Name: Ziti with Sausage and Peppers
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 28 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: Modern
Ingredients: 1 lb frozen hot or mild Italian sausage ((pork or turkey; gluten-free if that is a concern), cut into 1‑inch pieces); 3 cups plain marinara or spaghetti sauce (24‑ounce jar ); 2 cups chicken broth; 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning blend; 1 lb frozen bell pepper strips (4 cups, any color); 12 ounce dried ziti (or gluten-free dried ziti); 6 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese ((1 1/2 cups))

Ziti with Sausage and Peppers

By :From Freezer to Instant Pot Cookbook by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

The best sausage for this sort of easy pasta casserole are the fat links that come five or six to a package. (Or, of course, honest-to-God Italian sausages from an Italian butcher. But who would freeze those instead of grilling them right up and snarfing them down?) If you haven’t thought in advance to slice the sausages into 1-inch bits before freezing them, don’t worry. Sausages are so full of fat that they slice easily, even when frozen.

Course

Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine

Modern

Difficulty

Easy

Browse Category

Rice & Pastas

Duration

30-60 min

Cooking Technique

Max Pressure Cook, Pressure Cook, Sauté

Main Ingredient

Italian Sausage

Prep Time

3 minutes

Cook Time

28 minutes

Servings

4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 lb frozen hot or mild Italian sausage (pork or turkey; gluten-free if that is a concern), cut into 1‑inch pieces
3 cups plain marinara or spaghetti sauce 24‑ounce jar
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning blend
1 lb frozen bell pepper strips 4 cups, any color
12 ounce dried ziti or gluten-free dried ziti
6 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 cups)

Course

Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine

Modern

Difficulty

Easy

Browse Category

Rice & Pastas

Duration

30-60 min

Cooking Technique

Max Pressure Cook, Pressure Cook, Sauté

Main Ingredient

Italian Sausage

Prep Time

3 minutes

Cook Time

28 minutes

Servings

4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 lb frozen hot or mild Italian sausage (pork or turkey; gluten-free if that is a concern), cut into 1‑inch pieces
3 cups plain marinara or spaghetti sauce 24‑ounce jar
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning blend
1 lb frozen bell pepper strips 4 cups, any color
12 ounce dried ziti or gluten-free dried ziti
6 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese (1 1/2 cups)

Instructions

Press the button SAUTÉ. Set it for HIGH, MORE, or CUSTOM 400°F and set the time for 10 minutes.
Mix the sausage, marinara, broth, and seasoning blend in an Instant Pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until many wisps of steam rise from the liquid. Turn off the SAUTÉ function; stir in the bell pepper strips and ziti. Lock the lid onto the pot.
Option 1 Max Pressure Cooker
Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 5 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Option 2 All Pressure Cookers
Press Meat/Stew or Pressure cook (Manual) on High pressure for 6 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off. The valve must be closed.
Use the quick-release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal. Unlatch the lid and open the cooker. Stir in the shredded cheese. Set the lid askew over the pot and set aside for 5 minutes to melt the cheese and let the pasta continue to absorb excess liquid. Serve by the big spoonful.

Recipe Notes

Beyond
• Use any frozen vegetables you like. But since pepper strips are classic, don’t ditch them entirely, even if you want to add other frozen vegetables.
Consider 8 ounces frozen bell pepper strips plus 8 ounces of another vegetable, even frozen chopped onion.
• Skip the purchased Italian seasoning and make your own blend: Combine 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds.
• Garnish the servings with stemmed and minced fresh herbs, particularly parsley and oregano.
• And/or drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over each serving.

From Freezer to Instant Pot Cookbook by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

The ultimate INSTANT POT convenience cookbook, with 75 recipes for delicious meals straight from your freezer to the table in minutes, no thawing required. Have you ever come home at the end of a long day, pulled an ice-coated lump of meat out of the freezer, and thought, "Can I eat this tonight?" With this book and your Instant Pot, the answer is a resounding "Yes." Here, you'll find 75 recipes and tons of strategies for cooking quick, flavorful one-pot meals with frozen ingredients, all with zero thaw time and no advance prep necessary. Each recipe gives timings and ingredients for every 6- and 8-quart model of Instant Pot, including the new Instant Pot Max. Just open your freezer, lock on the lid, and cook! You'll be eating dinner in no time. The Instant Pot transformed the way you feed your family. Now you can get even more out of your Instant Pot with these delicious, straight-from-the-freezer, one-and-done meals for every occasion. These satisfying meals include hearty stews and casseroles, savory roasts, healthy sides, and everything in between. You'll enjoy: • Butternut Squash Bisque • Ground Beef Lo Mein • Ziti with Sausage and Peppers • Italian-Style Braised Pork Chops • French Dip Sandwiches • Chicken Fajitas • Sweet and Sour Shrimp • And much more! About the authors: Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough are the bestselling authors of the Instant Pot Bible, among more than 30 other cookbooks. They are the owners of mediaeats, a culinary production company, were nominees for 2011 and 2015 James Beard Awards, won the 2015 IACP Award, and are the longest-serving columnists on WeightWatchers.com, as well as regular contributors to the Washington Post, Fine Cooking, and Cooking Light.