Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

By Becky Hardin

Published Dec 17, 2022

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This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is so quick and easy to make, and best of all, it’s super cheesy! It’s the best way to make macaroni for an easy dinner any night of the week.

Why We Love This Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Easy. This recipe takes just 15 minutes from start to finish in the Instant Pot!
Cheesy. Classic cheddar cheese is enhanced by onion, garlic, and mustard powder.
Kid-Friendly. It’s the perfect go-to family meal, and it’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Variations on Pressure Cooker Mac and Cheese

This Instant Pot mac and cheese is great as is, but you can spice it up by adding crumbled cooked bacon , sausage, or ham; shredded chicken ; broccoli florets; diced peppers and onions; Buffalo sauce or sriracha; canned beans and salsa ; canned tuna; or chili .

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Instant Pot mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the Instant Pot using the “keep warm” function and stirring every few minutes or in 30-second increments until warmed through. Add a splash of cream to rehydrate the noodles.

How to Freeze

Freeze Instant Pot mac and cheese in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

This quick and easy pressure cooker mac and cheese is the perfect side to serve with chicken nuggets , air fryer hamburgers , grilled hot dogs , or mini turkey meatloaves . Add a side of corn on the cob , air fryer broccoli , or Buffalo cauliflower wings for a complete meal.

Sharp cheddar cheese will give you the most classic Mac and cheese flavor! But you can use 3½ cups of your favorite smooth melting cheese. Think cheddar, fontina, Colby, Swiss, Monterey jack, and provolone.

Mustard is slightly acidic and spicy, which enhances the overall umami flavor of the mac and cheese. I promise, you won’t taste it!

I prefer to use a mixture of water and heavy cream in the Instant Pot. You could also cook it in milk, but I find this hack works just as well!

If you used pre-shredded bagged cheese, it may not stick well to the pasta because of the starches added to prevent the cheese from clumping in the bag. I always recommend shredding your own cheese for this recipe!

Use the “keep warm” function on your Instant Pot and stir the mac and cheese every so often to keep it warm for up to 10 hours.

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More Mac and Cheese Recipes To Try

Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Mac and Cheese Casserole
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Loaded Mac and Cheese
Taco Mac and Cheese
Pesto Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Lobster Mac and Cheese
White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Mexican Mac and Cheese
King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese

5-Star Review

“This was soooo easy and yummy! I used fresh chicken stock instead of water and used 2 1/4 cheddar and 4 oz. of velveeta. When done I put in a backing dish, added bacon crumbles and put it in the oven for 10 minutes on 350 to crisp it up a bit. Delicious!” -Cathy

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 16 ounces dry elbow macaroni (1 box)
▢ 4 cups water
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder optional
▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
▢ 3½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
▢ ¾ cup heavy cream room temperature

Video

Instructions

Add the macaroni, water, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder to the Instant Pot and stir. 16 ounces dry elbow macaroni, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
Attach the Instant Pot lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 4 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually. Place a towel over the valve to avoid any splatters.
Remove the lid and stir in the butter and cheese. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Once the cheese is fully incorporated, stir in the heavy cream. The macaroni and cheese will thicken as it sits. If it becomes too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it out. ¾ cup heavy cream
Season to taste with salt and serve.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Step by Step

Cook the Noodles: Add 16 ounces (1 box) of elbow macaroni, 4 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon of dry mustard powder to the Instant Pot and stir. Attach the Instant Pot lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 4 minutes.

Add the Cheese: Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually. Place a towel over the valve to avoid any splatters. Remove the lid and stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 3½ cups of freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

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Thicken the Sauce: Once the cheese is fully incorporated, stir in ¾ cup of heavy cream. The macaroni and cheese will thicken as it sits. If it becomes too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it out. Season to taste with salt and serve.

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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

16 ounces dry elbow macaroni (1 box)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder optional
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
3½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup heavy cream room temperature

Instructions

Add the macaroni, water, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder to the Instant Pot and stir. 16 ounces dry elbow macaroni, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
Attach the Instant Pot lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook - Manual for 4 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually. Place a towel over the valve to avoid any splatters.
Remove the lid and stir in the butter and cheese. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3½ cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
Once the cheese is fully incorporated, stir in the heavy cream. The macaroni and cheese will thicken as it sits. If it becomes too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it out. ¾ cup heavy cream
Season to taste with salt and serve.

Video

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!