This Instant Pot Shrimp Pasta is a reader favorite! Shrimp and penne pasta are cooked in a luxurious tomato cream sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it's an easy instant pot meal!
If you are looking for more instant pot pasta dishes, then you'll love the instant pot pesto pasta or the instant pot chicken pasta recipe.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Instant Pot Shrimp Pasta
🕒 Ready In: ~ 25 minutes
👪 Makes: 4 servings
🧑🍳 Main Ingredients: Shrimp, penne pasta, marinara sauce, heavy cream, onion, garlic and basil.
📌 Difficulty: Easy one pot recipe
Why you’ll love this instant pot shrimp pasta recipe?
This shrimp pasta has a luxuriously creamy pink sauce with hardly any effort. Since the pasta cooks right in the sauce, its starch naturally thickens and emulsifies everything into a rich, creamy consistency. A splash of heavy cream makes it extra velvety.
It's an easy 30-minute, one-pot dinner—no need to boil the pasta separately. Using jarred marinara keeps prep to a minimum, while the shrimp cook up perfectly tender. It's the kind of low-effort, minimal-cleanup meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.
- maria doss
Reader reviews
One reader writes, "Love this recipe, my wife and I have done this twice. I agree with the restaurant quality comment." ★★★★★
Another reader writes, "This is not just another instant pot pasta dish. This, my friends, is restaurant quality! All three members of my family gave it a thumbs up on the first bite! Literally cleaned our plates! Congratulations! You hit this one out of the ball park! By the way, I don't give that many reviews on recipes. This one, I could not resist! Kudos to you!" ★★★★★
Jump to:
Can you cook shrimp along with pasta in the Instant Pot?
Yes! It's one of the quickest ways to make an easy weeknight meal. The shrimp cooks up incredibly tender in the Instant Pot while adding plenty of flavor to the pasta, so there's no need to use stock.
Since shrimp cooks so quickly, many recipes recommend pressure cooking the pasta first and then stirring in the shrimp at the end. But after testing this recipe several times, I actually found that cooking the shrimp and pasta together works even better.
First, the shrimp cooks up perfectly tender in the Instant Pot—it doesn't become rubbery like it often does when it's cooked on the stovetop for too long. Second, as the shrimp cooks, it adds wonderful flavor to the sauce, so there's no need for stock. And finally, everything cooks together in one pot, making this an almost dump-and-go meal with minimal prep and cleanup.
I'm always a fan of recipes that make weeknight dinners easier, and this one definitely delivers!
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Pasta – You can use any medium-sized pasta such as penne, fusilli, farfalle, or rigatoni, as in all our penne pasta recipes.
- Shrimp – Fresh shrimp or thawed frozen ones both work perfectly. Keeping frozen shrimp on hand is super convenient—I always have some in my freezer to make my favorite shrimp recipes.
- Marinara sauce – Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce. My favorite is always Prego, as used in spicy chicken pasta.
- Heavy Cream - This Instant Pot shrimp pasta recipe calls for a full cup of cream—I know it sounds indulgent, but trust me, it's worth it! However, if you prefer a lighter option, you can easily swap the cream for one cup of coconut milk for a guilt-free instapot meal.
- Flavorings – Red pepper flakes, fresh basil, salt and pepper, as in standard Italian pasta dishes.
- Olive oil and butter - The combination of both olive oil and butter adds authentic notes along with indulgence.
Tips for Success
- Use any medium-sized pasta instead of penne.
- Use shrimp with tails on or without tails. The tails add extra flavor to the pasta, making it even more delicious.
- Adjust salt based on the type of red sauce used. I used Prego and found ¾ teaspoon to be perfect in the instant pot shrimp pasta.
- The sauce may seem a bit thin when you first open the Instapot, but it thickens up nicely as it cools for a few minutes.
- Use canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream to make it lighter.
More instant pot dinners
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Instant Pot Shrimp Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled (with or without tails)
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce I used Prego (tomato, basil and garlic)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup water
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste (will depend on the type of maninara used. I used ¾ tsp)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes use less if needed
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat Instant pot to saute mode. When hot, add butter and olive oil. Let the butter melt. Stir in chopped onion and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent.
- Press cancel, add the shrimp, marinara sauce, heavy cream, water, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Give a good mix.
- Add the pasta on top of the sauce and gently press it down with the back of a spoon until most of it is submerged. Do not stir.👉 Keeping the pasta on top helps prevent the "Burn" warning because the sauce creates a protective layer between the pot and the pasta and reducing the risk of scorching.
- Pressure cook on manual (High Pressure) for 5 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 4 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure. If the sauce starts to sputter from the vent, immediately turn the valve back to Sealing, wait another 2 minutes, and then finish releasing the pressure. Open the lid and stir in the chopped fresh basil. 👉 Once you release the pressure, the sauce may look a little thin. As the pasta sits for a few minutes, it will continue to absorb the sauce, naturally thickening it to a rich, creamy consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Love seafood dishes? Check out our collection of over 25 delicious seafood dinner recipes you’ll love!
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💚 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love to hear your feedback! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Facebook.
Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Another quick and easy Instant Pot recipe for the win! Loving the flavors (and the color!!) of this pasta dish!
Bex
This is great! I used this for my meal-prep but swapped the shrimp for some de-shelled mussels and some ground sausage. As well, I added some yellow-pepper and beet-greens. It smells so aromatic and it tastes delicious! Once there's some shrimp in the ice-box, I will definitely try this recipe with them as that's what the recipe was intended for. Likewise, a beautiful dish.
Nicholas Roumpakis
This is not just another instant pot pasta dish. This, my friends, is restaurant quality! All three members of my family gave it a thumbs up on the first bite! Literally cleaned our plates! Congratulations! You hit this one out of the ball park! By the way, I don't give that many reviews on recipes. This one, I could not resist! Kudos to you!
Brett
Love this recipe, my wife and I have done this twice. I agree with the restaurant quality comment. The only issue I’m having is I keep getting the burn notice when waiting for the pressure cooker to kick in. I’m going a little more on the shrimp at around a pound, would that cause it?
Ladan
Is the shrimp raw or cooked before you put it in the instapot?
Maria Doss
Raw! Shrimp cooks super tender in the instant pot.
Tracy
I guess you didn't care for my review, posted on Jan 17 but not approved so not sure why I'm receiving updated comments!?
Maria Doss
Hi Tracy, I seem to have missed your earlier review. Let me know if you still have any questions/feedback. Thanks:)
David
I wish you had mentioned BEFORE the end of the recipe that you used a 3-quart Instant Pot...after 2 years using mine I had no idea they even made them that small! So the liquid in the recipe needs to be dramatically increased or you will definitely get a burn notice. I had never received a burn notice until last night with this recipe...not enough water, the cream scorches. After the burn notice the pasta was perfect - well before the total time from the recipe, so I'm kind of glad for the burn notice. Otherwise this was pretty good.
Maria Doss
Appreciate the feed back. I have included the notes in the recipe card, as you had suggested.
Amanda De Longchamp
My husband and I loved this recipe! I didn't have any heavy cream on hand, so I substituted roughly 1/2 cup of sour cream, and it came out fab!
Maria Doss
That sounds like delicious substitution:)
Taylor
Any suggestions for doubling the recipe and cooking in an 8 quart instant pot without getting the “burn” notice while cooking?
Maria Doss
Hi Taylor, I would advise layering technique -
In step-2:
1. add marinara sauce, water, salt and pepper and give a good stir.
2. Pour in heavy cream on top and DO NOT STIR.
3. Add pasta on top and pressing gently to immerse into the liquid WITHOUT STIRRING. Finish off with placing shrimp evenly on top. Cover and cook as per instructions.
Hope it helps 🙂
PS - You can refer this https://www.kitchenathoskins.com/instant-pot-shrimp-alfredo/ which is very similar and adopts the layering technique
Laura
How would you adapt this recipe for a 6 quart Instant Pot? I'm an IP newbie and definitely don't want to burn anything with my first recipe (which my friend highly recommended, which is why I want to try it first). Thanks!
Maria Doss
Hi Laura, I would suggest increasing water to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (instead of 3/4 cup) for the 6-quart. Hope it helps:) Enjoy your new instant pot, Maria
Schatzi
Delicious, fast and easy!
Child approved! I used coconut milk.
Yummmmm
Maria Doss
Happy to hear, Maria
Michael Reid
I made it and I loved it I am going to try it yet again now I am going to use sausage everything came out great with the shrimp so trying different meats to go with it
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear and I love the idea of using sausage - Maria ♡