Name: Instant Pot Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cups chicken broth; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1.5 teaspoons salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 2 tablespoons butter; 8 oz fettuccine noodles (broken in half); 12 oz small (frozen raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)*); 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)

Instant Pot Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo is a savory, rich, and creamy one-pot meal. Thanks to your Instant Pot, you can have this fancy Italian seafood dish at home for a fraction of the cost!

a plate of shrimp alfredo with bread on a blue plate

Instant Pot Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo is a favorite at my house!

Plus, pairing shrimp with classic creamy pasta is a great introduction to seafood for kids. It’s truly a dish the whole family enjoys.

Looking for Instant Pot Alfredo or Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo? I have those recipes, too!

Top view of chicken alfredo in a dark bowl with fork and spoon surrounded by bread

Before I tell you how to make shrimp Alfredo in the Instant Pot, let me answer a few frequently asked questions about the ingredients.

What shrimp should I buy for Instant Pot shrimp fettuccine?

I recommend purchasing a 12-ounce package of small, frozen raw shrimp peeled and deveined. If you’re not familiar with cooking with crustaceans, peeled and deveined means to remove the outer crunchy shell and the vein down the back.

a pot full of shrimp alfredo in Instant Pot

Fun fact, the vein is actually a digestive tract and sometimes turns black from gritty sand. Luckily, most suppliers sell shrimp already peeled and deveined, making it easier to prepare at home!

I usually use small shrimp, but you can use any size shrimp you want. However, larger shrimp will take longer to cook.

You may also use fresh shrimp sautéed on the stove with butter, salt, and pepper. Add the sautéed shrimp at the end, either on top of or mixed into the fettuccine.

Can I substitute different pasta in Instant Pot fettuccine Alfredo?

If you’ve been around here long enough, you know that Instant Pot pasta is a controversial topic. In my opinion, cooking noodles in the Instant Pot does NOT produce the same result as stovetop pasta.

Check out this post for a convenient breakdown of the pros and cons of cooking pasta in an Instant Pot.

tongs holding shrimp alfredo in the Instant Pot

The biggest difference between stovetop and pressure-cooked noodles is the starch. Pressure-cooked pasta cooks so quickly it doesn’t have time to release starch.

dding back starch is a chef’s trick to thicken pasta sauces. The starch in Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo makes it extra thick, creamy, and delicious.

Fettuccine, linguine, and pasta shell noodles actually cook significantly better in the Instant Pot than spaghetti noodles. If you’re going to substitute the pasta in Instant Pot fettuccine Alfredo, I recommend using anything but spaghetti.

For best results, I recommend halving the cook time on the box of noodles and subtracting one minute. That means if the box of pasta says to cook for 10-11 minutes in boiling water, then pressure cook for 4 minutes (11/2=5.5-1=4).

Can I use gluten free pasta in Instant Pot fettuccine Alfredo?

Gluten free pasta is a lot more fragile than traditional pasta, so I do not recommend you use it unless you have a specific gluten free pasta you’ve pressure cooked with before and know the best cook time for.

Keep in mind that gluten free pasta usually absorbs more liquid.

How to make shrimp fettuccine Alfredo in Instant Pot

Add chicken broth, cream, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and butter to the Instant Pot.
Scatter the noodles over the liquid, alternating the direction of the noodles to prevent sticking. Pat the noodles down slightly to submerge them in as much liquid as possible.
Lock the lid, turn the knob to sealing, then pressure cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Allow a 5-minute natural pressure release.
Remove the lid, and stir the noodles and sauce together. Dump the bag of shrimp into the pot and stir. Replace the lid and let steam for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the noodles until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked.
Slowly sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and mix to combine. Serve immediately.

a bowl of chicken con broccoli on a dark background with orecchiette noodles — If you like this recipe, you’ll love my Instant Pot Olive Garden Copycat Chicken Con Broccoli Recipe!

Tips for Making Instant Pot Alfredo

Do not substitute the cream with milk or half or half. I usually recommend against using dairy as your cooking liquid for pressure-cooking. However, this recipe works because the heavy cream is diluted enough by the chicken broth to not burn. Cream, in comparison to milk, has very little to no sugar in it. It’s basically butter in liquid form and doesn’t burn or curdle as easily.
Scatter the noodles as evenly as possible. Having anything clumped will make the noodles stick together and they will not cook evenly.
Use shredded Parmesan cheese. If you grew up like me with a green can of Parmesan cheese for spaghetti, just remember to use that for red sauce or topping. To make this Instant Pot Alfredo recipe, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or pre-shredded Parmesan cheese. It will incorporate better and give the sauce a rich, nutty flavor. Yum!
Slowly add the cheese. If you add cold cheese to boiling hot liquid, it will seize, curdle, or clump. For best results, stir the noodles after pressure-cooking to release some of the heat and redistribute the sauce. Then add the cheese slowly while mixing. Do not add frozen cheese to the dish.

Quick tip: I actually like to take the cheese out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature before incorporating into sauces.

How to store and reheat Instant Pot shrimp fettuccine Alfredo

If you have leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Just like other pastas, fettuccine Alfredo dries out a bit after refrigeration, so you can add a little milk before reheating to add back some moisture.

What to serve with shrimp fettuccine Alfredo?

Adding shrimp to fettuccine Alfredo creates a hearty and filling meal. I love to serve this dish with crusty bread or breadsticks. Perfect for mopping up every last drop of creamy Alfredo sauce.

The creamy white sauce with pink shrimp looks beautiful and tastes wonderful when served with a green side dish. For example, serve this recipe with your favorite simple, crisp salad.

Or try it with a side of my perfect Instant Pot broccoli using my favorite steamer basket!

Quick Tip: My hungry kids tend to get impatient waiting for hot meals to cool. So I just add some frozen vegetables, like corn or peas, to their bowls! I usually use this trick for my soup recipes, but it applies perfectly here too.

Mix the fettuccine Alfredo and frozen veggies together and let it sit for a couple minutes. Mix again, and it’s the perfect temperature for kids!

The hot noodles and sauce warm up the frozen veggies, and the frozen veggies cool down the fettuccine. My favorite vegetable to add to fettuccine Alfredo is frozen peas. Yum!

Instant Pot Seafood Recipes

If you like Instant Pot shrimp fettuccine Alfredo, try these other yummy Instant Pot seafood recipes!

Instant Pot Italian/Pasta recipes

If you like Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo, here are a few other dishes to try!