Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – This macaroni and cheese is every family’s favorite comfort food pasta recipe made easy in the Instant Pot! You can have creamy, mouthwatering, homemade mac and cheese for dinner in about 10 minutes!
Have I mentioned lately that I’m kind of in love with my Instant Pot? Although, I do love our classic Baked Mac and Cheese too! If you have been following me on Instagram you’ll know that I’ve documented my daily trials and errors using the thing. I was so skeptical of even getting one in the first place, and now, it’s pretty much all I want to use for cooking at all! It takes a lot of the in-between steps out of making simple recipes. Like this mac and cheese, the pasta cooks in just enough liquid, with no need to drain! If you’re looking for more amazing Instant Pot dinners definitely try out this Instant Pot Jambalaya it’s out of this world!!
My family absolutely LOVED this macaroni and cheese. Well, I did too. The flavor was absolutely perfect and it was super creamy, just like a good mac should be.
I made this recipe in my 8 quart Instant Pot, and it will definitely work just fine if you have a 6 quart as well. It makes a whole lot by the way. Yay for leftovers!
There was enough for my family of four to eat this as a main dish with a side salad for supper. Then, my kids took some for lunch in their thermos to school the next day. Even after that we had enough left to use up as a side dish later in the week!
How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese:
- For the best flavor, I recommend using chicken broth as your cooking liquid. I used low sodium chicken broth. If you don’t have low sodium, leave out the extra addition of salt, then salt as needed when serving.
- Use seasoning! I add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce to this before cooking. Don’t worry, the hot sauce does not make this spicy at all. It just adds an additional layer of flavor that’s amazing.
- Use a combination of cheeses for the best taste. I use a mixture of sharp cheddar, mozzarella. When you add the cheese, make sure to stir continuously so that it all melts in really well and you aren’t left with clumps.
- Don’t use canned milk. I used regular 2% milk, and I recommend that or whole milk for best results. Most of the recipes I saw for Instant Pot mac and cheese used evaporated milk which I am not a fan of at all.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 -1 Cup Milk
Instructions
- Add the uncooked macaroni, chicken broth, butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and set to sealing. Cook on manual function, high pressure for 5 minutes. Then, do a quick release.
- Add the milk, then the cheese to the pot in 3-4 handfuls, stirring in between each addition until smooth and creamy. Season as necessary to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking for other great Instant Pot recipes? Try these:
Any suggestions or recommendations for freezing this? I would like to put it in a tin for after I deliver but not sure if I should make any changes.
I made this as my first meal with my new instant pot, and it’s incredibly good! I used 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water, and it worked perfectly. So creamy and delicious… the cheese combo is awesome. This is my new favorite Mac and cheese! Thank you!
Very good Mac and cheese. Quick and tasty! Thank you for sharing!
I just made this but I added a pound of ground beef after mixing in the cheese and I love it!
I’ve made this twice and it’s very comforting and indulgent. Extremely easy! I tweaked it a bit to account for my own preferences:
1) I add breadcrumbs that I cooked up in a little butter to the end result; and
2) I use the saute function to cook up some of the cheese on the bottom of the pot so that it adds a delicious layer of cheesy, crispy goodness.
Just curious, could I use alfredo sauce instead of or in conjunction with milk?
Turned out great! Thank you 🙂
Does anyone know if I can double this recipe in the 6 quart IP?
I don’t think so. I have a 6 quart and the normal recipe will spew out some liquid when doing the quick release. It MIGHT work with a natural release, but then the noodles would probably be overcooked.
I want to make this for a potluck at work but will need to make it around 6am for serving around 12pm. Will the keep warm function be ok? Or will it cause the cheese to curdle? Thanks!!
I would not recommend using the keep warm function. Reheating this in the microwave has worked well for leftovers.
But this is so easy that I’d recommend that you prep the ingredients at home and then make it at work. Keep the macaroni, cheese, and milk separate, and combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. At work around 11:30, dump the latter ingredients and the macaroni into the IP and give a quick stir before putting on the lid. Cook, quick release, then stir in the cheese and milk. You’re done!
This is the best Mac and cheese I have ever made!
I didn’t have cheddar so I used Velveeta cheese.
This is the 2nd recipe I have tried (an IP newbie), however I used packaged shredded cheeses which made the taste less smooth (next time will use fresh off the block), and chicken stock I had on hand. Is there much difference (in taste) between stock and broth?