziti, healthy pasta, instant pot, Instant Pot pasta, Instant Pot recipes, instant pot ziti
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Additional Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Karli Bitner

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 lb 8 oz dry ziti pasta
  • 1 tsp minced garlic dried
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup red pasta sauce
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese not the powdered stuff!
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Place the broth, garlic, salt and pepper into the Instant Pot liner. Add the pasta to the pot. All noodles should be covered with the broth. DO NOT STIR.
  • Cook on Manual HIGH for 6 minutes. Allow for a 6 min NPR before QR the pressure. Stir the noddles, some may be slightly stuck together, but that is okay. Once you add in the evaporated milk and warm through, all will be well.
  • Add the red pasta sauce to the Instant Pot and stir well.
  • Add the evaporated milk to the Instant Pot and stir well.
  • Turn the Instant Pot onto Saute HIGH until the sauce is bubbling.
  • Turn the Instant Pot off and gradually stir in the parmesan cheese then the mozzarella cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted completely and the sauce has thickened. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1620mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g
Tried this recipe?Post on social media and tag @cookingwithkarli !!

 

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Karli Bitner
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Karli Bitner
This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. There isn’t ever a shortage of crazy. I can promise you that! Buckle up, keep your hand and legs inside at all times and enjoy the ride!
Karli Bitner
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Comments

  1. Carol Putnam says

    May 2, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    Karli, hi, I have some frozen Italian sausage meatballs. Can I put them in with pasta like the frozen chicken tenders were?
    Carol

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      May 8, 2020 at 9:33 pm

      Yes, that would work great! Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. JILL says

    May 18, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    4 stars
    Oh my goodness, I have 3 boys, ages 4, 7, and 10. And my husband, lol! EVERYONE loved this. I took one star away because the sauce was a teeny bit thinner than I anticipated; however, what a hit! This is definitely going in the regular rotation. I added a little pinch of basil! xo

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      May 29, 2020 at 8:00 pm

      I’m glad it worked out and you were able to feed that hungry family of yours! Thanks for the comment Jill.

      Reply
  3. Linda says

    August 21, 2020 at 10:58 am

    5 stars
    I just wanted to say that this is one of the most versatile recipes and one my family loves. I have doubled it so we have leftovers for work lunches and it stores in the fridge and travels very well.
    We love it with artichoke hearts and frozen/air fried meatballs added at the end. The other day, I made it (doubled) with 8 frozen chicken tenderloins on top of the pasta/broth/garlic mixture. It turned out perfectly. I was out of artichokes, so I added whole stuffed green olives and it was amazing.
    This, along with your Instant Pot Skinny Alfredo are my go-to recipes for quick, easy, tasty and satisfying meals. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      September 17, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      Yum!! Linda- I love all of these additions so much! I will have to add artichoke hearts next time. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Sidnie says

    August 25, 2020 at 8:26 am

    5 stars
    I added 2lbs of ground beef and bumped up my ingredients a bit. This was very yummy and super creamy! My family was definitely pleased!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      September 17, 2020 at 7:44 pm

      My husband loves it when I add ground beef! Yum yum! 🙂

      Reply
  5. RMK says

    September 5, 2020 at 8:15 am

    Does this freeze ok?

    Reply
    • Dan Bitner says

      September 17, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      No, this is best fresh you warmed up from the fridge. Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  6. Linda says

    September 18, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    5 stars
    I froze a couple servings. My son took a serving out of the freezer the night before, took it to work, heated it in the microwave and said it was great.

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      November 25, 2020 at 9:04 am

      Yum! I am so glad that reheating it worked so well for you!! Thanks, Linda!!

      Reply
  7. Deb says

    October 25, 2020 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! Love this! I sautéed some shrimp with garlic and added at the end, perfect! Just wondering if you had any tips on getting the inner instant pot clean? It’s definitely worth it but it takes me a while to get all the stinky cheese out and I thought you may have some tips!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      November 4, 2020 at 9:00 am

      Hi Deb! I use the liquid bar keeper’s friend to help clean my Instant Pot. I also generally let the liner soak overnight. 😉

      Reply
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This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house.

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