You won’t believe how easy it is to make Instant Pot Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo with a super creamy, delicious sauce made from scratch. There’s absolutely no simpler or better way to make this recipe.
I’ve made this for dinner parties even and it turns out so good that everyone is raving about it. The sauce cannot be easier to make, so you can ditch that clumpy gluey store-bought alfredo sauce for good.
Why You’ll Love It
- Enjoy the convenience of having a restaurant-quality shrimp fettuccine alfredo right at your fingertips, thanks to the Instant Pot.
- The Instant Pot locks in the moisture, ensuring that every bite is a burst of luscious creaminess. The pasta absorbs the velvety alfredo sauce.
- Thanks to how simple it is to make amazing pasta in the Instant Pot, and how quickly shrimp cook through, this is one of those unbelievably easy weeknight meals that everyone loves. If you love shrimp as much as we do you will love this collections of Instant Pot shrimp recipes.
Jeri says: This IP shrimp alfredo is now my new go-to weeknight recipe!
Emily says: This shrimp and alfredo recipe was so great. My son couldn’t get enough of it. Also, it was so easy to make in the Instant pot!
» You will also like how easy it is to cook Instant Pot Frozen Shrimp.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter – I use salted butter to add additional flavor
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the most flavor, but you can use garlic powder or salt if you don’t have it.
- Chicken broth – I use regular sodium chicken broth so I don’t have to add much additional salt to the dish. If you use low-sodium, you will probably need to add additional salt beyond what is called for.
- Heavy whipping cream – You might be tempted to use half and half, but don’t. Stick with single, double, or heavy whipping cream. You cannot use milk in this recipe!
- Uncooked fettuccine noodles – You’ll need 1/2 of a 1lb package for 4 servings. You can double the recipe to serve 8, if you want.
- Shrimp – I always buy pre-shelled, cleaned and deveined shrimp to make it super simple. You can also buy them already cook and just need to add the to the pasta water to heat them up. Don’t add them frozen.
- Parmesan cheese – I really prefer to shred my own Parmesan cheese from a block, but if you don’t have that option, at least use a packaged freshly grated Parmesan – shaved or shredded. Don’t use a finely ground cheese or the unrefrigerated kind in the green can.
- Salt – This dish requires more salt than you might think to really bring out the flavors. Start with a teaspoon and continue adding until it starts to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Ground black pepper – This is optional. I like to grind fresh pepper over the top of the finished dish. Yum.
- Fresh thyme – or other fresh herb, like parsley or rosemary, for garnish
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus to make all of my recipes, but you can use any size or brand of electric pressure cooker. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more water to build steam.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t sauté the garlic any longer than a minute or it might burn and that leaves a very bitter taste.
- Since you’re cooking the cream, you need to add actual cream, not half and half or milk, which will curdle under pressure.
- Break the noodles in half and add them to the pot, pressing down to fully submerge. Just make sure the noodles are under the liquid so they get cooked properly. Breaking them in half really helps.
- If the sauce is still thin, allow the pasta to sit in the Instant Pot on Keep Warm for a few minutes to soak up the liquid. It will thicken as it sits. Just don’t let it sit too long or the sauce will become thick and dry.
Stovetop Directions
Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem!
Set a pot of water to boil on the stove top. When the water is boiling, add the fettuccine and cook for 10 minutes, until al dente.
Meanwhile, set a skillet on medium-high heat on the stove top. Add the butter to the pan. Add the shrimp to the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, remove and set aside.
Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, then add 3/4 cup cream and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and salt. Whisk well to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
Add the fettuccine to the sauce and stir to coat. Fill the plates with fettuccine, topped with shrimp, and garnish with fresh herbs.
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Instant Pot Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces (227 g) dried fettuccine noodles 1/2 a 1lb package
- 3/4 pound (340 g) shrimp shelled, cleaned and deveined
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (14 g) fresh thyme or other fresh herb for garnish
Instructions
- Turn on sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Add the butter. When melted, add the garlic and turn off sauté mode. Allow to cook for 30 seconds to a minute before adding the chicken broth and cream.
- Break the noodles in half and add them to the pot, pressing down to fully submerge.
- Lock on the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. When done, do a quick release (be careful when venting as this is a starchy pasta) with Keep Warm still on.
- Put the shrimp in the Instant Pot. Close the lid. Leave for 4 minutes to cook the shrimp.
- Open the lid and stir the pasta and shrimp. Add in the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- If the sauce is still thin, allow the pasta to sit in the Instant Pot on Keep Warm for a few minutes to soak up the liquid. Don’t let it sit too long or the sauce will become thick and dry. Serve with your desired garnish when the sauce is still creamy.
Notes
- Don’t sauté the garlic any longer than a minute or it might burn and that leaves a very bitter taste.
- Since you’re cooking the cream, you need to add actual cream, not half and half or milk, which will curdle under pressure.
- Break the noodles in half and add them to the pot, pressing down to fully submerge. Just make sure the noodles are under the liquid so they get cooked properly. Breaking them in half really helps.
- If the sauce is still thin, allow the pasta to sit in the Instant Pot on Keep Warm for a few minutes to soak up the liquid. It will thicken as it sits. Just don’t let it sit too long or the sauce will become thick and dry.
Nutrition
How Long to Cook the Pasta
Since everyone’s noodle preference is different, you might want to adjust the cooking time for the pasta. I personally think 6 minutes is the perfect time for fettuccine. It’s a great balance between al dente (with some bite remaining) and too soft.
If you like your noodles truly al dente, cook the pasta for 5 minutes. If you like your noodles really soft, cook them for 7 minutes. If you’re not sure, go with 6 minutes. I think most people will find the 6 minute pasta to be just right.
Do I Have to Use Shrimp?
Shrimp is fantastic in this recipe and it’s very quick and easy to cook. I definitely recommend trying it to see how you like it. However, you don’t have to use any protein in this dish. Leave the shrimp out to make a vegetarian meal.
You can also add chicken to this dish instead. The chicken will need to be cooked with the pasta. To add chicken, slice raw chicken into strips and add it on top of the dried pasta. Cook it for 6 minutes along with the pasta. You can then remove it and cut it into smaller pieces, shred it, or leave it in strips, as you wish.
Won’t the Pasta Be Too Liquidy?
You might think that adding 3 cups of liquid will make the sauce too watery in the end, but it doesn’t. Trust me. The pasta will continue to soak up some of the remaining liquid as it rests.
Don’t get worried and dump out the water. Once you add the cheese and let it melt, stir it all up, and let it sit for a few minutes, it will be perfect.
If it’s too liquidy for you, just let it sit a little longer and it will firm right up.
Other Pasta Recipes to Try in the Instant Pot
Once you see how truly easy it is to cook pasta in the Instant Pot you will want to try more.
- Simple Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
- Instant Pot Lasagna
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Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.
This IP shrimp alfredo is now my new go-to weeknight recipe!
This shrimp and alfredo recipe was so great. My son couldn’t get enough of it. Also, it was so easy to make in the Instant pot!
I never knew I could make shrimp in the instant pot! Awesome!
Easy and delicious; this recipe is a winner!
My family and I love pasta so much, and I am so excited to make this recipe for everyone. Yummy!
Was way too much liquid. I use almost of the cheese that was called for. 2 cups is a huge amount. Cooked it longer than I needed to. I cook daily so I know what I’m doing. Won’t try this again
2 cups isn’t a huge amount of water to cook pasta in. It soaks up a lot of water when it cooks and even though it might be liquidy when you open the lid, it continues to soak up water until none is left. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times and anything less than 2 cups of water would end up with dry hard pasta. Perhaps it’s an altitude thing or the pasta we’re using is different. Otherwise I can think of no other reasons yours didn’t turn out well.
I used some shrimp that I had cooked the day before. It worked perfect to add them just to warm them up at the end. Great recipe!
I was so shocked by this recipe. It is absolutely delicious! I will definitely keep this to use again.