Layers of ground turkey sauce, creamy basil-flecked ricotta and melty mozzarella are hidden in this delicious chili. The Instant Pot cuts cooking time to just 6 minutes, so it’s yours any night of the week when the lasagna craving strikes. Be sure to use a marinara sauce with a small bottle, so the Instant Pot can create enough steam to depress (Note: Thick, chunky sauces won’t work).
Effective time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour
Pressure Cooker Lasagna Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 medium peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb 85% lean ground turkey
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (293g) thin, sugar-free marinara sauce, divided
- 1 cup (246g) semi-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup (12g) fresh basil, chopped and divided
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (57g) part-skim mozzarella, shredded
- 1/4 cup (60g) low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
Cut the top 1/2-inch off the pepper and reserve for another use. Remove the seeds and the white membrane from the inside of the pepper and discard.
Put the olive oil in the instant pot, select the saute, and adjust the heat to high. When the oil is hot, add the ground turkey, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Press Cancel. Add 2/3 cup marinara sauce to the pot and stir to combine. Spoon the turkey-marinara sauce evenly over the peppers and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, half of the basil, and the egg until well combined.
Add the ricotta mixture to the peppers. Add the remaining meat sauce to the peppers over the ricotta, making sure the pot is clean. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of each pepper, pressing the cheese down a little to fit inside the pepper.
Pour the remaining 1/2 cup marinara sauce and chicken broth into the instant pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Place a trivet with handles in the pot and arrange the peppers on the trivet, cheese-side up. Lock the lid and open the pressure valve to close. Select Pressure Cook, adjust the pressure to high, and cook for 6 minutes.
When the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure. Carefully transfer the peppers to plates using a large slotted spoon and set aside. Remove the trivet from the pot.
Select Saute and adjust the heat to high. Add the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it reduces slightly, about 2 minutes. For a brown, bubbly cheese, place the peppers under the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes. Ladle the sauce over the peppers, garnish with the remaining basil, and serve.
Works: 4 | Serving size: 1 pepper, 3 tbsp sauce
Nutritional value (per serving): Calories: 442; Total Fat: 28g; Saturated Fat: 9g; Monounsaturated fat: 9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 169mg; Sodium: 745mg; Carbohydrates – 17 g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 10g; Protein: 33g
Food Bonus: Vitamin D: 8%; Calcium: 32%; Potassium: 864mg; Vitamin A: 11%; Vitamin C: 196%
First published in February 2020; Updated May 2026
