This Skinny Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo has all of the delicious rich and creamy flavor you love from traditional fettuccine alfredo but it’s lighter and much healthier, with no butter or heavy cream, and a fraction of the calories. If that’s not exciting enough, it’s made in the Instant Pot for a super quick and easy pasta (and even easier cleanup) that your family will LOVE!
I don’t think there are many people who would turn down a cream, cheesy, delicious bowl of fettuccine alfredo, but there’s really something exciting about taking such a high-calorie comfort food and tweaking it to still taste amazing, but be WAY healthier!
One big bowl of this healthier fettuccine alfredo pasta will barely cost you 400 calories. How’s that possible, you ask? It’s made with skim milk, instead of cream, and there’s not butter or cream cheese. The sauce also has chicken broth, few of my favorite spices, and fresh parmesan cheese, of course. It’s really flavorfully, and creamy, thanks to cornstarch as the thickening agent.
I adapted this recipe for the instant pot from my favorite one-pan skinny chicken alfredo recipe. The love how the instant pot takes all of the prep work out of it!
How to make Fettuccine Alfredo in the Instant Pot:
Start by sauteing the garlic in a little oil. Turn the Instant pot off and add the fettuccine noodles, broken in half so they fit into the instant pot.
Pour chicken broth over the noodles, making sure they are covered in liquid before securing the lid.
Cook the pasta on manual, high pressure for 3 minutes, with a 6 minute natural release.
Open the instant pot lid and give the pasta stir, breaking up any pieces that have stuck together.
Stir the cornstarch and milk together until smooth. Add it to the instant pot, along with the dried basil, parsley and onion powder. Stir it well and then and the freshly grated parmesan cheese. Add some salt and pepper and taste the sauce. Add additional seasonings if needed.
Turn the instant pot back to saute and stir the pasta gently until the sauce begins to thicken. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken significantly as it cools, so allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. You can always add some additional cheese or a little more cornstarch slurry, if needed, to thicken the sauce.
Want to add chicken to your fettuccine alfredo? No Problem!
Cut 1-2 chicken breasts into thin pieces, or use chicken tenders, so that they will cook through at the same cook time as the pasta. Brown the chicken in a little oil at the beginning, on saute setting, then remove it to a plate. Then add the chicken on top of the pasta before closing the instant pot lid and cooking.
Can I use gluten free pasta?
You can use gluten free pasta in this dish, but be mindful that it cooks a little fast than regular pasta. Cook for 2-3 min high pressure with a few minutes natural release.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, you can double the recipe, and use the same cooking time.
Don’t own an Instant Pot? No Problem!
If you don’t own an instant pot yet, you can make this same fettuccine alfredo in the stovetop with this recipe.
Don’t miss my other favorite Instant Pot recipes, including:
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Skinny Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo is rich and creamy, with a fraction of the calories of traditional alfredo. It's an easy instant pot pasta recipe that everyone is sure to love!
- 8 ounces fettuccine noodles , broken in half
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt and pepper
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk , skim or 1%
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Add oil to the IP and turn to saute. Once hot add garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Turn IP off.
Add pasta and chicken broth, making sure the noodles are covered in the liquid.
Turn valve to sealed and cook on manual (high pressure) for 3 minutes.
When the times beeps allow the pressure to naturally release for 6 minutes, before turning the valve to release remaining pressure and open the lid.
Stir pasta, breaking up any pieces that have stuck together.
Stir the cornstarch and milk together until smooth. Add to the instant pot, along with the dry spices and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Turn Instant pot to saute setting and stir gently until the sauce just begins to thicken. Turn Instant Pot off.
The sauce will thicken significantly as it cools, so allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. You can add additional cheese, if needed, to thicken the sauce.
Don't own an Instant Pot? Make this recipe in just one pan, on the stove-top, with this recipe.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Simone says
We had this for dinner and it was delicious! I have tried a few of your instant pot recipes so far and each one has been great. Thank you so much!
Jenny says
Yaass! You knocked it out of the park on this one. Fettuccine is my husband’s all time favorite pasta, but I don’t make it as often as he’d like because it normally takes too long. Not anymore! When I saw this was an IP recipe, I had to try it. And, as advertised, it was delicious. He loved it! Thank you for sharing.
Leanna says
Is the pasta al dente by the end, or softer?
Lauren Allen says
I think it is perfectly tender, not too soft.
Nanette F. says
I made this exactly as directed, and it was delicious. I doubled the recipe and my family gobbled it up. So easy in the Instant Pot, will make again for sure. Thank you for sharing.
Alicia says
I used your recipe for the first time on my new Insta pot. I doubled the recipe to use a whole box of pasta. I do not use chicken broth that was low sodium so I cut out half a cup of broth and substituted it with an extra half cup of milk=2.5 cups. I ran out of basil so I used Italian herb seasoning. It turned out amazing! My kids loved it. The noodles did stick together in some parts so I must try to arrange them better in the pot next time. Super recipe & it was quick & low fat! Thank you!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks Alicia, I’m happy you liked it!
Kelly says
For a lower fat version of something typically really high in fat, I am quite impressed! Not quite like the real thing of course but still delicious in its own way. And you don’t feel sick after like real rich alfredo usually makes me. Next time I will use more garlic though. Thanks for the recipe!
Mary says
This is by far the best chicken Alfredo recipe I have come across! I am pregnant and trying to eat healthier but all I am craving is pasta so this was a perfect match. Delicious and was so easy to make! I will definitely be making this again!
Jessi says
I love an recipe and really impressed my husband with it. I’ve nade it twice and doubled it both times. Only problem I’m having is that the cheese is clumping and the sauce isn’t getting as thick as id like. Any suggestions?
Lisa Verney says
Mines the same a bit soupy. It did thicken up putting it on the Sauté But it’s good I’d use less liquid next time perhaps.
Laura Kyer says
I love this recipe but my cheese clumps something terrible!!!
Mary Kate says
I made this tonight, and it turned out awesome. I know it’s not a full-fat alfredo sauce with cream, and I’m glad, because now I can include it in our dinner rotation regularly without worrying about the fat. I added one chicken breast, following your directions. I cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, salt and peppered them, then sauteed them in olive oil in the IP, along with the garlic according to the recipe. I then took the chicken out of the pot, added the noodles and broth, then added the sauteed chicken back on top of the noodles. I did not change the cook time, and 3 minutes cooked the chicken fully. Seriously, this was so darn tasty and super easy. Hubby and I both loved it. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Jeff says
Didn’t really follow the recipe procedure. Did it stove top as we added Aldi’s special Seafood ravioli! Yum! The milk and corn starch really helped make it lo fat! Sauteed onions, mushroom, and small shrimp and added to the Ravioli! Next time, the IP!
Abby says
It is one of the best, easy and quick recipes. My kids love it. Love it that its low fat so I can make it more often:-)