Super creamy Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is so much better than the stuff in the box. It’s easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, and it turns out perfect and cheesy. Classic macaroni and cheese is always good, but this Instant Pot version is simple comfort food that takes only about 15 minutes to make.
I’ve always made this mac and cheese with my favorite brisket recipe. The recipe makes plenty, and it’s alway a favorite. Most of the time, I use my Instant Pot to make hard-boiled eggs, but this macaroni and cheese is so incredibly amazing that I use my IP for this too.
I have a lovely baked macaroni and cheese recipe. But this is definitely the fastest way to make homemade macaroni and cheese. It’s prepped and cooked in a fraction of the time as baked mac and cheese. And because the Instant Pot is such a cool cooking appliance, you’ll find that you won’t even need to drain the pasta after cooking it in the Instant Pot. The pasta simply soaks up the liquid.
Ingredients Needed:
- Pasta: Suggested varieties of pasta to use for Instant Pot macaroni and cheese include: large elbow macaroni, cavatappi, shells or fusilli.
- Chicken Broth and Water: We use a mix of chicken broth and water because we feel like it adds more flavor to the mac and cheese instead of just using all water. Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth so you can control the saltiness in the mac.
- Unsalted Butter: Since cheese is high in sodium, use unsalted butter too. You can always add more salt later, but you can’t take it away if it’s too salty!
- Dijon Mustard: I love this addition to macaroni and cheese. Dijon mustard intensifies the natural sharpness of the cheese and it adds tangy flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: A small amount of each will be added to the recipe. You can always add more, to taste, in the end.
- Cheeses: I have found that using a combination of two different varieties of cheese turns out the best flavor for Instant Pot macaroni and cheese. My favorite combination is sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack.
- Half and Half: This will help with a very creamy texture to the mac and cheese. You can substitute whole milk or 2% milk if you don’t want it to be quite so rich.
How to make Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
The first thing you’ll do is cook the macaroni in the Instant Pot with water and chicken broth. Follow the instructions in the recipe card below for timing. The macaroni should cook completely and absorb the liquid.
Next, you’ll take off the lid and stir in the butter, Dijon, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese a little at a time, alternating with the half and half. Let the cheese melt before stirring in the next round. Add more half and half, as needed. The goal is to get a texture that is nice and creamy!
Recipe Tips
- This recipe works in either a 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot.
- 16 ounces of pasta is also equal to 4 cups of dried pasta.
- It’s okay to experiment with using a variety of cheese combinations. Try Gouda, Gruyere, Pepper Jack or Havarti! You can even stir in a little Parmesan cheese. Melted mozzarella tends to be a little stringy in mac and cheese, so I don’t use that.
- Store any leftover macaroni and cheese in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When re-heating, it’s a good idea to sprinkle a little water or milk on the mac before heating. It will add a little creaminess back into the pasta.
Suggested Additions:
I think this mac is perfect when made as written, but you can certainly add more goodies to it if you’d like. Add a bit of hot sauce and/or a can of mild green chiles. Stir in cooked bacon and/or shredded chicken. And sun dried tomatoes are a great mix-in too.
What to serve with Instant Pot Mac and Cheese:
Serve this creamy and decadent macaroni and cheese as a side dish to roasted pork tenderloin or meatloaf. It’s also delicious served with pork chops, pulled pork or fried chicken. Of course it’s great comfort food to serve with hot dogs or ribs. And it’s a great side dish to serve at Thanksgiving too.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe:
- It’s such a quick and easy dinner recipe to make for a busy weeknight.
- Only one pot (the Instant Pot) is needed for the recipe, so you want have a bunch of dishes to clean.
- Homemade mac is made with good ingredients (no Velveeta!)
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (4 cups) uncooked elbow or shell macaroni
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ cups (or more) half and half cream, warmed
Instructions
- To the Instant Pot, add the macaroni, water and chicken broth. Set the Instant Pot to "sealing," and then cook on manual, high pressure for 4 minutes with a "quick release" following.
- Open the Instant Pot and stir in the butter, Dijon, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheeses a little at a time. Stir in ½ cup of the cream. You want the cheese to be completely melted and the consistency to be nice and creamy. Add more cream as needed.
Notes
- To make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
