Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
on Jun 20, 2021, Updated May 17, 2024
This easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is made in just 10 minutes!
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is a game changer!
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is the recipe that turned me from an instant pot skeptic to a big fan! This recipe basically blew my mind. Insanely creamy, cheesy, crazy delicious homemade mac and cheese made in just ten minutes. So delicious, so simple, and so little clean up.
Ingredients you will need
- elbow macaroni noodles: this recipe has not been tested with another kind of noodle, you will need to research cook times if you change the type of pasta.
- vegetable broth: or chicken broth
- water
- butter
- freshly grated cheese: bagged shredded cheese is not a substitute
- heavy cream
- salt, pepper, garlic powder
What kind of cheese can I use?
For this recipe, I use good quality freshly grated sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese for best creaminess and taste. We love this flavor combination for mac and cheese, but you can also use all sharp cheddar cheese. You can experiment using different cheeses for new flavors, I just suggest using a quality cheese that you grate yourself for best results!
How to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Add the uncooked macaroni noodles, vegetable broth, spices, and water to the instant pot.
- Cube the butter and stir it in
- Place the lid on, set the valve to sealing, and set the instant pot to manual for four minutes. Once the 4 minutes are up, do a quick release.
- Once the quick release is finished and the pin has dropped, safely open the lid and stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese until creamy.
We have made this instant pot mac and cheese for a Thanksgiving side dish which cut down on cook time and was a breeze to throw in 15 minutes before the big meal was served. It’s great for quick meals or a side dish that you can have ready in minutes!
How do you keep mac and cheese warm in the Instant Pot?
After the macaroni and cheese has finished cooking, switch the Instant Pot over to the “keep warm” mode until you are ready to eat. Note that this should only be used for a short amount of time, or it could cause the pasta to dry out.
Storing leftovers
- Storing: Store leftover mac and cheese in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, either microwave the pasta or place it in a sauce pan with a small amount of milk to help loosen the cheese sauce up.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 cups vegetable broth , or chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- â…“ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Add the uncooked macaroni, vegetable or chicken broth, water, butter, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and set to sealing. Cook on manual function for 4 minutes.
- Once the 4 minutes is up, do a quick release
- Stir in heavy cream and cheese and stir until creamy.
This is so amazing! So fast and easy and about the best I’ve ever had!
This is by far my favorite Mac and cheese recipe. Yesterday was national Mac and cheese day, but we didn’t celebrate it because it is my husband’s birthday. So we are celebrating today. I have made this recipe sooooo many times and shared it as well. It is a definite keeper and so adaptable to use different cheeses and blends. Added bonus bit is super simple and fast to whip up.
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Delicious & so simple to make
Thank you for this recipe
I made a mistake in the recipe and accidentally put in 3/4 cup of cream in instead of the 1/3. I thought it would be very runny, so I just left the milk out. It turned out incredibly creamy and yummy.
The last time I made homemade Mac it was in my crockpot. It turned out so bad.
Thank you for the easy and family approved yummy recipe.
Quick question – when you do a quick release does it spray starchy steam everywhere? I read other posts that said that making noodles in the instant pot is messy. I am planning making this tomorrow for super bowl but want to prepare myself Thank you!
I have not noticed it, but I recommend letting the steam out in spurts instead of just flipping and walking away. Sometimes I use a kitchen towel held a foot over the top to help divert some of it.
Hello i have made a few times and it is delicious. If i want to make double what your recipe calls for do i have to adjust time for cooking? Not sure what to do.
Hey Mike,
I have doubled this before! You will need a 6 quart or bigger. Just double all ingredients but keep the cook time the same. It will just take a little longer to come to pressure, but still 4 mins with quick release!
@Joy Shull, I was searching for this comment!!! Yay!! Thanks!
bummer! soupy and big glops of cheese. what did I do wrong???
Did you use freshly grated cheese as recommended? Pre shredded cheese can result in clumps due to the preservative additives in it.
I second this need. I have made this before and used fresh grated cheese. This time I had some fresh mozzarella that I needed to use and thought what could it hurt. OMG. Big mistake. Fresh grated is the only way to go with this.
or you could have added the cheese in one big blob- it needs to be added and constantly stirred
Could velveeta cheese be used??
My leftovers were one big clump. How do you recommend re-heating? Also, I didn’t stir before cooking in instant pot and did get a burn notice.
I think my kid wasn’t locked tight and some liquid might have been lost. That could have caused the burn.
I love making this Mac and cheese. It’s so quick and so good. The only change I make is adding an extra tablespoon of butter and 3 minutes in the slow cooker. It’s just easier to use half a stick of butter. For cheese I use Parmesan, medium cheddar, and smoked gruyere cheese. All cheese is fresh grated which makes a huge difference.
I made it for my Japanese friends who had never had Mac and cheese and they absolutely loved it!!
I made this with turkey stock (I forgot to get veggie stock and turkey was all I had at home) and added hotdogs. It was delicious, the sauce never thickened tho. Wonder if I could add more noodles next time? Also should have double checked my kid’s cheese measurement.