Instant Pot Copycat Parmesan Pasta Roni
Description
A creamy, garlicky, Instant Pot copycat of the classic Parmesan Pasta Roni — made from scratch with real cream, real parmesan, and half the sodium of the boxed mix. Ready in 15 minutes with one pot to clean.
Ingredients
- 8 oz thin spaghetti, or angel hair — see notes, broken in half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Layer the pasta. Break the pasta in half and add it to the Instant Pot in a criss-cross pattern (not all stacked the same direction) so it doesn't clump.
- Add the cooking liquid. Add the butter, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and broth. Make sure all the pasta is submerged — push any stray strands under the liquid with a spoon. Do not add the cream or parmesan yet.
- Pressure cook. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on Manual / Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes (or 1 minute if using angel hair). The pot will take 5–7 minutes to come to pressure.
- Quick release. When the timer beeps, carefully do a quick release using a long utensil (starches can spit). Open the lid once the pin drops.
- Finish off heat. Stir the pasta to loosen, then stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. The residual heat will melt everything into a glossy sauce in about 30 seconds.
- Taste and serve. Add black pepper and more salt to taste. Top with extra parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately — the sauce thickens as it sits.
Equipment
- 6-quart or larger Instant Pot / electric pressure cooker
- Microplane or fine grater (for the parmesan)
- Wooden Spoon
Notes
- Pasta shape matters. Thin spaghetti is the most forgiving in the Instant Pot. Angel hair works but reduce pressure time to 1 minute or it will overcook. Avoid regular spaghetti (cooks unevenly when broken).
- Why add cream after? Heavy cream added before pressure cooking sits at the bottom of the pot and scorches against the heating element, triggering the "burn" warning. Adding it at the end gives you a silkier sauce and zero burn-notice risk.
- Lighter version: Swap heavy cream for half-and-half and reduce parmesan to ⅓ cup. Saves ~250 calories per serving.
- Make it a meal: Stir in 1½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken, sautéed shrimp, or steamed broccoli florets with the cheese.
- Reheating: Use the stove with a splash of milk or broth — the microwave dries this out.
- Storage: Up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Don't freeze (cream sauce splits).
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 441kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 15gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 394mgPotassium: 281mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 794IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 190mgIron: 1mg