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:
Great recipe! Once cooked I add cooked broccoli, bacon, and roasted chicken.
Not sure what I did wrong. I did the handfuls of cheese and stired before adding more and my cheese still either got stuck to the bottom of the pan or it just got stuck I’m a big ball in the middle. First time using an instant pot. But flavor of the recipe is amazing. Just couldn’t figure it out
This recipe is perfect!! I halved it as I had a 1/2 box of tiny shells to use up. I used broth from my corn beef and cabbage I made for St Patty’s Day (I save/freeze all broth from slow cooked meals). Absolutely delish and pasta texture was spot on!! Thank you!!
I love this recipe, it is my go to homemade mac and cheese recipe!
I make this for all the parties we have! Everyone loves it. Totally awesome. I double it- Do 6 minutes and let it naturally release for doubling the recipe. Spray the insert with olive oil spray and put the liquid in first before noodles. Perfect every time!
Have you done this in a crockpot? I need to make a side dish for a large group while RV camping and don’t think my instant pot will make enough. But this recipe looks amazing so I want to try it. Please help!!
Any luck? Did you try in crock pot? I’m wondering too.
I found when I made this, some of the noodles weren’t fully cooked. Should I add more liquid initially, or cook for longer? Any tips?
I made this recipe and it couldn’t have been easier! Great flavor!
My husband was unsatisfied with a baked mac recipe we’d been using, so we gave this a try- HUGE difference! So creamy, cheesy, and it’s even easier to make and uses less pots and pans than our previous recipe. Plus it takes half the time! Do yourself a favor and make this dish.
love this!
I very, VERY rarely write recipe reviews. but I absolutely HAD to leave one here. Oh my heavens, this was amazing! I was looking for a fast and easy “fix it and forget it” lunch for my husband and myself, and this hit the nail on the head. Smelled incredible cooking, and then… Cheesy goodness meets tender-but-not-overcooked macaroni, what more can one want? Oh yeah, a couple pinches of freshly chopped parsley or green onion… Or not! We used shells, and this recipe would work great no matter what pasta shapes you’ve got on hand!
Tip for those who’ve had theirs come out a little watery: when you first open the InstantPot after cooking, stir briskly to wake up those starches in the pasta water, and then continue to stir briskly when adding the milk. It’s also super important to completely incorporate each handful of cheese before adding the next handful.
Stay salty, Nichole, and thanks for the recipe!
Been making this for a while and it’s always a hit. I use shells because my kids like them better. I make the chicken broth with better than bouillon chicken paste and omit the salt. Heats well the next day too.