This Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo with sausage is an easy one pot pasta dinner. It combines fettuccine with sausage, spinach and mushrooms in a rich and creamy cheese sauce. Using an Instant Pot means it is all cooked together for a quick and easy family dinner, ready in about 30 minutes.
One of my favorite things about using an Instant Pot is that you can make easy one pot dinners. I like to make a homemade dinner for my family most nights of the week, and the Instant Pot makes that quick and easy. Meals like Jambalaya and corned beef and cabbage are fast one pot Instant Pot meals.
This recipe for Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo with sausage is another easy one pot meal. It is a quick and easy comfort food dinner. I add some chicken sausage and veggies to a classic fettuccine alfredo recipe for a delicious all in one dinner.
Ingredients
Classic fettuccine alfredo combines noodles with a rich and creamy sauce made from Parmesan cheese. And this recipe includes all those ingredients.
But I also add in some vegetables and protein. My kids are not huge lovers of vegetables, but I find they are more willing to eat them when the vegetables are covered in creamy Alfredo sauce. Shocking, right?
So I take advantage of that and add in mushrooms, onions and spinach to this pasta dish. The vegetables add nutrition, make it more filling and adds color to the meal too. With added vegetables I don’t feel that I need to make any side dishes with this recipe, which is another time saver for me!
To add protein to the dish I include some Italian chicken sausage. I like to use chicken sausage because it is leaner than pork sausage but still has great sausage flavor. You could also substitute chicken breast or thigh if you prefer, or skip the meat completely.
This recipe will be best when made with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, not pre-grated cheese. Sometimes the pre-grated cheese has added fillers and preservatives which can make the sauce gummy or sticky.
Instant Pot Pasta
The Instant Pot makes it possible to cook the pasta and sauce in one pot at the same time. This is great for simplifying both cooking and clean up.
Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot isn’t difficult, but to be successful you do need to layer the ingredients as directed and follow the steps in order! Don’t try to cut corners or skip steps.
How to Make Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo
1. Saute the Onions, Mushrooms and Sausage
Start by putting the Instant Pot on saute and adding olive oil. Once it has heated up for a few seconds add mushrooms and onions and let them saute for a few minutes.
This will soften the onions and let the mushrooms start to release some of their liquid. After five minutes add the sliced chicken sausage to the Instant Pot and let it cook for 2 minutes to brown.
2. Deglaze the Instant Pot
Turn the Instant Pot off, and then add the chicken broth to the inner pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the inner pot with a wooden spoon to release any bits of stuck on vegetables or sausage.
Deglazing the Instant Pot is important because it reduces the chances of getting a burn error when the Instant Pot is brought to pressure.
3. Add the Pasta
Once the Instant Pot is deglazed add the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir it well to distribute the spices.
To fit the fettuccine into the pot you will need to break it in half. Once it is broken scatter it over the top of the ingredients in the Instant Pot, making sure the pasta goes in all different directions. DON”T STIR IT!
The pasta can overlap some, but it should cover most of the surface. Keeping the pasta in random directions will allow it to cook without sticking together.
Pour the cream over the top of the pasta. Push the pasta down so that it touches the liquid in the Instant Pot, but don’t stir it. The pasta should be on top but touching the liquid.
4. Pressure Cook the Meal
Put the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the seal is in place and the pressure valve is closed. Set the Instant Pot for Manual, high pressure, for 6 minutes.
I recommend 6 minutes of cooking time so that the pasta is cooked al dente. If you prefer your pasta to be soft then use 8 minutes for the cooking time.
It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure. Once the cooking has completed let the pressure release naturally for 6 minutes. Then use the pressure valve to release any remaining pressure manually.
5. Add the Cheese and Spinach
Take the lid off and stir the ingredients to mix. Then let the fettuccine alfredo rest for 2 minutes so the sauce thickens. This is an important step, don’t rush and skip this!
The sauce will by thin and runny at first, but it will thicken up nicely as long as you let it sit for a couple of minutes.
After 2 minutes stir in the parmesan cheese and spinach. Keep stirring until the cheese completely melts and the spinach starts to wilt. The cheese will melt into the sauce and help thicken it.
Does This Reheat?
This dish will taste best when it is served immediately. But if you have leftovers you can reheat it in the microwave. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so you might need to add some milk or cream as you reheat it.
How Many Servings Does This Make?
The nutrition card on the recipe reflect that this makes 3 servings. My children love pasta and always exceed the recommended serving size of 2 ounces of pasta per person so my nutrition calculation acknowledges that. They would never be happy if I stretched this recipe to serve 4 people.
So I’d say that this recipes makes four small servings, three reasonable servings or two large servings. So depending on what kind of pasta eaters you have you might need to adjust the amount you make.
Can I Double This Recipe?
You should be able to double recipe without changing anything else. Just make sure to scatter the pasta on top randomly so that it doesn’t stick together. There is no need to change the cooking time for a larger batch.
What to Serve With Fettuccine Alfredo
With the added vegetables I feel comfortable serving this as a complete meal. Sometimes I add a green salad to any meal because that is a welcome and easy addition to any meal.
But usually I just sprinkle on a little extra Parmesan cheese and serve it with a loaf of Italian bread. It is a quick and easy dinner the entire family will enjoy.
Instant Pot Fettuccine Alfredo with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4 ounces mushrooms chopped
- 6 ounces Italian chicken sausage sliced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces fettuccine broken in half
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Put the Instant Pot on Saute and add the olive oil. Let it heat for 2 minutes, then add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 4 ounces mushrooms, 1 onion
- Add the sliced Italian chicken sausage to the Instant Pot and continue to cook, stirring for 2 minutes.6 ounces Italian chicken sausage
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the chicken broth and stir to deglaze the pressure cooker. Make sure there are no bits of sausage or vegetables stuck to the bottom.2 cups chicken broth
- Add the garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix well.1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
- Break the fettuccine in half and scatter it on top of the other ingredients randomly. The pieces can overlap some, but make sure they go in all different directions. DO NOT STIR.8 ounces fettuccine
- Pour the heavy cream over the fettuccine. Push the pasta down into the liquid slightly so that it touches the liquid. The pasta should be on top but mostly touching the liquid.1 cup heavy cream
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot making sure the seal is in place and valve is closed. Set the Instant Pot for Manual, high pressure, 6 minutes.
- It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure. Once it is done cooking let the pressure release naturally for 6 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure and take the lid off.
- Stir the pasta and then let it sit for 2 minutes. The pasta will be runny at first, but will thicken as it cools.
- After 2 minutes stir in the Parmesan cheese and spinach. Continue stirring until the cheese melts and the spinach wilts.1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cups baby spinach
Notes
- You can use chicken breast or thigh instead of chicken sausage. Or leave out the meat completely.
- This recipes suggests 6 minutes for al dente pasta. If you prefer softer pasta cook it for 8 minutes instead.
- Fresh Parmesan cheese will make a creamier sauce than if you use pre-grated cheese.
- My Instant Pot recipes are tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot. Using a different brand or size could affect your results.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
