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Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo

February 14, 2020 by Sandy 64 Comments

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Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo

Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo is a rich, delicious pasta recipe. With chicken and spinach, or without (but with is so much better!), this is a pressure cooker Tortellini Alfredo that you will want to make often. Serve this easy Instant Pot recipe to your guests, and they will love it!

pressure cooker Tortellini Alfredo in grey bowl on wooden board

Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo

Newer Instant Pot cooks are often surprised to learn that they can make a pasta meal in their pressure cooker. I enjoy teaching how to do this!

Tortellini are little pastas that are filled with cheese, pesto, or even a meat filling. They are round, and resemble a belly button, which is a nickname for them. Personally, I don’t see it, lol!

When I decided to make this Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo recipe, it occurred to me that I could add some chicken. Then some spinach at the end and have a one pot meal! This is optional.

The steps to make this yummy Tortellini Alfredo recipe are easy:
cooking the bacon, onion, adding broth, tortellini
Adding chicken, cheese, spinach

I’ve had people ask me why I would make this in the pressure cooker. My answer is because I can!

I like the one-pot aspect of it. I don’t have to boil water in a separate pot, and the tortellini soaks up all of the great flavors of the garlic, cream, and chicken broth.

It really is better, in my opinion. Give Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo a try and let me know how you like it!

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If you make this delicious pressure cooker Tortellini Alfredo, please leave a comment with a star rating below. I would like to know how you liked it!

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4.67 from 21 votes
pressure cooker Tortellini Alfredo in grey bowl on wooden board
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Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
14 mins
Total Time
39 mins
 

Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo with chicken and spinach is so amazingly flavorful and rich. This is a tasty Instant Pot one-pot pasta meal. Make this pressure cooker Tortellini Alfredo when you want the best comfort food!

Course: Dinner, pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pressure cooker tortellini
Servings: 5
Calories: 563 kcal
Author: Sandy Clifton
Ingredients
  • 3 slices Bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 small Sweet Onion (or 1 lrg shallot), diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced (or 1-2 tsp garlic powder)
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
  • 3/4 cup Heavy Cream (or half and half)
  • 1/4 tsp Coarse Salt (more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper
  • 20 oz Tortellini, pesto or cheese is good (refrigerated)
  • 2 Chicken Breasts (boneless/skinless) cut in thirds
To Finish
  • 4 oz Cream Cheese, cut in small pieces
  • 3 cups Fresh Baby Spinach
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. Turn on the pot's sauté setting. Add the bacon and cook until about halfway done, stirring occasionally.

  2. Add the onion and cook a few minutes, until translucent.

  3. Add the garlic and stir.

  4. Stir in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to get up all of the browned bits (deglaze).

  5. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and the tortellini.

  6. Place the chicken on top of the pasta.

  7. Place the lid on the pot and lock in place. Turn the steam release knob to the Sealing position.

  8. Cancel the sauté setting. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button (or dial), then the +/- button (or dial) to select 4 minutes (3 minutes for a firmer tortellini).

  9. When the cook cycle ends, do a controlled Quick Release of the pressure (controlled QR is when you release the steam in short bursts so the force of the escaping pressure doesn't bring the sauce out with the steam. Keep doing short bursts until you are sure no sauce will spew out with the steam, then turn the knob fully).

  10. When the pin in the lid drops down, open the lid. Remove the chicken and gently shred or cube it, then add it back in.

  11. Add the cream cheese and stir gently and allow the cheese to melt.

  12. Add the spinach and gently stir. Let it start to wilt, then gently stir in the parmesan.

  13. Serve.

Recipe Notes

It will have a fair amount of sauce, and will thicken as it cools.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Instant Pot, Pasta, Recipes

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Comments

  1. Heidi R.G. Weinert

    March 5, 2020 at 7:00 pm

    I remember reading in the long list of instant pot don’ts that you are supposed to wait until after cooking to add any dairy products before pressure cooking. Am I in error? I feel a bit frustrated by everything it can’t do. I am still kind of wondering what all the hype was about.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 16, 2020 at 1:26 pm

      High fat dairy is okay to use. I wouldn’t pressure cook any dairy with less fat than half-and-half.

      Reply
  2. Kelly

    March 3, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    Very delicious! It was a bit soupy but nothing that a little cornstarch couldn’t fix. My family loved it. It was very flavorful too.i did use dry tortellini and cooked it separately in a pot. Then added it after mixing everything at the end.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 4, 2020 at 11:08 am

      Thank you, Kelly. It was probably a little soupy as the tortellini wasn’t cooked with it to soak up the liquid. I’m so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  3. William Farrell

    February 17, 2020 at 12:29 pm

    The first time that I made it it was delicious. The second time I omitted the chicken but added mushroom as suggested. Then at the end I added raw shrimp with the spinach and Parmesan and cooked until the shrimp were pink. Very good!

    Reply
  4. Lindsay

    February 12, 2020 at 9:29 am

    Make sure you add the cream cheese AT THE END. I goofed this step and got the food burn alert. Otherwise pretty tasty, I subbed in half and half for the cream and added some chopped mushrooms.

    Reply
  5. Sue McDonald

    June 16, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    This is hands down my family’s favorite Instant Pot recipe. I am so appreciative of those who have taken the time to publish recipes like this. I am not a cook but I am a fan of eating so all the work that someone does to make these recipes is very much appreciated! We have made this recipe several times and it comes out perfect always!

    Reply
    • Sandy

      June 17, 2019 at 10:24 am

      Thank you, Sue! I’m so happy you like this recipe.

      Reply
  6. Toni C.

    June 5, 2019 at 6:38 am

    Making this tonight but would love to add broccoli. Should I steam the broccoli in a separate pot or do you think it would be fine to put in the instant pot with the rest?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      June 5, 2019 at 8:32 am

      Hi Toni, I would steam it first and add it after cooking. It’s possible that frozen broccoli, if the florets aren’t too large, can go in and cook in the residual heat (rinse it in hot water first). It will be al dente.

      Reply
  7. Susana Banana

    April 5, 2019 at 3:53 am

    Made this last night. My grocery store had a sale on tortellini but the packages were only 9oz each. This worried me because I thought it would come out soupy. It didn’t. In fact, I thought it was lacking liquid. I was wrong. It was the perfect amount of liquid. The chicken was good too. I added about 1.5 cup more of parm cheese because my friend who’s a Wisconsin native was over. The pot was empty by the end of the night. My son made it a point to tell me how much he liked it before going to sleep and asked me to make it more often. Going to add mushrooms next time. Thanks for this fabulous and easy recipe!

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 5, 2019 at 11:03 pm

      That’s so sweet! I’m glad you and your son enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply
  8. David Yon

    March 11, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    This has become a standby favorite for me and my boys. To quote Peter Sagal, “Everything is better with bacon” (ok, maybe that’s a paraphrase). The only thing I do differently is to use thin-sliced chicken breasts and lay them down whole on top before pressure-cooking. I then take them out and dice them while wilting the spinach and then put them back in.

    Absolutely every time I’ve tried an Instant Pot recipe which calls for diced white meat it always comes out dry and tough. So I just thin-slice, cook, then dice afterward. So much better.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 12, 2019 at 12:11 pm

      That’s great! Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  9. Elli

    February 26, 2019 at 12:39 pm

    Did you make this in a 6qt?
    I’ve got a 3qt so I would halve it?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      February 26, 2019 at 2:33 pm

      I did make it in the 6 qt. You might be able to just reduce it by 1/3.

      Reply
  10. rachel

    February 24, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    i am out of onion! and shallots – can I use anything else or just continue to make it without it?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      February 24, 2019 at 2:47 pm

      Onion powder would work, or just leave it out this time.

      Reply
  11. Jill

    February 21, 2019 at 5:09 pm

    Very yummy turned out great !!
    I did 3 min with a slow gradual release timer was at 7 min when I opened it

    Reply
  12. Alexa

    February 19, 2019 at 5:18 pm

    How long of a cook time for frozen chicken breast and this same recipe?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      February 19, 2019 at 5:38 pm

      Since you won’t be able to slice it up, It may not cook in the 4 minute cook time. If you can run the chicken under cold water and thaw it enough to cut it crossways into 3 pieces, it should cook in the 4 minutes. The tortellini can’t cook longer than that as they will get too soft.

      Reply
  13. Madison

    January 29, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    I made this dish last night and it was very good. I wish the sauce was a little bit thicker, but overall a good dish.

    Reply
  14. Trudy

    January 10, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    Delicious recipe. This is my second time fixing it and it always comes out perfect, I even doubled it this time for extra. Everyone loves it.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      January 10, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      That’s great, Trudy! I’m happy you liked it. Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  15. Megan

    January 7, 2019 at 7:12 pm

    Tried this tonight for dinner and my husband really liked it ! The recipe was easy to follow and it was not too soupy or too dry it was just right ! He did say the bacon flavor did “overwhelm” the dish a little so if your not the biggest fan of bacon this might not be the recipe for you! But all in all he enjoyed it and everything was cooked perfectly!!

    Reply
    • Sandy

      January 7, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      That’s good to know. Though he may be the first man in the world to say there is too much bacon, lol! Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  16. Katie

    October 15, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    I’m not sure what I did wrong, but mine was borderline dry when I opened the pot. No worries– I just added a combo of milk and cream until I got it to the right consistency. But had I not added more liquid, by the time the cream cheese melted–and certainly before adding the parmesan–i would have hardly been able to turn the spoon for it’s thickness! I’m scratching my head trying to figure out how other folks had a “soupy” problem.
    But most importantly, it was delicious!!! I used a package of diced pancetta for the bacon (it’s what I had on hand), and I added some salt and pepper on top of the chicken before closing the lid to cook. Those were my only changes, aside from the necessary milk addition, to the recipe. I will certainly make again. I may add mushrooms or sundried tomatoes to a future batch. Rich and filling and creamy and delicious–everything one would want from an Alfredo pasta.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      October 16, 2018 at 10:01 pm

      Ho Katie, I’m glad you liked it. I think the soupy or not soupy is due to not weighing the pasta. I’m not sure though. I weigh mine and it works every time!

      Reply
  17. Patty

    October 12, 2018 at 11:00 am

    I have some leftover cooked chicken. Thinking of making this again, but using the leftover chicken instead of raw chicken. Should I adjust the time?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      October 13, 2018 at 11:01 am

      Just add it in after cooking and let it heat through. The pasta needs the time to cook so keep it the same.

      Reply
  18. Jennie

    September 10, 2018 at 4:18 pm

    Totally bummed!! Smelled great, but chicken was still pink, tortellini way over cooked and very soupy. Very disappointed ?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      September 10, 2018 at 10:45 pm

      Oh no Jennie! Did you cut the chicken in bite sized pieces (cubed)? How long did you cook it. I give two times, and 3 minutes for a firmer tortellini works well.

      Reply
      • Kathleen A Schenck

        January 22, 2021 at 4:38 am

        Confused…do you leave the chicken breasts cut into thirds, or cut into bite size pieces?

        Reply
        • Sandy

          January 25, 2021 at 7:57 am

          Remove it and shred or cube it. Then add it back in.

          Reply
  19. Patty

    August 29, 2018 at 6:46 am

    This dish reminds me of an expensive dish in a restaurant. So delicious and easy to make. I will be making this again. So rich and creamy. I used half cream and half half and half. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      August 29, 2018 at 9:40 am

      Hi Patty, I’m so glad you liked this recipe! I just made a batch a few days ago! Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  20. Rebecca

    August 4, 2018 at 2:41 pm

    If I double the recipe, same cook time? Also, would I double the chicken breasts.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      August 4, 2018 at 4:26 pm

      Hi Rebecca, the cook time will stay the same. Double the chicken only if you like more meat in the dish.

      Reply
  21. Bob

    May 28, 2018 at 10:04 pm

    Tonight I made the Instant Pot Tortellini Alfredo. Came out delicious….and I’ll be making more of this in the future! I made exactly to your recipe. The two others in my family love it.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      May 30, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      Thanks, Bob! I appreciate your review!

      Reply
  22. Morgan

    April 26, 2018 at 9:28 am

    I would like to make this for dinner, but it’s just my husband and I. If I cut everything in half, will the cook time still remain the same?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 26, 2018 at 11:19 am

      Hi Morgan, yes, the cook time will be the same.

      Reply
  23. Oksana

    April 18, 2018 at 10:32 am

    I made those yesterday. Delicious!!!!! So so creamy. I forgot to put chicken pieces but it turned out yummy anyway)) Awesome recipe. Will do it again for sure

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 18, 2018 at 10:53 am

      That’s great, Oksana! I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  24. Sruti

    April 17, 2018 at 2:15 pm

    Hi Sandy! I am interested in making this recipe but I only have dried tortellini. The cook time on that says 16-18 minutes. How long do you think I should put it on manual?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 17, 2018 at 2:53 pm

      Hi Sruti, for dry pasta my rule of thumb is half the time the package directions call for. I would try the shortest time first, so 8 minutes. If you decide to add chicken breasts, leave them in large pieces so they don’t overcook. Maybe just cut them in half. Let me know how it works please, as I’m sure others will want to know!

      Reply
      • Sruti

        April 20, 2018 at 12:36 pm

        I made this vegetarian by adding mushrooms and the cook time of 8 minutes worked out great. Thanks for your help!

        Reply
        • Sandy

          April 20, 2018 at 12:59 pm

          That’s great, Sruti! Thank you for letting me know!

          Reply
  25. Susan E Roe

    April 16, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    JUST MADE THIS WONDERFUL RECEPI CHICKEN ALFREDO TORTELLINI, ONLY THING I DID DIFFERENT I ADDED BABY PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS, TO ALL OF THE OTHER INGREDIENTS,AND USED 5 SLICES CUT UP MICROWAVE BACON, SO I ADDED JUST A TINY BIT OF OLIVE OIL, IT WAS THICK, IT WAS SO GOOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH , I WILL MAKE THIS ONE AGAIN,IT WAS EASY PEASY TO MAKE, THAT IS A GOOD THING
    SUSAN

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 16, 2018 at 2:01 pm

      Hi Susan, I’m so glad you liked it, and made it your own! Thank you for the nice review!

      Reply
  26. Adain

    April 14, 2018 at 12:36 am

    This was really good! So rich and yummy! We loved it!

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 14, 2018 at 12:37 am

      Thanks Adain! I’m glad you liked it.

      Reply
      • Laree

        January 5, 2021 at 5:18 pm

        Is the chicken supposed to be cooked before going in???

        Reply
        • Sandy

          January 5, 2021 at 8:09 pm

          No, you want in uncooked. If you have cooked, add it after pressure cooking to avoid overcooking it.

          Reply
  27. Diane

    April 8, 2018 at 7:59 am

    Can you sub half and half instead of heavy cream?

    Reply
    • Sandy

      April 8, 2018 at 8:52 am

      Hi Diane, I haven’t tried it. You can get away with pressure cooking heavy cream and it won’t curdle (I believe it is due to the fat content). Half and half may work as well. I just haven’t tested it.

      Reply
      • Nichole

        June 3, 2018 at 5:14 pm

        Half and half works. The heavy cream had too many calories in it for my liking. Substituted half and half and turned out amazing! Recipe is very good!

        Reply
        • Sandy

          June 5, 2018 at 2:37 pm

          Oh that’s great, Nichole! Thank you so much for your feedback! It’s good to know we can cut some calories!

          Reply
  28. Brenda

    March 28, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    Very good! The sauce was creamy and very flavorful. Loved the chunks of chicken, too!

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 28, 2018 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Brenda, I’m glad you liked it! Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  29. Becky

    March 28, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    Extremely soupy. Is that normal? Followed directions exactly.

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 28, 2018 at 2:55 pm

      Hi Becky, no, it is not normal for it to be extremely soupy. There is sauce, of course, and it will thicken up as it cools. The one thing I can say is that I measure my pasta carefully, and if by chance you didn’t use enough, it will be more soupy. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  30. Diane

    March 20, 2018 at 6:59 pm

    The recipe says refrigerated tortilini… meaning its already cooked??

    Reply
    • Sandy

      March 20, 2018 at 7:53 pm

      Diane, I don’t think it is cooked, it is “fresh” and has been refrigerated. You can also find frozen and dried. The dried will require a longer cook time, which will overcook the chicken unless you cut larger pieces. The frozen should still be 4 minutes.

      Reply

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Hi there!

Sandy wearing a black shirt and a red apron I’m Sandy - foodie with a passion for cooking and sharing my tasty recipes. My hubby Paul, our Pug Gizmo, and I live in Washington.

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