Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles, made in less than 20 minutes, is the ultimate one-pot side dish. It’s cheesy, garlicky with just the right amount of butter and seasoning for a family-friendly recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknight meals or when you’re feeding a crowd.
This is one of those recipes that is such a “no-brainer” that I really didn’t think about posting it. I’ve been making buttered noodles for years for the boys. You know, when you’ve got little kids, you need to have a go-to side dish that you know they’ll like. Funny though, I’d shoved this recipe to the back of my mind until I got an Instant Pot last year. After just one try of cooking noodles in the pressure cooker, I was a fan! They turned out so good that I upped my games and added garlic and cheese to make the BEST noodles ever.
What makes these noodles so good is that by cooking them in the Instant Pot, they soak up all the yummy flavors of the chicken stock and garlic. Once they’re done, all that’s needed is some butter, a heaping amount of Parmesan cheese, lots of fresh cracked black pepper, a bit of salt and fresh parsley and you’re done.
You’ve just created a one-pot wonder worthy of being served in any fancy restaurant. Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles is a great dish to serve when you need to get supper on the table during a busy weeknight. It’s great to serve if you’ve got picky eaters because, really, who doesn’t love cheesy buttered noodles! This dish is also great for entertaining or for when you’re serving a crowd.
The bottom line is this, these noodles are just about the best side ever. Whether you’re serving them with grilled meat, meatballs, fish, or with some veggies pilled on top, they are “instant” comfort food that everyone will love.
What To Serve With Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Noodles
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Crock-Pot Sweet and Sour Pork Loin With Pineapple
- Irish Pot Roast In The Slow Cooker
- Braised Chicken Thighs
Tips For Cooking Noodles In The Instant Pot
Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is super easy. The noodles turn out al dente and not soggy or overcooked. Here’s a couple of tips to make sure they turn out great every time –
- If you are using spaghetti or fettuccini, break the pasta in half before placing it into the Instant Pot. I know breaking pasta is a “no-no” but it’s a must in this instance
- Use a wooden spoon to push the pasta down into the chicken stock so that all of the noodles are covered. This will make sure that all of the pasta cooks without burning.
- Add the liquid, garlic and seasoning to the pot and stir to mix before adding the pasta.
- This recipe works with all types of pasta so have fun and experiment!
More Great Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Garlic and Herb Rice
- Instant Pot Rustic Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Bacon and Egg Cheese Bites
- Instant Pot Ultimate Pulled Pork Nachos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound spaghetti
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese – grated
- 2 tablespoon parsley – chopped
Instructions
- Add stock, 1 tablespoon of butter, garlic, and salt to Instant Pot. Stir. Break spaghetti noodles in half and place in the pot. Using a wooden spoon, push noodles into the stock making sure all are covered.
- Secure lid on Instant Pot with pressure valve closed. Select PRESSURE COOK, and set the timer for 1 minute. Once the timer goes off, let the steam release naturally for 12 minutes, then quick release the remaining steam.
- Carefully remove the lid from the pot. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients. Taste to adjust salt. Sprinkle on fresh parsley and serve.
- **If there is additional liquid in the pot once noodles are cooked, set Instant Pot to saute and cook until absorbed.
Nutrition
Want To Know More About Using The Instant Pot?
If you are new to cooking with an Instant Pot or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using the Instant Pot like a pro!
Donya's Top Ten Summer Recipes!
Steal my favorites for a done-for-you menu that packs in the flavor
So easy and SO delicious!!!
My husband adored this dish—thank you! I can’t eat butter, so after making it twice just as you wrote the recipe, next time I’ll try it with olive oil, though a little less as the conversion charts show. Just a remind to those new to Instant Pots, if you sauté, don’t put the lid the Instant Pot came with back on.
Hey there Beth!
Wow! I am so happy to hear that you and your husband have been enjoying this recipe, the instant pot makes cooking so simple! If you’re unable to eat butter, then using oil instead is a terrific idea. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this recipe and for your phenomenal rating, I really appreciate your kind words of support! Let me know if you ever have any questions about a recipe, I’m always happy to help!
~Donya
Few minor alterations:
1. Beef bone broth instead of chicken.
2. Angel Hair pasta.
3. Initially cooked with butter in the instant pot, but I use olive oil to toss it afterwards. (Breaks up the clumps easier.)
4. When you’re tossing the cheese in, add about as much bacon pieces as cheese.
And now you have Carbonara!
Since the initial recipe is so simple, it also gives a lot of room for experimenting with seasonings. Try a little pepper, dehydrated onion, or such.
Hey there Kathryn!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and for sharing your experience with it! It sounds like you made an absolutely delicious meal, adding bacon was a terrific idea and I totally agree with you that this dish is super fun to experiment with and tweak to your own personal tastes. I really appreciate your support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
I used elbow macaroni, I used about 8 Oz of noodles and just over 2 c water since it was just a guess how much pasta I poured in. I also used a bit of oil to help prevent sticking (they stull stuck together but came apart nicely whilst stirring up). I cooked for 2 mins on high and let the natural release go for about 5 or 6 mins, then did a quick release. The noodles were a bit more al dente than I like so next time I’ll use a touch more water and maybe 3 mins. I didn’t have any parmesean on hand so once I get that and make this again, I will update for the recipe as a whole. I just wanted to come comment in case others were wanting to use elbows as well.
Hey there Becky!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I am so happy to hear that you gave it a try! Using elbow macaroni is a great idea, I appreciate you sharing your experience with it. If you enjoyed this instant pot recipe, you should check out my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, it also uses elbow macaroni, it’s super simple to make and incredibly delicious! Let me know if you ever have any questions, I’d be more than happy to help!
~Donya
Can this recipe be used with elbow macaroni pasta?
Hey there Sheena!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, that’s a great question! I’ve never tried this recipe with elbow macaroni, but if you’re going to give it a try, I would recommend setting it to PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes and then doing a quick release instead of letting the noodles steam since the pasta shapes are different. Let me know how everything turns out, I really hope you enjoy the recipe!
~Donya