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:
Best Mac & Cheese!!!
New to the Instant Pot craze & this was my 2nd time using the Pot. Will definitely be making this again.
Love this recipe! I have used it a number of times. I will vary the cheeses (whatever I have available). I have used a little bit of Asiago cheese, or sometimes a little bit of Swiss cheese. Our family really likes the Sharp Cheddar Cheese. I have avoided the hot pepper sauce (not a family favorite), but everything else about this recipe is fantastic! A really quick easy supper for our family or a great side dish for a potluck.
I used Jovial Gluten-Free shell pasta for this recipe and it turned out a little soupy and pretty al dente. I think that next time I will try pressure cooking it for 6 minutes. Just a note, in case anyone wants to try this recipe with Jovial gluten free noodles! The flavor is great! Everyone loved it.
Didn’t have chicken broth so used an envelope of French onion mix…. no regrets!! Eliminated garlic, doubled hot sauce, and added a tablespoon or two of blue cheese at the end. Reduced cook time to 4 minutes. Turned it amazing.
Made this tonight for the kids and hubby and they all loved it!! Thank you for this recipe! We will definitely be making this again!
Jaimie
I am off to try this but I am confused by the 5 minute cooking time for the pasta. The last time I did pasta, I only cooked it for 2 minutes and it came out fine, why so long?
How did the 5 minutes work for this recipe?
Wow! Im new to the instant pot but I am impressed! I made this recipe as indicated with the following exceptions:
1. I used 1% milk (about 1 cup) and it was perfectly creamy
2. I added 1 tbsp of dijon mustard to the pot too but next time will add 2 tbsp.
This recipe is a keeper!
This is the best IP mac and cheese I’ve found. Comes out perfectly every time and my whole family loves it which NEVER happens! Anyone have any tips for cleaning the pot afterwards? I hate cleaning the melted cheese out! Thanks for a great recipe, Nichole. I use a lot of your recipes and swear by your site!
Magic Eraser!! Will shine the stainless up like new every time!
Thank you!
Sorry about the spelling in my reply above. I bought the non stick insert.for the instant pot from Amazon. Worth the price.
Thank you!
This was sooooo good!! Thanks for the tip about adding hot sauce. I was hesitant about it but I’m so glad I added it.
Tried this tonight and it was awesome. I used chicken stock that I had previously made and had in the freezer. I’m new to the IP but have been trying something different every day.