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:
I browned ground beef and peppers then followed the recipe. It was superb .
What is the garnish on top?
It’s parsley 🙂
Sorry, I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker 🙂
New to the instapot…if you want the elbow macoroni a little softer what would you do?
This was delicious. I used veggie broth instead of chicken broth and omitted the hot sauce. The next day I added a can of tuna to it and it was beyond delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Is there enough room in the instant pot to double this recipe? And would it cook well with the same cook time? I’m throwing a big birthday party and want it to feed a lot of people!
This turned out great! Rave reviews from kids and adults alike. I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I added a couple drips of Worcester sauce and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
Do you think this recipe could be doubled? I’d like to use it for your Fourth of July picnic!
Yes, it can be doubled in a 6 or 8 quart
When doubling, I read that you should use the same amount of cooking broth and keep the time or even shorten it due it being pasta…. what is your recommendations?
Do you use bagged shredded cheese such as Sargent or Kraft or go to the deli and get fresh cheese?
It’s always best with freshly shredded cheese from the block 🙂
Bagged shredded cheese has a flour substance added to keep it from sticking. It will give you a different texture.
Great recipe. I make it exactly as written! Perfect. My 3 boys really enjoy this recipe. I am trying a new cheese tonight. I ended up getting a ton of Kerrygold Dubliner (Costco has a deal) I used that instead of the parm. I’m sure it will be delish!!
This was hands down the best Mac & cheese I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for this lovely recipe.