Creamy Garlic Parmesan Instant Pot Pasta with Broccoli

This instant pot pasta is one of the quickest, easiest meals ever which makes it one of my favorites on a busy weeknight! This creamy garlic pasta comes together in just minutes and is loaded with tons of nutty Parmesan flavor along with tender-crisp broccoli.

You Will Love This

• It’s quick and easy! This may seem like a given with the instant pot, but this alfredo pasta is a seriously super quick meal. Everything cooks right in the instant pot which means it’s a mostly hands off meal and clean up is a breeze!
• If you loved this penne alfredo recipe, be sure to check out my:
  • 15 Minute Creamy Pesto Pasta
  • 20 Minute Penne Pomodoro Pasta
  • 15 Minute Creamy Tomato Pasta

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Fresh Garlic + Garlic Powder – I like to use fresh minced garlic in combination with garlic powder in this recipe for extra garlic flavor. You can certainly leave one out if you want to limit the garlic, but we’re all garlic lovers in my house – and the flavor is amazing!
• Dried Oregano – Dried oregano adds a delicious herb flavor to the sauce and the pasta. Feel free to replace with Italian seasoning if that’s all you’ve got on hand.
• Broccoli – Stick with fresh broccoli for this recipe so that it comes out perfectly tender, yet crisp.
• Pasta – I use penne for this recipe, though any noodle that is similar will work just as well. Please see the “Tips” section below for how to figure out the cooking time for other types of pasta.
• Vegetable Broth – If you aren’t worried about keeping this dish vegetarian, feel free to use chicken broth in place of the veggie broth.
• Heavy Cream – Stick with heavy cream for the best flavor and texture. Whole milk or half and half just aren’t going to give you the same result.
• Parmesan Cheese – I like to get a wedge of fresh Parmesan cheese and grate it myself using my food processor. Freshly grated Parmesan melts better than pre-shredded cheese.

Instructions

Turn the instant pot to the sauté function and add olive oil. Sauté minced garlic, oregano, and garlic powder along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper for a minute, stirring frequently.

Add a splash of veggie broth to help deglaze the pan if the garlic is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then add broccoli.

Add pasta, remaining vegetable broth, and heavy cream along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.

Stir to combine, seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Use the quick-release vent and gently press on it to remove the steam.

Remove the lid, stir once, then let it sit for 3 minutes. Add shredded Parmesan cheese.

Stir until cheese melts.

Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper and enjoy!

Tips

• You can double this instant pot pasta recipe with ease! If you’re feeding a crowd, make double batch but cook it for the same amount of time.
• Use a controlled quick release instead of a natural release for this recipe so the pasta doesn’t overcook and you don’t end up splattering hot cream all over the kitchen! Flip the pressure valve to “Venting” and then quickly back to “Sealing” allowing the steam to release in short bursts. Continue releasing the pressure in short bursts until no cream is coming out and just steam is being released. Once remaining pressure is released and the float valve drops, you can remove the lid.
• After you remove the lid, be sure to let the pasta sit for a a few minutes after cooking. The pasta needs time to cool so that the Parmesan can melt properly into the sauce. Don’t rush this part!
• Your cooking time will vary slightly depending on what type of pasta you use. Check the package directions, find the lowest recommend cooking time, divide that in half and subtract 1. That will give you the length of time required to cook your pasta in the instant pot. For example if your pasta has a recommended cooking time of 10-12 minutes, your math will look like this:
  • 10 / 2 = 5
  • 5 – 1 = 4
  • Cooking Time = 4 minutes
• If your pasta only lists an odd number for the cooking time, round down to the nearest even number. So if the cooking time is listed as 11 minutes, round down to 10 and then start your formula.
• I find that this pasta recipe works best with regular pasta as opposed to gluten-free pasta, brown rice pasta, or whole wheat pasta.

FAQ

Storage and Reheating

• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 
• Reheating: Reheat pasta along with a splash of broth in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until warmed through. Season to taste before serving!

Easy Instant Pot Recipes