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Instant Pot Cheesy Meaty Shells fits the pasta loving bill! A hearty blend of sausage and beef seasoned with Italian seasoning in a rich, tomato-meat sauce. Two kinds of cheeses makes this Instant Pot pasta recipe creamy and delicious!
Instant Pot Cheesy Meaty Shells
I love cooking with my Instant Pot, but love it even more when it’s warm out and I can cook without using my stove or oven.
This pressure cooker Cheesy Meaty Shells recipe is so delicious, and is a one pot pasta meal.
No need to boil the pasta shells separately. They will soak up all of the tasty sauce.
How to Make Instant Pot Cheesy Shells
This delicious pressure cooker Cheesy Meaty Shells is not difficult to prepare. Here are the steps to make it
After the pasta is done pressure cooking, do a quick release of the pressure. Do so slowly at first, to make sure none of the sauce is going to spew out with the steam!
After adding the cheeses, just let the pasta sit for a few minutes. Everything will thicken up and become nice and creamy.
You can serve it as is, or add a sprinkling of parmesan on top for even more cheesiness.
I hope you give Instant Pot Pasta a try. The one-pot aspect of it is wonderful! I have several great pressure cooker pasta recipes here on Simply Happy Foodie!
Instant Pot Garlic Noodles
Instant Pot Beef and Noodles
Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo
Instant Pot Cheesy Garlic Orzo
Instant Pot Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
If you make this tasty pressure cooker cheesy meaty shells recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d love to know how you liked it!
Instant Pot Cheesy Meaty Shells
Ingredients
- ½ lb Ground Beef* (90%-93% lean)
- ½ lb Ground Italian Sausage*
- 1 Onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 3 cups Chicken Broth (low sodium)
- 12 oz Medium Pasta Shells
- 1 24 oz jar Marinara Sauce
To Finish
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Set the pot to Sauté setting. Add the meat and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink.
- Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir.
- Pour in the pasta shells and spread in an even layer. Press them down into the liquid with a spoon, but do not stir.
- Pour the jar of marinara over the pasta and cover it completely. Again, do not stir.
- Put the lid on and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position. Cancel the Sauté setting.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial and then the + or - button or dial to select 5 minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure.
- When the cooking cycle is finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 3 minutes (3 minute natural release). If you like a firmer al dente pasta, don't do this step. Do a controlled Quick Release instead. See next step.
- Manually release the remaining steam/pressure by turning the steam release knob to the venting position, or pushing button, if applicable. Do this in short bursts at first so you don't get sauce spewing out with the steam, due to the force. Once you are sure you will only have steam coming out, you can open the vent fully and let it go. This is called a Controlled Quick Release.
- Remove the lid and stir the contents. Add the parmesan cheese and stir. Then add the mozzarella and stir.
- Serve hot, with some crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Yummy and so easy! My husband was craving lasagna, and that wasn’t going to happen. I used veggie crumbles instead of meat and vegetable broth instead of the chicken. I also had to use a different pasta since we didn’t have shells. Everyone loved it!
This is my family’s go to dish now..they ask for it all the time! Thank goodness for Sandy I got my IP as a gift with no idea how to use it…now I look like a pro! 😁This is delicious!
what size instapot is this recipe for? I have the 3 qt. mini and would like to make this tonight but not sure if I should. This would be my first recipe in the instapot
6 qt. You can try halving the recipe, but keep the cook time the same in your 3 qt. Then when it is done you will know if there is room to make more next time.
This was delicious. The only thing I would change when I make it next would be to half the Italian seasoning for my kids. Thank you for another great recipe.
I made this hearty meal for my husband and I while it was 83 outside. He scarfed it down so fast! He said this is one of the top 5 things I’ve made for him in our 5 years together. And the best part is that it took no time, didn’t heat up the house and was so flavorful!! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
This was crazy easy and fast to make, and most importantly, it was a hit with my family. This will be a great option for weeknight dinners when I have to return to commuting to the office again.
Will beef broth work vs chicken?
Yes!
Sandy, if I double the recipe do I double all the liquid? It was great first time out but we have extra mouths to feed tonight.
Yes, as the pasta needs that liquid. Keep cook time the same.
We loved this recipe! We were looking for a quick and easy recipe to try in our Instant Pot, and this was perfect. Our family loved it and will use it again. Thank you!
That’s great, Stephanie! I’m happy to know that you liked it. Thank you for your review!
Sandy, our family just loved this dish! We used ground turkey, and we added a bit of cottage cheese to the top after serving to give it even more of that lasagna taste, and it was just delicious. Made plenty of leftovers for us to save in the freezer, which we love since we are so busy. Thank you!
That’s great, David! Cottage cheese is a great idea for a topping! Thank you for your review!