Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is ultimate comfort food loved by all. Learn how to make the most creamy and delicious homemade mac and cheese using just one pot, in just twenty minutes with your electric pressure cooker. This recipe will make you swear off the blue box.
Say hello to best tasting homemade mac and cheese made with just 5 ingredients. No preservatives and other hard to pronounce ingredients. This cheesy dish is rich and creamy and makes excellent dinner or side!
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There is nothing that says comfort food more than Mac and Cheese. This affordable and delicious food is a staple of children, college students and adults worldwide.
This is the best instant pot mac and cheese recipe because everything is cooked in just one pot . It doesn’t get any easier than that. And after it’s been gobbled up, you’ll only have one pot to clean! Even better !
This recipe reveals the step by step photos and pro tips to make perfect Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. So let’s get cooking.
Why you will Love This Recipe
- Needs only 5 ingredients
- Loved by all – I mean it !
- Affordable and easy
- One pot comfort meal,
- Easy meal prep
- Taste WAY better than boxed version
- No processed and artificial ingredients or preservatives.
Ingredients
- Macaroni Pasta : I used 16 oz. bag of elbow macaroni pasta . It amounts to 4 cups of dry un-cooked pasta. You can use other variety and cuts of pasta like shells or penne as well.
- Cheese Sauce : This recipe uses full fat dairy milk and butter. Mozzarella cheese and sharp cheddar cheese is our household favorite cheese combination . Top it off with grated parmesan cheese.
- Seasoning : Garlic Powder, dash of hot pepper sauce ( like sriracha) and vegetable broth and along with salt and black pepper is used for the classic flavor. It is mildly spiced but flavorful. You can adjust and add your favorite seasoning mix.
How To Make
- Add the uncooked macaroni, broth ( or water ), butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and set the valve to sealing. Press and choose MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK , high pressure for 4 minutes. After it’s done cooking, do a QPR – quick pressure release. Open the lid.
- Add half of the milk and grated cheese. Stir well. Then add the rest of the milk and cheese and stir well again. ( add more milk, if necessary, to adjust the consistency that you like)
- Season to taste. Serve it warm in a bowl and enjoy !
Pro Tips
- You must add cheese one handful at a time and stir it well each time. This creates nice creamy melty cheese sauce.
- Do NOT add cheese at once. It clumps up and hardens and does not have a creamy texture.
- Adjust the milk quantity ¼ cup at a time. If you like the slurpy sauce, add extra milk. For the milk, start with ½ cup and add up to one cup if you find it needs to be thinned out a little bit more.
- It’s little more work, but grate your own cheese, using a box grater or a food processor. Store bought shredded cheese has anti caking agents to prevent clumping and preservatives to ensure long shelf life. However, that prevents it from melting smoothly.
- I recommend quick release pressure method in Instant Pot however, if while releasing the pressure, you notice the splatter, stop the release and try again after few minutes.
- This mac and cheese does thicken as it sits. So if you notice it’s runny and on the thin side, just let it sit for a couple minutes and it will thicken up.
Variations and Substitutes
There are several different cheeses you can use to make mac and cheese recipes. My kids love stringy cheese pull, so I used Mozzarella.
You can also just use Cheddar cheese as they typically do in our neighboring state of Wisconsin.
To keep it simple , you can use Italian blend shredded cheese. For a smooth melting sauce, use cream cheese, gouda, gruyere, fontina or Monterey jack cheese. Feel free to use your family’s favorite cheese combination.
I used whole milk for a rich thick texture. You can use 2% regular milk but it will be lighter. I don’t recommend using fat free milk in this recipe.
Seasoning is very adjustable. My family likes spicy things, so I added a bit of hot pepper sauce. You can also use red pepper flakes. Skip it if you don’t like it. You can also add ground mustard and pinch of turmeric powder.
Personally I do not prefer taste of evaporated milk or sour cream in my bowl of mac and cheese. Also whole milk makes it just as creamy, so I avoid calorie laden heavy cream.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• When reheating, add 1-2 tablespoon milk or water. Mix well while heating since cheese clumps up when it’s cold. Microwave it in 30 seconds interval. Stir well for even re-heating.
Serving Suggestions
A bowl of Mac and Cheese is a rich and filling meal great enough by itself. Absolute comfort food in my opinion and my family agrees! You can also use it a side dish for large gatherings and summer picnics.
You can accentuate it with a side of Air fryer Garlic Toast or crusty fresh bread topped with Italian Bruschetta or Olive Tapenade.
To make it a wholesome balanced meal, I like to serve it with some veggies as a side. There are many excellent options like Air Fryer Zucchini No Breading, Air fryer roasted mushrooms, Roasted Air-fryer Cauliflower as well as air fryer broccoli.
Questions?
On the stove yes, but in Instant Pot no. Pressure cooking pasta in milk will cause the milk to curdle and separate. It will also give BURN notice since milk scorches at high pressure cooking. SO cook the pasta in broth and water instead and add milk later.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Penne Rosa – better than take out
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta – easy and comforting.
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup : excellent with grilled cheese sandwich
- Stuffed Pasta Shells : No boil, no bake, easy recipe
- Vegetable Orzo Soup : one pot wholesome meal
- Pasta Fresca : Noodles and Company Copycat pasta dinner
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni 4 cups dry
- 4 Cups Vegetable Broth or water
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce Optional
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Cup Milk add more if needed
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add the uncooked macaroni, broth ( or water ), butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the pot and set the valve to sealing. Press and choose MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK , high pressure for 4 minutes.
- After it’s done cooking, do a QPR – quick pressure release. Open the lid.
- Add half of the milk and grated cheese. Stir well. Then add the rest of the milk and cheese and stir well again. ( add more milk, if necessary, to adjust the consistency that you like)
- Season to taste. Serve it warm in a bowl and enjoy !
Notes
Nutrition
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