Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

This is the easiest Instant Pot Mac and Cheese ever! Quick, packed with cheese, and creamy, you're going to want to make this daily!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

You're going to love this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe! Why?

• It's easy
• You don't have to babysit a pot on the stove
• It takes 10 minutes (or less if you're speedier at stirring than I am!)
• It's easy to customize to reflect your favourite cheese combination
• If mac and cheese is your go-to side dish for the holidays, making mac and cheese in the Instant Pot frees up your stovetop for other recipes
• Mac and cheese is freezer friendly

Ingredients You'll Need

• elbow macaroni — this recipe was only tested with elbow macaroni!
• chicken stock — or vegetable stock. I like using Better than Bouillon.
• seasoning — paprika, onion powder, garlic powder
• salt
• milk — I love using full-fat milk.
• cheese — for this Instant Pot mac and cheese, I use three different cheeses: shredded cheddar cheese, asiago cheese, and parmesan cheese.

How To Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

• In the Instant Pot, add in the elbow macaroni, chicken stock, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
• Place the lid on, set to sealing, and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Quick release when done.
• Add a splash of milk (I start with 1/4 cup) and start mixing in the cheese to the cooked macaroni. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese at a time, making sure the cheese has melted before adding in more.
• Add in more milk if necessary.

Other Cheese Combinations You Can Try 

• Cheddar + Monterey Jack
• Gouda + Pepper Jack + Havarti
• White Cheddar + Swiss + Gruyere + Parmesan
• Cheddar + Gouda

Tips and Notes

• Be sure to start with less milk and work your way up so your mac and cheese doesn't get too runny.
• Pre-shredded cheddar tends to not melt properly due to it sometimes being dusted with an anti-caking/moisture-absorbing agent. I recommend shredding your own cheddar! You can quickly shred a block of cheese with a food processor if you're not a fan of using a grater.
• I recommend stirring in 1/2 cup of cheese at a time so your macaroni can be coated evenly and the cheese can melt evenly as well.
• If you are doubling up this recipe, double up everything but the cooking time.
• This recipe has only been tested in the Instant Pot 60 DUO Plus 6 Qt.

How To Freeze Mac and Cheese

• I freeze mine in 1 cup portions using a souper cube to make it easy to defrost individual servings for myself as needed. Once frozen in the souper cube, I transfer it to a freezer safe bag.
• Alternatively, you can freeze them in glass containers, just make sure it is airtight to avoid freezer burn.
• How To Reheat Instant Pot Mac and Cheese: When you reheat Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, I recommend adding a splash of milk or cream while heating to add some moisture back to the mac and cheese. I let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

What Should I Serve With Mac and Cheese?

• oven roasted chicken
• fried chicken
• chicken caesar salad
• roasted broccoli
• roasted brussels sprouts
• instant pot tomato soup

Continue to Content

Recipe

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This is the easiest Instant Pot Mac and Cheese ever! Quick, packed with cheese, and creamy, you’re going to want to make this daily!

Print

Ingredients

• 454 grams elbow macaroni
• 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable)
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 - 1 cup milk
• 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1.5 cups asiago cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In the Instant Pot, add in the elbow macaroni, chicken stock, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
2. Place the lid on, set to sealing, and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Quick release when done.
3. Add a splash of milk (I start with 1/4 cup) and start mixing in the cheese to the cooked macaroni. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese at a time, making sure the cheese has melted before adding in more. Add in more milk if necessary.

Notes

I used 1 box of Brilla Cut Macaroni which is 454 grams

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 511Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 1488mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 31g

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• Creamy Instant Pot Beef Pasta
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• Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff

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