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Home » Instant Pot » Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti

Dec 27, 2018 · 66 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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4.57 from 71 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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Dump and Start, Instant Pot, Main Dish, Pasta, Skinny dump and start, Instant pot, main dish

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Terri says

    February 18, 2019 at 3:00 pm

    Since I am not a fan of evaporated milk, can I substitute it for 2% milk?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      February 18, 2019 at 10:54 pm

      It won’t be quite as creamy, but it would work. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
      • Maddie says

        April 16, 2020 at 5:11 pm

        Hello. If I double the recipe, do I also double the broth, or will it be too soupy if I double it? Thank you

      • Karli Bitner says

        April 18, 2020 at 8:20 pm

        Double all ingredients, the cook time will stay the same.

  2. Colleen says

    February 25, 2019 at 11:04 pm

    Made this tonight but used whole foods’ whole wheat penne and cooked it 4 minutes with QR and put a trivet with 4 Aidell’s sun-dried tomato chicken sausage over top. Turned out pretty great! I might strain more water/stock off next time and decrease the total amount of cheese, but I love that I can use evaporated milk since we almost never have real milk on hand. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      February 26, 2019 at 12:08 am

      I’m glad you liked the recipe, Colleen! ❤️

      Reply
  3. Debbie says

    March 17, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    Would like to add Ricotta cheese. How much would you suggest? I am doubling the recipe. Thanks!! Debbie

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      March 18, 2019 at 12:35 am

      You definitely could! I would suggest starting with 1/4 cup, tasting and then adding more if you’d like.

      Reply
  4. Lisa says

    April 26, 2019 at 12:55 pm

    Can not have dairy could coconut cream or coconut milk work?

    Reply
    • karlibitner says

      April 29, 2019 at 10:08 pm

      I haven’t tested the recipe with either of those, I imagine the taste would be a bit different, but you could definitely substitute them here in this recipe without any issues.

      Reply
  5. Corrine says

    May 9, 2019 at 6:37 am

    Do you think chick pea pasta would work well? Should I cook for less time?

    Can’t wait to make next week!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      May 13, 2019 at 10:39 pm

      Hi Corrine, I don’t have any experience with Chick Pea Pasta- so I am not sure on the cook time. I hope it works well for you! I would suggest cooking it for half the recommended time on the package. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  6. Kerri Minet says

    July 22, 2019 at 11:16 am

    Is it supposed to be Evaporated Fat Free Milk? Or 2%?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      July 24, 2019 at 8:35 pm

      Hi Kerri- either will work great. 🙂

      Reply
    • Kelly says

      October 26, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      So good! Thank u:)

      Reply
    • MADALENE says

      April 21, 2020 at 6:52 am

      5 stars
      So easy, so good! This recipe is fast and very tasty. I made it for my grown kids and and they enjoyed it. It’s not going to be the same as when you make a baked ziti in the oven with homemade sauce, but for a quick tasty meal it was perfect!!! Will make again.

      Reply
      • Karli Bitner says

        April 22, 2020 at 8:55 pm

        Madalene- I am so happy to hear that you loved this easy meal! Thanks for the comment and stars!

  7. Debbie says

    August 4, 2019 at 12:40 pm

    Hi There! I’m new to the instant pot and was looking for easy delicious recipes when I found this one. Made it after church today for lunch and it was fabulous! My hubby added red pepper flakes to his bowl, because he always likes things spicy. He loved it too. Thank you for this and for making it so easy to follow and even adding additional ways to possibly change it up at the end! We appreciate it so much, and will enjoy it many times over! 🙂

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      August 4, 2019 at 8:13 pm

      I am so happy to hear this, Debbie!! Enjoy your Instant Pot!

      Reply
  8. Michelle Smith says

    September 21, 2019 at 12:41 pm

    How much ground beef if I’m doubling the recipe, 1 pound?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      September 25, 2019 at 8:47 pm

      I would suggest using anywhere from 1-2 lbs of ground beef to add to a double batch of this recipe. It really just depends on how ‘meaty’ you want it!

      Reply
    • Alexa says

      January 18, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      How can I make this without an insta pot? Also, can it be made in a slow cooker?

      Reply
      • Karli Bitner says

        January 22, 2020 at 7:55 am

        Hi Alexa- I have a stovetop version recipe here, feel free to substitute the heavy cream for evaporated milk if preferred. https://cookingwithkarli.com/one-pot-creamy-ziti-pasta/

  9. Laurie D says

    September 26, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    Hi karli,

    I made this recipe last night and it was fabulous. My husband who was very skeptical said it was a keeper. I do have one question though, a lot of the cheese seemed to stick to the bottom of the pan. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? Not heat the sauce enough before adding or not stir enough while adding? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      October 3, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      Hi Laurie! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! The cheese issue may be one of two things. First, the sauce may need to be reheated a bit more. Second, the issue may be using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a hard time melting because there are additives in the package to help the cheese not to stick together, which also makes it not melt super well. Shredding your own cheese and adding it slowly should help!

      Reply
  10. Bonnie says

    September 26, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    How about throwing in some frozen veggies to make it a complete meal? Do you think that would work?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      October 3, 2019 at 8:40 pm

      Hi bonnie- most frozen veggies will turn to mush if they are pressure cooked for this long. I would suggest steaming them in the microwave separately and then adding them to the dish at the very end. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  11. Abby Morton says

    October 1, 2019 at 5:20 pm

    I always have a hard time with recipies that melt motzerella cheese. It always seems to clump together and get gross and gooey looking, sometimes even separating leaving an odd oil in the pan. Any tips on what I might be doing wrong?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      October 3, 2019 at 8:47 pm

      Hi Abby- are you using pre-shredded mozzarella Cheese or shredding your own? Pre-shredded cheese has additives that actually make it so it won’t melt as well! Try shredding your own next time and then adding it slowly. Let me know if that does the trick!

      Reply
  12. LindaD says

    October 9, 2019 at 10:14 pm

    Hi Karli. I’m now a huge fan of your Dump and Start recipes! I was about to ask if I could substitute low fat evap milk when I found this recipe. Are the liquid amounts correct? In the full-fat (yum!) recipe, it calls for 1-1/2 cups broth, 1 cup cream and 1 cup of red sauce – 3-1/2 cups liquid. The lower fat version is 2-1/2 cups broth, 3/4 cup sauce, and 3/4 cup evap milk – 4 cups liquid. I just wanted to make sure neither one is a typo. I see there’s more cheese in the original, too. They both look so good. Thanks for sharing these!
    Linda

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      October 14, 2019 at 7:18 pm

      Hi Linda! Yes, these amounts are correct. There needs to be more chicken broth for this version because the liquid is needed to get all of the pasta cooked. If the pasta isn’t covered in liquid, it won’t cook! The majority of the chicken broth will be soaked into the pasta after the pressure cooking is finished. I hope this helps!

      Reply
      • LindaD says

        October 15, 2019 at 7:06 am

        Hi Karli, I was wondering about the fact that the liquid amounts are different, but after adding up all the amounts, I saw the differences are minor. Thanks for the quick reply. I did make this and IT WAS PERFECT. Thank you for continuing to make and test this type of recipe!

  13. Rheana says

    October 19, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    Can I cook this the same if I have an 8 quart Insta pot? I’m new to Insta pot and haven’t used mine at all and everything I see seems to be for 6 quart recipes!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      October 22, 2019 at 11:28 am

      Yes! You’ll be able to make this in your 8 qt. You can make any 6 qt recipe in your 8 qt without issue as long as their is at least 1 1/2 cups of liquid in the recipe. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Katie says

    October 20, 2019 at 6:13 pm

    I have made this multiple times since discovering the recipe – works great as a meal prep for a week’s worth of lunches! Have tried it with Banza pasta as well (made with chickpeas) and it still tasted delicious. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      October 23, 2019 at 9:23 pm

      I am so glad, Katie! Thank you for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  15. Vicki J. says

    November 14, 2019 at 10:36 am

    I ordered a 6 qt Instant Pot. It’s just my hubby and me. Can I cut your recipe in half or maybe reduce it to 75% and still cook it in a 6 qt Instant Pot? Or do I need a 3 qt Instant Pot to make smaller amounts?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      December 9, 2019 at 8:11 pm

      You will be great with the 6 qt. 🙂

      Reply
      • Vicki J. says

        December 12, 2019 at 5:37 pm

        I made this tonight and it was delicious! I will definitely be making this again and again. It is very much like the Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti, which is what I order when I go to Olive Garden. I cut the recipe in half and used penne. Didn’t have minced garlic so substituted 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder. Yummy! This recipe is a keeper. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.

      • Karli Bitner says

        December 18, 2019 at 9:55 pm

        I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Vicki! Thanks for the comment!

  16. Rachael says

    December 3, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    I had a lot of chicken broth left over after I did the NPR then QR… is that normal?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      December 9, 2019 at 9:05 pm

      You should definitely still have some, not a ton though. Before pressure cooking, the chicken broth should just barely cover the pasta, if that is how it was, everything should be fine!

      Reply
  17. Julie says

    January 11, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    Could you use fat free evaporated milk? Also, if I double the recipe, the cook time change?

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      January 15, 2020 at 8:49 am

      Hi Julie! Yes, feel free to use fat free evaporated milk if you’d like. And the cook time will stay the same if you double the ingredients. 🙂

      Reply
  18. Heather Richards says

    January 18, 2020 at 7:53 pm

    I love this recipe and have told so many people about it! Can this be frozen? I’d like to make it for my mother in law to have some things that she can pull out of the freezer and easily re-heat. Thanks for all of your awesome recipes!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      January 22, 2020 at 7:54 am

      Hi Heather! What a great idea! I haven’t personally frozen this dish, but I don’t see why there would be an issue. I would maybe undercook the pasta a bit, so cut down on the cook time slightly, because the pasta will cook a bit as it is reheated. Hopefully it helps!!

      Reply
  19. Anna says

    March 4, 2020 at 10:05 am

    Hi! I’m so excited to try this! I’m such a wheat noodle buff, would subbing those change anything?
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      March 6, 2020 at 9:53 pm

      Hi Anna- I haven’t personally made this recipe with wheat pasta, I would suggest looking on the box of pasta at the recommended cook time, cutting that number in half (rounding down if needed) followed by a 6 minute NPR. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  20. Linda D says

    March 14, 2020 at 6:05 pm

    I’ve made this several times and we love it. Today, I doubled it, except using 4 1/2 cups broth. (It was a little too soupy the first time and this amount worked very well today.)
    I air fried about a pound of frozen meatballs while the pasta was cooking. I also chopped up a 33 ounce size of marinated artichokes, rinsed some of the oil off and drained them. When the pasta was done cooking, I added everything else to the pot and stirred it well. I’d only say that sometimes it’s soupy for the first 5-10 minutes, but after that it’s perfect.
    OMG, it’s so good. Since I made so much, I have frozen two servings for next week.
    This method is awesome, quick and has always turned out great. Thank you for this easy and lower calorie way of making creamy ziti.

    Reply
    • Karli Bitner says

      March 23, 2020 at 9:47 am

      Thanks for the detailed comment, Linda! 🙂 I am so happy that you enjoyed the dish.

      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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