This easy Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe is the perfect kid-friendly weeknight meal. Pressure cooker macaroni and cheese is made with just a few simple ingredients and delivers creamy goodness in under 30 minutes. Forget the boxed stuff; your family is going to love this creamy mac and cheese recipe.
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Table of Contents
ℹ️ Introduction
This mac and cheese is ready in under 30 minutes, from start to finish, and it’s sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings!
Homemade mac n cheese is so easy in the Instant Pot. This is the creamiest, cheesiest macaroni and cheese with little hands-on time.
The pressure cooker does all the work! With this one-pot recipe, you cook the pasta with seasonings in the Instant Pot and then dump in the milk and shredded cheddar cheese.
The secret to achieving the smooth, creamy sauce is that the pasta absorbs most of the cooking liquid, and the cheese melts beautifully and combines with the remaining cooking liquid and tender pasta, resulting in a perfect texture.
Sharp cheddar cheese gives this pressure cooker mac and cheese recipe a bold, velvety, cheesy flavor I love. It’s as fast and easy as the boxed stovetop mac and cheese but has much more flavor!
If you’d like to try other easy Instant Pot pasta recipes, try Instant Pot sausage pasta in tomato cream sauce, garlic pasta with broccoli and shrimp, or spaghetti with homemade meat sauce. They’re all one-pot meals!
And for a stovetop/oven recipe, try my Indian shepherd’s pie, a delicious comfort food with Indian flavors!
❤️ WHY THIS IS THE BEST INSTANT POT MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
- This recipe is so easy that even your kids can make it.
- The recipe is customizable – add different kinds of cheeses, switch out the pasta shape, or add more spices and flavorings.
- It’s budget-friendly and makes great leftovers for lunch.
- It’s a great recipe for beginners.
- The Instant Pot makes it a one-pot meal, which means easy cleanup!
Learn more about your Instant Pot…
- Natural or Quick Release: What is Instant Pot natural release vs quick release and when should you use them?
- Instant Pot Tips and FAQs: What are Instant Pot frequently asked questions?
- Instant Pot Not Sealing: Why is your Instant Pot not sealing and what can you do to fix it?
- Common Instant Pot Problems: This Instant Pot troubleshooting guide explains common problems and errors and how to solve them.
- Sous Vide Button: How to use sous vide Instant Pot function for perfectly cooked foods.
💡 Tips for making perfect macaroni and cheese
Here are some tips for getting the best results when making this homemade mac and cheese recipe:
- The recipe uses 4 cups of liquid: half broth, and half water. You can use any combination you want, including 4 cups of broth or 4 cups of water. If you decide to use 4 cups of broth, reduce the quantity of salt.
- The creamy cheese sauce thickens as you let it sit, so add more milk to thin it out, if needed.
- I like to change up the cheese by substituting some of the cheddar cheese with Velveeta or American cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterey jack cheese, gruyere, gouda, fontina, or cream cheese. I always like to have at least 2 cups of sharp cheddar for that perfect mac and cheese flavor. My daughter adds a few slices of American cheese to get a creamier texture.
- I prefer not to use pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses have additives to keep the cheese strands from sticking together. This doesn’t let the cheese melt smoothly, and you end up with a grainy cheese sauce.
- I substitute some half and half or heavy cream for some of the milk for creamier mac and cheese.
- I sometimes add ½ teaspoon onion powder for more flavor.
- Add in chopped roasted chiles if you like spicy foods.
- Add the milk first, and then add the cheese in batches and stir between each addition, don’t add it all at once.
- Release the pressure in bursts, to avoid a frothy mess. Learn more about the different pressure release methods.
- Empty the condensation collector on the Instant Pot when you’re all done because it tends to fill up when you cook pasta.
TO MAKE HEALTHIER MAC AND CHEESE
- I’m of the opinion that if you’re going to make mac and cheese, go all the way! But if you want to have a healthier version, reduce the quantity of cheese to 1 ½ to 2 cups total, and halve the quantity of butter. You can also stir in some thawed frozen peas at the end.
TO MAKE BAKED MAC AND CHEESE
- After pressure cooking, transfer the mac and cheese to a large, greased baking dish.
- Mix ¾ cup plain or panko bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
- Top the mac and cheese with the bread crumbs and broil until the top is golden brown.
❓ FAQS
Yes, you can double the recipe. Keep the cooking time the same. The Instant Pot company recommends that your ingredients not exceed the ½ full mark of the inner pot. So if you have an 8 quart, you can safely double it.
To halve the recipe, halve the ingredients but cook for the same amount of time.
Based on feedback, brown rice pasta appears work in this recipe. Other types of gluten-free pasta may fall apart.
Whatever pasta shape you use, take the cooking time on the box, divide by 2, and add 1. For example, if the cooking time is 8 minutes, 8 divided by 2 equals 4, plus 1 equals 5 minutes. For al dente, halve the cooking time on the box.
Yes, this Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe can be frozen. Transfer the mac and cheese to a large baking dish and allow to cool. Seal tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake for about 30 minutes or till heated through and bubbly.
You need to add the cheese in batches, stirring between additions. Rather than using pre-shredded cheese, shred blocks of cheese, rather than pre-shredded cheese.
🧂 Creamy Cheesy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – Ingredients
- A total of 4 cups of water and broth can be added in any combination to cook the pasta. I use low sodium chicken broth.
- Butter gives the mac and cheese richness. Feel free to reduce the quantity.
- Use freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Paprika adds a bit of color and flavor to the mac and cheese.
- Elbow macaroni is used in traditional mac and cheese, but you can substitute other pasta shapes by changing the cooking time (see FAQ section above).
- Hot sauce adds a touch of heat. It’s a very small quantity and does not make the mac and cheese spicy. I like Cholula, Tapatio, or Frank’s hot sauce. But you can also use sriracha.
- Garlic powder adds flavor and spice.
- Whole milk adds a creamy flavor. Substitute some of the milk with heavy cream for a creamier mac and cheese. You can also use two (5 ounce or 147 ml) cans of evaporated milk.
- Ground mustard adds color, depth of flavor, and a bit of spice to the mac and cheese.
- Use salt to taste. Using higher sodium chicken broth may require you to adjust the quantity of salt.
- Sharp cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese add an authentic flavor to the dish. You can substitute other types of cheese. See the tips above. (Oops! I forgot to photograph the cheese!)
More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
📝 How to make macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot
- Add macaroni, spices, and water to the Instant Pot
- Pressure cook
- Stir in cheese and milk
Add macaroni, spices and water to the Instant Pot
- Add water or broth to the Instant Pot
- Add in macaroni
- Add salt and spices
- Stir all ingredients till combined. Make sure the liquid covers the pasta!
Program the Instant Pot and release pressure
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 04:00. The float valve will go up after a few minutes. The display will count down to 00:00.
- Do a quick release in bursts after waiting for 2 minutes.* The steam might take some time to release completely due to the quantity of food in the Instant Pot! You can open the Instant Pot once the float valve goes down.
* It’s important to release the steam in bursts to avoid a big mess of frothy foam bursting out of the steam release valve. It’s still a bit messy, but I find it’s much less if you use this method.
Stir in cheese and milk
- The macaroni will probably have extra liquid and appear soupy after cooking is done. Don’t worry, I promise it will thicken after resting for a bit at the end. Separate the pasta pieces with a spatula if they’re clumped together.
- Add milk and butter. Add cheese to the pot in 4 batches, stirring after each addition.
- Stir all ingredients and let the pasta rest to thicken. If you find it too thick, add more milk as needed.
MORE PASTA FAVORITES
Love cooking pasta recipes? Try some of these family-favorite recipes. Some are stovetop and some are Instant Pot recipes.
Instant Pot Tips and Tricks
Delay Start
Learn about how to use the Instant Pot Delay Start feature, which allows you to begin pressure cooking at a future time.
Pot in Pot
Find out how to use the Instant Pot pot in pot cooking method, which allows you to cook multiple foods together.
Cooking Times
Find out Instant Pot Cooking Times and what method of pressure release to use.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 16 oz. elbow macaroni (453 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder (ground mustard)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ⅔ cup whole milk or 2% milk
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded (See Note 1)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Stir together water, broth, macaroni, salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, garlic powder and hot sauce. Make sure the pasta is completely immersed.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- Do a Quick Release of steam, and open the Instant Pot. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Stir in the butter and milk. Add the cheese in 4 batches, stirring after each addition. This will help prevent clumping. The macaroni may appear liquidy, but it will thicken as it sits. If it's too thick, stir in a couple of tablespoons of milk.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or deep pan over medium heat. Stir together water, broth, macaroni, salt, pepper, mustard powder, garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir to combine, pushing down on the pasta so it's submerged below the level of liquid, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the pasta simmer until cooked (about 8 minutes for al dente pasta), stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. If you like the pasta to be well done, add a few more minutes of cooking time.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining butter and milk. Add the cheeses in batches, stirring between each addition.
Notes
- Note 1: Use your choice of cheeses, including fontina, gruyere, gouda, and mozzarella. Add some extra cheese, like a few slices of American cheese, for an extra creamy mac and cheese!
- For Baked Mac n Cheese:
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- After pressure cooking, transfer the mac and cheese to a large, greased baking dish.
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- Mix ¾ cup plain or panko bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
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- Top the mac and cheese with the breadcrumb mixture and broil until the top is golden brown.
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- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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✅ Why Trust Neena at Paint the Kitchen Red?
I’m Neena, and I have a lifetime of experience working with pressure cookers. I know how to maximize the potential of a pressure cooker to consistently produce delicious and easy meals. With my Instant Pot expertise, I can provide valuable insights, troubleshooting advice, and innovative recipe ideas so you can trust me on all things Instant Pot!
➡ New to the Instant Pot? Get my Instant Pot instructions for beginners.
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