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 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. ?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
- 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!
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Instant Pot Skinny Creamy Ziti
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
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Terri says
Since I am not a fan of evaporated milk, can I substitute it for 2% milk?
karlibitner says
It won’t be quite as creamy, but it would work. Hope you enjoy!
Maddie says
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
Double all ingredients, the cook time will stay the same.
Colleen says
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!
karlibitner says
I’m glad you liked the recipe, Colleen! ❤️
Debbie says
Would like to add Ricotta cheese. How much would you suggest? I am doubling the recipe. Thanks!! Debbie
karlibitner says
You definitely could! I would suggest starting with 1/4 cup, tasting and then adding more if you’d like.
Lisa says
Can not have dairy could coconut cream or coconut milk work?
karlibitner says
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.
Corrine says
Do you think chick pea pasta would work well? Should I cook for less time?
Can’t wait to make next week!
Karli Bitner says
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!
Kerri Minet says
Is it supposed to be Evaporated Fat Free Milk? Or 2%?
Karli Bitner says
Hi Kerri- either will work great. 🙂
Kelly says
So good! Thank u:)
MADALENE says
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.
Karli Bitner says
Madalene- I am so happy to hear that you loved this easy meal! Thanks for the comment and stars!
Debbie says
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! 🙂
Karli Bitner says
I am so happy to hear this, Debbie!! Enjoy your Instant Pot!
Michelle Smith says
How much ground beef if I’m doubling the recipe, 1 pound?
Karli Bitner says
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!
Alexa says
How can I make this without an insta pot? Also, can it be made in a slow cooker?
Karli Bitner says
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/
Laurie D says
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!
Karli Bitner says
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!
Bonnie says
How about throwing in some frozen veggies to make it a complete meal? Do you think that would work?
Karli Bitner says
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!
Abby Morton says
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?
Karli Bitner says
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!
LindaD says
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
Karli Bitner says
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!
LindaD says
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!
Rheana says
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!
Karli Bitner says
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. 🙂
Katie says
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!
Karli Bitner says
I am so glad, Katie! Thank you for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Vicki J. says
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?
Karli Bitner says
You will be great with the 6 qt. 🙂
Vicki J. says
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
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Vicki! Thanks for the comment!
Rachael says
I had a lot of chicken broth left over after I did the NPR then QR… is that normal?
Karli Bitner says
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!
Julie says
Could you use fat free evaporated milk? Also, if I double the recipe, the cook time change?
Karli Bitner says
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. 🙂
Heather Richards says
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!
Karli Bitner says
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!!
Anna says
Hi! I’m so excited to try this! I’m such a wheat noodle buff, would subbing those change anything?
Thanks in advance!
Karli Bitner says
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!
Linda D says
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.
Karli Bitner says
Thanks for the detailed comment, Linda! 🙂 I am so happy that you enjoyed the dish.