Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is going to be your new favorite go-to recipe. Throw macaroni noodles and a few other ingredients to an electric pressure cooker, cook to al dente perfection, then stir in cheese until everything is ooey-gooey and have everyone’s family favorite comfort food in minutes. We are talking homemade macaroni & cheese in about the same time it takes to prepare the stuff from the blue box.
The Instant Pot is a great tool that lots of families love for getting quick meal recipes on the table on busy nights. Some other great options are Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, Pork Carnitas, and Pork and Beans.
Mac and Cheese is one of those perfect go-to recipes for a quick lunch for the kids, a weeknight dinner, or even a quick side to whip up to go with pretty much anything. I mean, honestly, the comfort in noodles and melty cheese just hits the heart.
Most of us moms grab those super cheap boxes of mac and cheese at the store that we can throw together in no time and at the same time cringe at the yellow powdered stuff they call cheese. But hey, it’s quick and nostalgic, so why not?
But what if you could whip up your own recipe, with real cheese, have it taste better, and be just as quick. Well, grab your instant pot mama, because I’m about to show you just how this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe will change the game for you and this classic easy, comfort food.
Why this recipe is so awesome
I’ll be honest that I’m not one of those people who uses the Instant Pot for everything. In fact, my collection of IP recipes is on the small side because I’m pretty picky about how things are cooked and sometimes the results just don’t live up to the hype for me. It has selective uses for things like eggs, beans, rice, and large roasts, primarily.
But that’s not the case with this deliciously creamy Instant Pot mac and cheese! It checks off all the important boxes for being an Instant Pot recipe that I find myself coming back to over and over again.
- It cooks the pasta until al dente without making it mushy.
- It’s super quick and easy. Like my husband and kids can manage this recipe no problem.
- You don’t even have to drain the water off after cooking the pasta! Less dishes makes me happy.
What You’ll Need
The ingredients are pretty basic and you will have everything you need in your pantry or fridge. But there are a couple worth noting specifically.
- Chicken Broth: While you could just use water (and I have definitely done it myself), using chicken broth just takes the flavor to a new level that is definitely worth a try!
- Hot Sauce: Totally optional, and I get that parents are going to worry about kids complaining about food being “spicy”. But it really just adds depth of flavor and doesn’t make actually make this mac & cheese taste spicy. My kids never even noticed.
- Cheese: You can really use any cheese you like and have on hand, but a good melty cheese, or combination of cheeses, is going to be your best bet. My favorites are sharp cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese or Italian blend, and parmesan cheese.
How to Make Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese
- Add ingredients to Instant Pot. Add the uncooked pasta, chicken broth, water, butter, hot salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Cook Pasta. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. It will take a few minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, then it will start the cooking process.
- Add milk and cheese. Carefully do a quick release, then add the milk and 3-4 handfuls of the cheese. Stir well until the cheese has melted, then add another 3-4 handfuls of cheese and stir again. Repeat until all the cheese has been added and melted to create a creamy sauce. If needed, you can add another ½ cup of milk.
- Serve immediately! For the creamiest, cheesiest results, serve the mac and cheese right away. If you want to bulk this out with some protein, you could stir in some leftover grilled chicken, ham, pulled pork, or brisket.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese FAQ
Not at all! If using all water instead of chicken broth, increase the salt to 1 teaspoon.
Whole milk works better than 2% milk when it comes to the creaminess. You could even use half and half or cream for even richer, creamier macaroni and cheese.
The better question might be what don’t you serve with mac u0026 cheese, which is almost nothing. It’s a fantastic side to many meals, although we especially like eating our mac u0026 cheese with cornbread and honey butter.
Recipe Tips
- Mix it up! This is my most basic approach and the one I use most often, but you can make your Instant Pot mac and cheese a little extra by using other cheeses like gouda, provolone, monterey jack, colby jack, gruyere, and more.
- Storage and reheating: Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a splash or two of milk to loosen it up when reheating.
- Add In’s: I like adding leftover pulled pork, chopped bacon, kielbasa sausage, or other protein when I have it on hand to make this a more substantial meal.
Delicious Dishes to Serve with Mac & Cheese
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Spicy Honey Chicken
- Roast Beef Sliders
- Oven Roasted Cauliflower
- Instant Pot Homemade Apple Sauce
- BLT Sandwhich
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni 4 cups
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional. but it really just adds flavor and doesn’t make it spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk 2% or lower will work but the results won’t be quite as good
- 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian blend
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the uncooked pasta, chicken broth, water, butter, hot sauce (opt), garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 cups water, 2 Tablespoons salted butter, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. It will take a few minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, then it will start the cooking process.
- Carefully do a quick release, then add the milk and 3-4 handfuls of the cheese. Stir well until the cheese has melted, then add another 3-4 handfuls of cheese and stir again. Repeat until all the cheese has been added and melted to create a creamy sauce. If needed, you can add another ½ cup of milk.½ cup whole milk, 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian blend, ½ cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If using all water instead of chicken broth, increase the salt to 1 teaspoon.
- You could even use half and half or cream for even richer, creamier macaroni and cheese.
- This is my most basic approach and the one I use most often, but you can make your Instant Pot mac and cheese a little extra by using other cheeses like gouda, provolone, monterey jack, colby jack, gruyere, and more.
- Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a splash or two of milk to loosen it up when reheating.
- I like adding leftover pulled pork, chopped bacon, kielbasa sausage, or other protein when I have it on hand to make this a more substantial meal.
Wow, I never even thought of making mac and cheese in the Instant Pot, but now it is on my to-do list! Thank you so much for the inspiration! 🙂
So easy to make on the instant pot! Perfectly creamy and full of flavor.
This is now my new favorite way to make Mac and Cheese! It’s a genius idea to make it in Instant Pot! So creamy and easy to make!
Thank you, Veronika! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Oh my goodness this Mac and cheese was a hit! SO easy to make in the instant pot and it’s incredibly cheesy just how we like it. I will definitely be making this again and again. Thanks for another delicious recipe Amy!
You are the best, Kathryn! So glad you liked this one! 🙂
There is nothing as comforting as homemade mac n cheese! This looks absolutely fantastic. I’ve never made it in the instant pot before so I’ll have to try this.
Give it a shot and let me know what you think!
Mac and cheese is one of my favorite dishes and this recipe makes it so straightforward and easy to make.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting!
Love this instant pot mac and cheese! It’s the perfect weeknight dinner and doesn’t take long to whip up at all. I love the addition of the hot sauce. It really does give it some great flavor!
I’m glad you agree! Not spice really but definitely flavor.
I love how easy this Mac and cheese is! It’s gonna be a go-to for weeknight dinners from now on! Thanks for this recipe!
Yay! So glad it’s going in your regular rotation!
Mac and Cheese perfection! Such a great recipe with easy to follow instructions. Thanks for sharing!
If you double the recipe would it still cook at 4 minutes? Would like to make it for a larger crowd. Thanks!
Yes, it should be the same amount of time!