Creamy Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo is made in 25 minutes with 7 simple ingredients and in 1 pot. Add rotisserie or diced chicken, or serve without as a comforting, creamy vegetarian pasta dinner.
Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo is a 1 pot, simple pasta recipe great for pressure cooker pros and beginners alike. This is a creamy, rich alfredo sauce flavored with garlic, salt, and pepper.
A classic Italian pasta dinner, fettuccine alfredo is a winning dinner for its fantastic flavors of garlic and cheese— and it's ease in making.
Garlic is sauteed in a bit of butter. Then pasta, broth, heavy cream, and salt + pepper are pressured cooked in the same pot. Freshly shredded parmesan cheese is melted into the noodles.
Dinner is ready in only 25 minutes.
A sprinkling of fresh herbs, like parsley or basil, elevate the rich and warming flavors of fettuccine alfredo. While adding leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken give it a boost of protein and make it an even heartier meal.
Quick and easy 1-pot Instant Pot recipes make making dinner seamless— and who doesn't love that?
Ingredients
The 7 simple ingredients needed to make Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo are:
- Heavy cream
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (sub with parmesan cheese)
- Vegetable or chicken broth (or use water)
- Fettuccine pasta
- Shallot
- Garlic + butter
- Salt + pepper
Pre-shredded cheese will not melt smoothly into the sauce due to the preservatives added to it. It will likely turn rubbery or not dissolve fully.
So if you can't find a block of the real deal Parmigiano Reggiano, don't stress. It's more important to make sure that whatever cheese you use is freshly shredded by you.
Step-By-Step Directions
Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo is made in 3 easy steps.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the butter. When melted, add the garlic and shallots and saute for 1 minute.
- Turn off saute and pour in the broth. Deglaze the bottom to ensure there is nothing stuck. Break the fettuccine noodles in half and add to the pot. Pour in the heavy cream, pressing down on the pasta to cover with the liquid. Add the salt and pepper.
- Seal the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Complete a controlled quick release of the steam when finished. This means to gently hold down the vent so that the steam comes out slowly rather than at full force. At full force, heavy cream will eventually shoot out with the steam and make a big mess.
- Remove the inner pot and set on a trivet. Wait 3 minutes, then add the cheese 1 cup at a time, mixing to melt and incorporate into the sauce between cups. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley or basil if desired.
💡 The general rule for pressure cooking pasta is to divide the lowest cook time on the package in half. Then subtract 1. For a more al dente pasta, subtract 2. Pressure cook on high for this amount of time.
If you'd like to add diced chicken, chop it into small pieces and cook with the butter during step 1 for 7-10 minutes, until cooked through. Add the garlic during the last minute.
You can also add shredded rotisserie chicken immediately before serving. Toss to coat with the sauce.
Cooking Tips
- Always shred the cheese and do not buy pre-shredded cheese
- Remove the inner pot from the outer pot and wait 3 minutes before adding the cheese. This will reduce the heat slightly and help to melt the cheese perfectly. If the cheese is added to the pasta when it's too hot, it will turn into rubbery strings.
The difference is that Parmigiano Reggiano is made in Italy while Parmesan cheese can be made anywhere. Essentially, Parmigiano Reggiano is the real version of Parmesan cheese, while the Parmesan cheese you find in local grocery stores is a close second.
The real deal, Parmigiano Reggiano, is best to use when making fettuccine alfredo. Parmesan cheese is the second best. But, we are so accustomed to using Parmesan cheese that you may not notice a big difference.
Parmigiano Reggiano has a deeply rich, nutty flavor. Parmesan cheese will taste slightly more acidic and salty.
Whether you use Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese, always make sure that you buy a fresh block and shred it yourself.
Yes you can. Grated Parmesan will actually melt better than pre-shredded. Grated Parmesan tends to be pretty salty, so you may need to reduce the amount of salt.
Serving
This recipe yields 4 servings of 6 ounces of pasta and sauce. It will feed 3-4 people, depending on portion size.
Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo is best served immediately. When the sauce sits for a while, it will appear clumpy. There is no need to worry, though, as it will turn smooth when reheating.
Fridge Storage: will keep for 5 days in the fridge.
Freezer Storage: not freezer friendly.
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Recipe
Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup shallot diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz fettuccine
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
- 4 cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups freshly shredded Parmigiano Reggiano sub with Parmesan
- 4 tablespoon fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute for 3 minutes. Add the butter to melt and when the pot starts counting down add the diced shallot. Add minced garlic with 30 seconds remaining.
- Turn off saute and pour in the broth. Deglaze the bottom of the pot to ensure pieces of food are not stuck to the bottom.
- Break the fettuccine noodles in half and add to the pot. Pour in heavy cream, pressing down on the pasta to cover. Add salt and pepper. Seal the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. For a more al dente pasta, pressure cook for 3 minutes. *You can also cook for the amount of time you normally cook fettuccine if you have a specific tenderness that you like, without affecting the taste of the sauce.
- Complete a controlled quick release of the steam when finished (lightly press on the steam release valve in short bursts until all steam is released to avoid heavy cream spraying out and making a mess).
- Remove the inner pot to another surface. Wait 3 minutes, then add the cheese 1 cup at a time, mixing to melt and incorporate into the sauce between cups. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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Megan Kahler
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! I did pressure cook for 6 minutes and I’m glad I did because my noodles were still a little adente which is good for us! After taking the lid off everything looked way too liquidy but after adding the freshly grated cheese it turned out perfect! Mixed in some rotisserie chicken and served with a salad. Yum!
Kristina
That sounds really good! I am glad it turned out well and you enjoyed it. 🙂
Kristen
I added 16oz of fresh mushrooms. I reduced the broth to 1 cup, layered like the recipe states and put the raw mushrooms on last. Closed the lid and cooked like the recipe states.
Liz
My family thought this was amazing!! And it was a good excuse to start using my IP again. Thanks for the terrific recipe!
Trecia
So where does the water or broth come into play??
Kristina
Step 2 states "turn off saute and pour in the broth".
John
To watery, slightly Al dente, would cook longer next time. There are better recipes out there.
Laura
Can this recipe be doubles in an 8 quart pot? If so would I adjust the time at all?
Kristina
Yes, you can double it in an 8 quart Instant Pot. There is no need to adjust the cook time. Enjoy!
S Simpson
This was easy to make and delicious, but when the cooking time was up and we quick-released it, about 30 seconds into the decompression, instead of steam, it was cream blowing out of the valve. We had a kitchen cabinet, refrigerator, and floor covered in heavy cream before it was contained...
Kristina
Oh no, I am sorry! I've updated the recipe to include a "controlled quick release".
Kim Lucero
If you use a different kind of pasta such as linguini should liquid or cook time be adjusted?
Kristina
Hi Kim- you should adjust the cook time for different pasta. You'll see in the recipe notes that the rule of thumb is to divide the time on the box by 2 and then subtract 1. Don't adjust the liquid unless you are adjusting the amount of pasta, and then you would do that proportionally (so for 8 oz of pasta use 1 cup of broth and 2 cups of heavy cream). Enjoy!
Sunrita
A perfect weeknight comfort dinner. So creamy and delicious. Loved by all!
Audrey
This was so easy and my pickiest child even ate it!
Meghan Cauthorn
Are the nutrition numbers correct? Are there really 1614 cal per 6 oz serving or is that for the whole recipe?
Kristina
Thanks for catching that! No, it is not 1614 per 6 oz. It is about 900. Most of the calories come from the heavy cream, but you can substitute with milk if you'd like a bit of a lighter version. The milk will need to be added once the noodles are cooked though, as it can't go under pressure without curdling.
Madeline
You gotta love a good alfredo and fast Italian is always a hit in my house! Thank you for sharing.
Lilly
This fettuccine is so delicious and comes together so quickly!
Jess
A fabulous instant pasta recipe! My family loves rich and creamy pasta sauces, and this was the perfect dinner!
Faith Still
Yum! I have never made pasta in the instant pot. I will have to try this. We always have a block of parmesan on hand. My boys love to slice it and eat it fresh.
Jill
I love instant pot meals, especially when they're this easy and delicious!! So good!
Libby Seaver
So creamy and delicious!
Served my slices of cooked, free-range chicken on the side.did not have parsley, so used fresh chopped rosemary from my garden! You can't mess this up! Really enjoyed it! We will add it to our weekly meals! Thank you so much!