Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

mac and cheese served in a white bowl with shredded cheddar cheese on side

4.88 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is super creamy, cheesy, and can be made in just 4 minutes with your electric pressure cooker

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot pasta, kids lunchbox recipes, mac and cheese, pasta recipes, recipe for kids

Diet Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 598kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

Equipment

Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

16 ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni (about 4 cups)
4 cups Vegetable Broth or water
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Dry mustard powder (optional)
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Salt to taste
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Sharp or Mild)
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup Whole Milk (can also use heavy cream or evaporated milk)

Instructions

Instant Pot Method:

Add pasta to the instant pot. Add water/broth, butter, salt stir well to combine. Close instant pot lid and turn valve to SEALING position.
Set on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) for 4 minutes (or half the time on the macaroni cooking directions).
When time is up, do a QUICK RELEASE.
Add the milk, cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper stir constantly until cheese is melted and everything is combined.
Serve creamy instant pot pressure cooker mac and cheese immediately.
***If mac and cheese hasn't thickened completely, turn the pot to saute mode and cook for a few minutes while stirring. This should thicken up any remaining liquid OR if you want it to be more creamy add more milk or cream.

Video

Notes

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.

Note about measuring:

This recipe calls for one 16 ounce box of dried elbow macaroni. This is equal to 4 cups dry measure. The 16 ounces is also equal to 453 grams or 1 pound.

Variations

Use a combination of cheeses for the best taste. I used a mixture of sharp cheddar, mozzarella.
I used regular whole milk. But if you are not too worried about calories then you can also use 12 oz of evaporated milk (1.5 cups) or 1 cup of heavy whipping cream or ½ cup of whole milk and ½ cup of cream.
You can also add small chunks of pineapple to make Hawaiian-style pineapple mac and cheese.
You can also some broccoli to make it more healthy.

Tips

The time to cook macaroni and cheese in an Instant pot is usually half of the suggested time on the pasta box.
Always stir in milk or cream, cheese, etc after the pressure cooking cycle.
You’ll need 4 cups of water for this recipe. For the best flavor, you can use vegetable broth.

FAQs

Can you bake this?

YES! You can just grease your baking dish and sprinkle some extra cheese on top of mac and cheese. This is a good way to repurpose leftover mac and cheese.

How long can I store it?

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition