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:
First time using our instant pot- we cooked this together and it was so easy and delicious! We used more white cheese (mozzarella) since my bf didn’t know the cheddar was for dinner tonight lol and it came out great! We threw in a can of tuna, kinda like tuna helper but so much better!
I doubled the recipe, hope it doesn’t overflow! Cooking for the Boyscouts! I will post what happens, she’s cooking now!
What did you do differently for doubling? I’m about to make this, double the macaroni, and am not sure if the liquid needs to double or what?
My daughter-in- law served this at a birthday party Sat. BIG hit so I had to have the recipe. I am new to Instant Pot use and always on the lookout for easy, every day recipes. THANKS!
Made this tonight and it was delicious. I followed recipe dead on, however, after adding cheese & milk I transferred the pasta to oven dish topped off with more cheese and baked under broiler for a few minutes. Husband enjoyed it with a side of ribs?
Going to experiment with maybe a smoked Gouda next time.
Thanks for sharing,
Karen
Two big thumbs up from us! The mac & cheese came out perfectly.
I made this tonight and I didn’t have mozzarella so I used Monterey Jack and it was the best macaroni and cheese I have ever made. Thank you so much for this recipe
Made this to serve to short notice guests visiting from out of town. They loved your recipe so much that they asked me to share it with them. It’s so easy to make and tastes just great!
Made only half the recipe last night. Followed the recipe as written. Noodles cooked perfectly . Creamy and Delicious!
I am making this for the 4th time this month! It is so good! My kids cheered when I said I was making it again 🙂 I love that it uses whole foods. I use whole wheat pasta and I also throw in a cup or two of cauliflower which melts right in! Thanks for this fabulously simple and delicious recipe!!!
This was the first recipe I made with my brand new InstantPot. Made it last night. WOW!. I used a four blend shredded cheese, chicken stock and added a few squirts of Dijon. The entire home smelled delicious. My kids declared this the best mac and cheese ever and they have tried quite a few. Easy. Delicious. Fun