Belly-up to a comforting bowl of creamy mouth-watering Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese that is made in under 10 minutes. Perfect weeknight meal that can be paired with a store bought rotisserie chicken!
If you are pressed for time, hopping from sports practice to sports practice my Instant pot mac and cheese recipe is going to be a new staple in your home. I spent months trying different ways to cook macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot.
I’ve finally found the correct heat setting as well as the perfect combo of cheese and cream. I tested this Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese recipe so many times in a one month time span that my family was only willing to have a few bites toward the end of my testing. I was handing out containers full of macaroni and cheese to neighbors—none complained one bit!
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Directions
People think I’m crazy when I tell them you can actually cook macaroni and cheese in the instant pot. You place an entire box of elbow macaroni in the Instant Pot plus the variety of spice combo I’ve created as well as water.
Turn the lid to the locking position and make sure the steam valve is closed. Then set the Instant Pot to “manual” mode for 4 minutes. That’s it! Easy as that!
It will take about 4-5 minutes to come to pressure. Once the Instant Pot beeps, carefully release the pressure. You will have a tiny bit of water in the Instant Pot and that is okay.
Stir the noodles and then stir in the heavy cream and half the cheddar cheese. Stir until melted, and then repeat again until all the cheese has been stirred in and melted. Taste the macaroni and cheese and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Then ladle into bowls and enjoy.
FAQs
This recipe uses an entire box of elbow macaroni. This means it feeds a lot. You can expect at least 8, one cup servings from this recipe.
During my recipe testing I tried various methods of liquid. From whole milk, heavy cream, and evaporated milk. At the end of the day my family and I preferred the heavy cream. It yielded the creamiest macaroni and cheese. Some will argue that if you don’t use evaporated milk the cheese will clump and coagulate. Yes—that will happen to an extent using the heavy cream; however, we preferred the creaminess. We found with the evaporated milk it left a little bit of a tangy after taste that we didn’t prefer.
When it comes to macaroni and cheese the cheese is the second most important component to the recipe. I tested a variety of cheeses from sharp cheddar, mild cheddar, mozzarella cheese, Fontina, smoked Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan and the list goes on.
At the end of the day I really liked the combo of sharp cheddar paired with a mild mozzarella. I also prefer Cabot cheese of all the cheddar’s. It’s the smoothest and melts the best. I’ve grated my own cheddar from a block as well as used the pre-shredded. I didn’t notice a difference, but every time I tested I used Cabot. So you might yield different results if you use another brand.
Yes, you can freeze mac and cheese; however, you will need to add more cream to the thawed mac and cheese when you reheat it.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks when making Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
- Water – You will have a tiny bit of water in the Instant Pot and that is okay. No need to drain any excess water.
- Keeping Warm – You can also keep the macaroni and cheese on the “warm” mode and wait to serve it for up to an hour. However, if you do this you might need to add additional cream. This recipe is perfect for entertaining with.
- Toppings – Spice up the mac and cheese and add on some toppings like crispy bacon, pancetta, Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese., bread crumbs, mix in peas or even broccoli. The sky is the limit.
- Storage – Store leftovers of mac and cheese in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
What Goes Well with Mac and Cheese
Here are a few of my favorite main dish entrees that I like to serve with mac and cheese.
- Slow Cooker Ham
- Pot Roast
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Roast Beef
- Pork Tenderloin
- Slow Cooker Roasted Whole Chicken
Craving more mac and cheese? Try these other recipes…
If you’re looking to simplify lunch or dinner or maybe looking to entertain and make a mac and cheese bar of your own. I hope you’ll give my Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese recipe a try.
If you make this Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound Elbow Macaroni
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 4 tablespoons Salted Butter
- ½ teaspoon Red Hot Sauce
- 4 cups Water
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Place the elbow macaroni, ground mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, butter, hot sauce, and water in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Close the lid, making sure the pressure valve is in the “sealing” position.1 pound Elbow Macaroni, 1 teaspoon Mustard Powder, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper, 4 tablespoons Salted Butter, ½ teaspoon Red Hot Sauce, 4 cups Water
- Set the Instant Pot to “manual” and cook for 4 minutes.
- As soon as the Instant Pot beeps, carefully release the pressure from the pot. Remove the lid and stir the noodles.
- Then stir in the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese.½ cup Heavy Cream, 1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- Stir until melted, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Water – You will have a tiny bit of water in the Instant Pot and that is okay. No need to drain any excess water.
- Keeping Warm – You can also keep the macaroni and cheese on the “warm” mode and wait to serve it for up to an hour. However, if you do this you might need to add additional cream. This recipe is perfect for entertaining with.
- Toppings – Spice up the mac and cheese and add on some toppings like crispy bacon, pancetta, Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese., bread crumbs, mix in peas or even broccoli. The sky is the limit.
- Storage – Store leftovers of mac and cheese in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Did you make this recipe? Let me know!