This Instant Pot fettuccine Alfredo is cheesy, easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Fettuccine with homemade Alfredo sauce is the perfect quick meal for the whole family on busy weeknights or leisurely weekends.
30 Minute Meal
Table of Contents
I’m a sucker for a good fettuccine Alfredo – one that’s creamy without being too runny, flavorful without being overpowering. And of course, one that’s easy to make. I can’t always go to Olive Garden after all.
This fettuccine Alfredo reminds me of the best Alfredo from my favorite restaurants with the added bonus that it’s made in the Instant Pot in under 30 minutes and I only have to clean one dish! I’m a big fan of Instant Pot recipes because they often cut the cooking time in half!
And plus, it’s super family-friendly, group-friendly, and busy life friendly. Perfect for pretty much everyone I know, especially if you don’t want to spend a long amount of time cooking!
If you’re craving something a bit on the lighter side, you may want to try this sheet pan teriyaki chicken or this almond chicken instead.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy dinner – it really doesn’t get much easier than adding simple ingredients to the Instant Pot and letting it do all the cooking for you! If you’re looking for an easy meal, this is it.
- No need for cooked noodles – similar to my meatball baked ziti recipe, you don’t need to cook the noodles before you add them into the main meal. They cook magically along with the sauce!
- Creamy sauce – the combination of the parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and chicken broth makes for an incredibly creamy alfredo with amazing flavor. It’s a bit of a thicker sauce (without even using a thickening agent) and really just delicious. Now I’m craving it again!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Just a few note about the ingredients to help you make the best choices!
- Fettuccine – while this recipe calls for fettuccine pasta, you could also use another flat and long pasta like linguine with the same results. I don’t recommend however using a short pasta like penne pasta. If you want to break the pasta up into smaller pieces before adding it to the sauce, you can, but it’s not necessary.
- Butter – A high-quality butter like Kerrygold is best in this recipe since it’s the base of the base, but you can use whatever you have on hand. You’ll need a 1/2 cup (one stick) or eight tablespoons of butter, and the butter and cream together is what makes this a nice and rich sauce.
- Chicken broth – chicken bone broth, chicken broth, and chicken stock all work just fine
How to make instant pot fettuccine alfredo
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is! Seriously – it’s only three steps to one delicious dinner. Or lunch. Or breakfast . Whatever you prefer – once you’ve tried it once, you may be craving it all day like I do!
Plus, it’s a one pot meal and the cooking is all pressure cooking, which means you get perfectly cooked pasta and a flavorful sauce! The other best part is because it’s a one pot meal, there’s only one pot to wash!
1 – mix the alfredo sauce
Turn the Instant Pot onto the saute setting then add your butter and saute it until it melts. If the butter begins to pop, you can place the lid on top to keep it from getting all over.
Once the butter is melted, add in the garlic powder, broth, cream, salt, and black pepper.
Stir all of this together to completely combine. You don’t need to let it cook, just stir it enough so it’s fully combined. The sauce will get plenty of minutes of cook time once the pasta is added.
2 – Cook the Fettuccine Pasta
Stir to completely combine then add in the noodles, making sure they are submerged under the sauce. It’s important they’re completely covered, just like if you were cooking regular noodles in pasta water.
Now it’s time to cook those noodles! Place the Instant Pot lid on top, close the vent, and hit the manual button. Select High Pressure and add 11 minutes for al dente or 12 minutes for a slightly softer noodle.
The Instant Pot will come to pressure and cook the noodles then it will turn off. Once the time is up, let it naturally release for 6 minutes (aka don’t touch it, just let it do its thing for 6 minutes after the time is up). Using the natural release will allow the pasta continue to cook at the high heat without getting any hotter.
After the six minutes, open the vent and do a quick release of any remaining pressure.
Remove the lid then check the noodles to make sure they’re cooked. Give it a good stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to really mix all that sauce together.
Tip!
If the noodles aren’t completely cooked (they should be but sometimes altitude does weird things to meals cooked in an Instant Pot), this is your one chance to cook the noodles a bit more. Put the lid back on and put them back on High Pressure for another 3-5 minutes depending on how much more the noodles need to cook. When the time is up, release the pressure immediately. If you add the cheese to the sauce (the next step), there’s no turning back and recooking the noodles.
3 – Finish the Sauce
Assuming the noodles are cooked properly, let them sit for two minutes then add in the grated parmesan cheese, stirring until the sauce is thickened.
4 – Garnish and Serve
Serve warm with a sprinkling of fresh herbs (I like parsley) for garnish and enjoy immediately.
What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo
Turn it into a restaurant quality meal by serving some of these with this easy pasta dinner!
- Quick breadsticks – garlic bread or just a good crusty bread would work too
- Spinach strawberry salad – a salad is always a good complement to pasta and this salad is the best!
- Roasted root vegetables – since the alfredo doesn’t have any veggies, these are a simple way to add some to your plate!
- Creamy lemonade – this delicious creamy drink is a great fruity
- Cannoli dip – if you can’t have cannolis for dessert, then this cannoli dip is a perfect alternative!
- Caprese salad skewers – this fun version of the classic Italian salad is a great option for a Alfredo side dish!
Expert Tips
Add some chicken to make this a full meal! While the fettuccine alfredo is cooking in the Instant Pot, warm up some of these grilled chicken strips (they only take five minutes) then combine with the noodles when they’re done!
Check your noodles before you add in the grated cheese to make sure they’re completely done. If you add the cheese in, there’s no going back. If you try to put everything back in the Instant Pot, the sauce will separate.
Break your noodles in half before adding them into the sauce to make it easier for them to completely submerge. They need to be submerged under the sauce to cook completely.
Use high-quality dairy ingredients for a better tasting sauce. We prefer Kerrygold butter, Kalona Super Natural heavy whipping cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. There are so few ingredients in this recipe that the quality of the ingredients does make a difference.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat by placing the noodles in an oven safe container into the cold oven and turning it to 350 degrees. Allow the noodles and alfredo sauce to come to temperature together in the oven. This is the best way to keep the sauce together and still tasting nice and rich like you want.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Melt the butter, add all of the sauce ingredients, and cook for a few minutes to let the sauce come together then add in your grated cheese and stir to combine. Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions then combine all together.
BEFORE you add the cheese, put the lid back on, close the vent, and cook the noodles on high pressure for another 2-3 minutes. Quick release when they’re done then add in your cheese and serve.
While the fettuccine alfredo is cooking in the Instant Pot, warm up some of these grilled chicken strips (they only take five minutes) then combine with the noodles when they’re done! You could also add bite size pieces of leftover rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken from another meal to make it Instant Pot chicken alfredo pasta!
Adding the grated parmesan cheese at the end once everything is cooked will naturally thicken the sauce. If you want it thicker for some reason, add a bit more parmesan cheese.
You can double the recipe – just make sure the noodles are completely submerged in the liquid in the Instant Pot. Also, I don’t recommend keeping leftovers of this because like any Alfredo sauce, when you reheat the sauce, it tends to separate and lose the creaminess of the sauce.
More Easy Dinners
If you’re looking for a great recipe that’s also simple to make, try out these other yummy dinners!
- Pizza loaf – a fun twist on traditional pizza! This one is always a family favorite!
- Sausage jambalaya – this one is as easy as adding a few ingredients to a pan and letting it cook itself!
- Ham fried rice – this better than takeout fried rice recipe can be on the table in under 15 minutes!
- Broccoli casserole with ritz crackers – broccoli, chicken, and cheese get cooked all together in this delicious and flavorful casserole!
- Gnocchi sorrento – a lemony pasta dish inspired by Sorrento in Southern Spain, this one’s a keeper!
Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 lb dried fettuccine noodles broken in half
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot onto the saute setting. Add the butter and melt. If the butter begins to pop, place the lid on the Instant Pot.1/2 cup butter
- Add garlic powder, chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.1/2 cup butter, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Add the noodles and stir to make sure they are completely submerged.1/2 lb dried fettuccine noodles
- Place the Instant Pot lid on top, close the vent, and hit the manual button. Select High Pressure and add 11 minutes for al dente or 12 minutes for a slightly softer noodle.
- Once the time is up, let it naturally release for 6 minutes (don't touch the vent, just let it release naturally). Then open the vent and do a quick release of any remaining pressure.
- Let it sit for 2 minutes then add in the grated cheese, stirring until the sauce is thickened.1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Serve immediately with fresh parsley for garnish.parsley
Wendy krug says
This is perfect for a busy evening. I’m making it with angel hair pasta to celebrate the Catholic feast day of Guardian Angels. Thank you for sharing it!
Dinah says
Hi there!
I want to make this right now but I only have 1 cup of heavy cream. Can I substitute evaporated milk for the 2nd cup of cream?
Thanks so much!
Britni Vigil says
I’ve never tried this substitution sorry, but if you do let me know how it turns out!
Amy says
Any idea if we should let it natural release when we redo and give more time on the noodles? I had to add another 3 minutes and was wondering…
Britni Vigil says
I just let the pressure out and mine were cooked but Instant Pots tend to be a tad different based on altitude.
Taryn says
This is amazing! I love how easy it is and my kids asked for seconds.
DANA DEVOLK says
Yes! I was looking for an easy dinner to make tonight, this will go great with out leftover grilled chicken, thanks so much!
Britni Vigil says
Yes, it’ll be perfect with grilled chicken!