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Pasta Alfredo (Instant Pot)

fettuccinealfredoPerhaps the creamiest, cheesiest sauce ever, Alfredo is a gift from the Roman God named Alfredo. Okay, I made that last part up. Nevertheless, this is probably the most decadent one you'll ever have. Why? Find out.

3-4 cups garlic or chicken broth (e.g. 3-4 tsp. Garlic Better Than Bouillon + 3-4 cups water
1 (1 lb) pkg fettuccine
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) salted butter, divided in half
1½-2 cups heavy cream (preferred) or half & half (see yellow “Jeffrey Sez” section)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 (5.2 oz) pkg Boursin herb cheese (any flavour) or 4 oz of a brick of cream cheese

Add the broth to the Instant Pot. In batches, break the fettuccine in half so it fits in the pot and layer in a criss-cross fashion between batches. (NOTE: Sorry, nonnas. I’m aware that breaking pasta in half is an Italian sin, but I assure you the noodles will still feel plenty long. Besides, this also ensures even cooking and creates more portions.). DO NOT STIR the noodles, but rather just press down on them until they’re mostly submerged in the broth (it’s okay if some of the noodles stick above the broth). Top with half the stick of butter.

Secure the lid, move the vale to the sealing position, and hit Manual or Pressure Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes. Quick release when done.

When the lid comes off, give everything a stir (NOTE: If any noodles seem slightly fused together, keep stirring and lightly separating with the spatula.The noodles should separate easily.)

Add the remaining half stick of butter and stir everything in the pot with a wooden spatula until the butter’s melted.

Lastly, add in the cream, Parmesan, garlic powder, pepper and Boursin. Stir until totally melded, about 1 minute and let rest for 5 minutes to fully come together.

Serve immediately and top with freshly cracked black pepper, if desired. Goes great with garlic bread.

Makes 6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

  • I’m giving you a range to use either 3 or 4 cups of broth. If you use 3, it will be a much thicker sauce shortly after adding the dairy in Step 5. If you want a slightly thinner sauce that will thicken a bit more slowly, use 4 cups. Even if it seems a bit thin at first, it WILL thicken significantly within 20 minutes of resting. Just remember that a rich dairy sauce such as this will continue to absorb into a pasta as it rests, meaning the less broth added, the thicker and lesser of the sauce as it cools. But you can always add more cream to thin it out and reconstitute it should you wish.
  • If you’d rather use linguine, which is slightly thinner than fettuccine, pressure cook for only 6 minutes instead of 7. Everything else remains the same.
  • Use up to 2 cups cream or half & half to make it even creamier and a slightly thinner sauce.
  • Want chicken added? Before Step 1, simply add hit Sauté on High/More and add in ¼ cup of butter to the pot. Once melted, add in 1 pound of chicken breast that’s diced into bite-sized pieces. From there, continue with Step 1 but only top the noodles with ¼ stick of butter instead of half a stick before pressure cooking so we have the same amount.
  • Want peas or diced ham added? Stir them in just after Step 5.
  • IMPORTANT: Due to all the dairy in the sauce, this dish is best eaten immediately after making it. When a dish of this nature begins to just sit in the pot for a while the sauce is prone to separate. SO if you have leftovers, store in the fridge immediately after serving. When reheating in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, add a little more cream to revive and stir halfway through. Then, stir in more Parmesan as desired to thicken.