Frozen Cheese Ravioli & Italian Sausage -Instant Pot 

You're going to love the blend of Italian flavors and the convenience in this easy Instant Pot Recipe. The fusion of spaghetti sauce, tender ravioli, fresh vegetables, and Italian Sausage, is a dynamic combination the whole family will love. Unlock the secrets to achieving a minimal prep masterpiece that marries the ease of simple ingredients with the unmatched efficiency of the Instant Pot. The best part is everything comes together in one pot for an easy dinner you can make tonight!

This recipe was inspired by other Easy Instant Pot Recipes like Instant Pot Stroganoff & Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie and pairs perfectly with Garlic Knots Stuffed With Cheese.

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How To Avoid The Burn Notice

If using a thick store-bought jarred spaghetti sauce, add ¼ cup of water to the sauce to thin it out. If using a homemade canned spaghetti sauce that is the consistency of a marinara you won't need to thin out the sauce first. For this recipe, it is very important to follow the directions on how to layer the ingredients in the Instant Pot. By adding the spaghetti sauce last and not stirring you will keep it off of the bottom of the pot, therefore, avoiding the burn message.

How to Deglaze the Instant Pot

After sautéing meat and before pressure cooking you need to deglaze the bottom of the inner pot. Deglazing involves adding a thin liquid like wine, water, or broth to the hot surface and scraping the bottom with a spatula. For this recipe, you'll need to add ½ cup of water and a wooden spatula like this one to remove the caramelized and brown tidbits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. This is a very important step, do not skip it.

Instructions

• Select the saute function on HI, and add the EVOO to the Instant Pot.
• When the display reads HOT, add the Italian sausage and brown using a wooden spatula.
• When Italian sausage is fully browned, turn off/cancel the sauté function.
• Add water and deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot.
• Layer the sliced peppers, sliced onions, and fresh spinach on top of the sausage.
• Place the frozen cheese ravioli on top of the vegetables.
• Pour the entire jar of spaghetti sauce into the pot and DO NOT STIR. (see tips)
• Place the instant pot lid on with the vent knob turned to the sealing position.
• Select pressure cook/manual high pressure for 1 min.
• Once the cooking time is complete release the pressure immediately in a pulsing manner at first to avoid the sauce from spraying out of the vent.
• Quick-release the remaining pressure.
• Give everything a good stir.
• Serve with shredded parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top.

Tips

One of the most crucial parts of this recipe is the layering of ingredients. Once the Italian sausage is browned and the bottom of the pot is deglazed add the ingredients in this order, bell peppers, onions, frozen cheese ravioli, and then the jar of pasta sauce on top. DO NOT STIR. Place the lid on and the vent knob is turned to the sealing position. 

Only set the pressure cooking time to 1 minute.

Once the cooking time is complete do a quick pressure release by turning the vent knob or selecting pressure release to immediately release the pressure. To avoid spaghetti sauce from coming out of the steam vent you may need to do a pulse release and then quickly release the rest of the way.

If the sauce needs to thiken up a bit you can return the Instant Pot to the sauté function for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. If needed stir while the sauce is reduced to avoid burning the food to the bottom of the pot.

Recipe Variations

Vegetarian- omit the Italian sausage and add extra sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, or squash. 

Pasta-If you prefer a smaller-sized pasta you could use frozen cheese tortellini or mini ravioli.

Elk Sausage- I often make this recipe with ground Italian elk sausage and it's a family favorite.

Ground Beef- Substitute the Italian sausage for lean ground beef and add some Italian seasoning when browning.

Spicy- Add a dash of red pepper flakes for some added flavor and spice.

Different Types of Ravioli- Substitute cheese ravioli for spinach & ricotta or beef ravioli.

Equipment

I love my 6-quart Instant Pot Max pressure cookerhttps://amzn.to/40DbOwg but this easy recipe can be made in any electric pressure cooker. When making the stovetop version I use a 6-quart Dutch Oven. For deglazing the bottom of the Instant Pot I find using a wooden spatula works best and is the most effective at removing the stuck-on food from the bottom of the pot.

Canned Spaghetti

For this recipe, I use Canned Spaghetti Sauce From Garden Fresh Tomatoes. For more on how I make and can tomatoes and spaghetti sauce to use all year long check out these related posts.

Stovetop Directions

To convert this to a stovetop recipe start by bringing 8 cups of water to a boil and add the frozen ravioli cook per manufacturer instructions. Strain the ravioli and set it aside.  Next, add olive oil to a Dutch oven or large pot. Heat over medium heat and brown the Italian sausage.

Add to the pot the purple onion and bell peppers and sauté until soft. Add the cooked ravioli to the pot along with the jarred spaghetti sauce. Stir gently to combine the ingredients. Add the fresh spinach on top and cover to allow the spinach to cook for 2 minutes. Stir to combine the ingredients and serve with grated parmesan cheese on top.

Storage and Leftovers

This Instant Pot Ravioli Recipe is great leftover the next day. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Easy Instant Pot Recipes