This dairy-free version of Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta is just as creamy and flavorful as the original. It's the perfect weeknight comfort food meal made in under 30 minutes in your pressure cooker!
Comfort food meals that can be made in 30 minutes or less are my busy weeknight jam. Today's pressure cookers make family meals like this oh so easy!
And when it comes to comfort food, there's no other warm and cozy dinner friend that I like to cuddle up with than pasta. Pasta knows. Pasta understands.
I've long loved creamy rich pasta dishes, and when I first found out I had a dairy sensitivity, I thought those days were long gone. But then, creativity in the kitchen plus necessity and a longing for delicious creamy pasta lead to discoveries like my Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo and Dairy-Free Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs with Pasta.
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
My Dairy-Free Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta is packed with creaminess from dairy-free cream cheese, nuttiness from nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese, and rich Tuscan flavor from sun-dried tomatoes. The spinach helps balance out the creaminess. Plus, it adds more veggies, and we can all use more veggies in our lives, right?
This pressure cooker meal takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on your prep time prowess and how long it takes the pressure cooker to come to pressure.
Taste great and looks good.
Love this recipe!!
-Reader Brandie
Do I need to sauté the chicken first?
Yes. I mean, you don't HAVE to. But, if you want more flavorful chicken, then take the extra couple of minutes to do this step. I almost always sauté my meat first, even for just a minute or two, in the Instant Pot. I find that doing this step adds flavor and makes the meat more tender.
Can I make this Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta with regular dairy?
Absolutely! Simply sub out regular cream cheese for dairy-free. Use parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast flakes. And use regular milk instead of almond milk.
How to make Instant Pot tuscan chicken pasta
With your Instant Pot on Sauté function, add the butter and when it is just melted, then sauté the chicken and garlic in the pot for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly to lightly cook the sides of the chicken.
Add pasta and chicken broth, stir so as much of the pasta is covered by the broth as possible. Cover and seal, then set Manual or Pressure Cook for 4 minutes.
When the timer is done, allow natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release. Once the pin is down and all pressure has been released, open the lid.
Turn your IP to Sauté, and then gently stir in the cream cheese and almond milk until the cream cheese is melted. Add nutritional yeast and stir until it is well mixed in. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, and spinach. Stir gently until spinach is softened and ingredients are nicely mixed together.
Turn IP to Cancel, and serve pasta immediately.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Healthy 30-Minute Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken
Instant Pot Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Instant Pot Cashew Chicken
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Dairy-Free)
Instant Pot BBQ Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted vegan butter
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 8 oz pasta (I use cavatappie, gemelli, or rotini because it holds the sauce well)
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 4 oz dairy-free cream cheese
- ¾ cup almond milk
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 jar (8 oz) julienned sundried tomatoes, drained and lightly chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
Instructions
- With your Instant Pot on Sauté function, add the butter and when it is just melted, then sauté the chicken and garlic in the pot for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly to lightly cook the sides of the chicken.
- Add pasta and chicken broth, stir so as much of the pasta is covered by the broth as possible. Cover and seal, then set Manual or Pressure Cook for 4 minutes.
- When the timer is done, allow natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release. Once the pin is down and all pressure has been released, open the lid.
- Turn your IP to Sauté, and then gently stir in the cream cheese and almond milk until the cream cheese is melted. Add nutritional yeast and stir until it is well mixed in. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, and spinach. Stir gently until spinach is softened and ingredients are nicely mixed together.
- Turn IP to Cancel, and serve pasta immediately.
Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says
I just went on a moms' trip this weekend, and I had to laugh because we kept talking about what to cook for the family when you're busy! This recipe would be a terrific go-to weeknight dinner. Thanks for sharing it!
Denay DeGuzman says
What a wonderful collection of Instant Pot recipes! These all look so tasty and easy to make! And that Tuscan Chicken Pasta - wow, does that look delicious! Thank you so much for sharing all of these yummy recipes!
Denay DeGuzman says
This chicken recipe deserves a 5-star rating! Yum!
Autumn says
This looks so delicious and comforting! I love any recipe that is quick and can be made in the Instant Pot!
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says
This looks so creamy and delicious! Love this is an IP recipe for an easy weeknight meal!
Kasey says
Looks so good! I have to try this recipe!
Kasey Ma
Kaytee says
This was amazing!! My whole family loved it!! For it being non diary, it was sure creamy and delicious!! I’m impressed with this recipe and will make it over and over again.
Cammeo Murray says
This looks so good!!! I just got an Instant Pot and have been needing some new recipes 😁 Thanks!
Jacquelyn Hastert says
I love my instant pot and I am always looking for new recipes to try. This one sounds like a great addition to next weeks menu. Thank you!
Elisabeth says
This was a hit with my family. I didn’t have dairy free cream cheese or nutritional yeast, so I substituted soy sauce (1 TBSP) for the nutritional yeast. I couldn’t add anything to replace the cream cheese so it was runny and we ate it in bowls. Also, I put two cups of pasta as one wasn’t enough. All in all, it was great. I’ll make it again.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks for putting your own spin on the recipe, Elisabeth! Glad your family loved it!
VON COUPLAND says
There are a lot of ingredients I cannot tolerate I am dairy and fat free, also a diabetic, all spices most of the herbs, onions, tomatoes and the list goes on but I am able to adapt recipes. You have opened my menu so much, I miss eating regular foods and get a little bored with the things on my current menu. Thank you sooo much Von x
Michelle says
I was looking for a dairy free way to make a creamy pasta and oh my woooord. This recipe was absolutely delicious! I am in love thank you so much for sharing this! My boyfriend loves cheese but I’m lactose intolerant and can’t handle even a little without getting sick. He loved this so much and was so happy I get to enjoy it with him.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Michelle, thank you for trying this recipe, and I am so glad to hear you both love it! The rest of my family is not dairy-free, so I try to make dairy-free recipes that everyone will love :)