MAC AND CHEESE! MAC AND CHEESE! INSTANT POT MAC AND CHEESE! (that’s me chanting)
This is exciting. On so many cheesy and delicious levels, this is exciting.
Featured comment
This saved my week and couldn’t be easier. Had it with a kale, bacon and POY Sunshine Sauce salad 🙂
alaina
This post contains referral links for products we love. Pinch of Yum earns a small commission on these links at no cost to you, and the links will always be marked with an asterisk. We ♡ honesty!
I’ve had my Instant Pot* for a few years now, and let’s be real – I’m definitely not the ultimate Instant Pot expert, but I use it regularly enough to have a few recipes that are worthy of YOU, my favorite internet people.
Friends, this Mac and Cheese is at the top of the list. Top spot, position one, gold medal winner. It could not be easier or cheesier. I love this recipe so much.
And yes, I love our other Instant Pot recipes, too, and you can find them here.
But today it’s all about the cheese. Nostalgic, creamy, simple elbow macaroni and melted cheese is just a golden meal that makes life better.
In This Post: Everything You Need To Know For Homemade Mac and Cheese
- Watch How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Choosing the Right Cheese
- Mac and Cheese Extras
- Why We Use the Instant Pot for Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese: Frequently Asked Questions
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
How To Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Step 1: Put noodles, water, and salt into the Instant Pot, plop the lid on to seal it, and push a few buttons. Let the whole thing pressure cook in the Instant Pot under high pressure.
Step 2: Stir in butter, cheese, and milk until it all melts to make your cheese sauce.
Step 3: That’s it. There is no step 3. Grab your bowl and start scooping!
But seriously: my number one goal with Pinch of Yum is to connect with you and share recipes that you’ll actually make and actually love, and THIS! I am confident that this is one that you can and will actually make.
And absolutely one that you will love, assuming you’re into cheese?
Also: my specific Instant Pot is the Instant Pot DUO60* but I have made this in several types (“the old ones” and “the new ones” both) and it’s great all around.
Let’s Discuss The Cheese Selection
The type of cheese you use really does matter here. We’re going for high meltiness factor and big flavor factor.
One of our favorite combos is part sharp cheddar cheese, part Italian blend shredded cheese. Use about 2 cups of the cheddar and 1/2 cup of the Italian blend. This mac and cheese is super flexible though and almost any smooth-melting cheese will be incredible in this pasta. Gouda, gruyere, fontina, and Monterey jack would all be solid cheese choices. Mozzarella and provolone get a little tricky to work with since they’re a bit stringier. We’re going for major cheese bomb here, people.
Mac and Cheese Extras
You’ve made delicious Instant Pot Mac and Cheese and want to level it up even more? May we suggest some of the following to go on top?
- A sprinkle of black pepper
- A dash of hot sauce
- Crumbled bits of salty bacon
- Maybe even more cheese on top? You do you.
The Magic Of Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
We need to identify the brand of mac that is Instant Pot mac and cheese.
This is: you’ve graduated from mac and cheese in a box, but you are not interested in the commitment required for a big fancy baked deal. You want something that falls somewhere in the middle of the tastes-like-Velveeta to truffle-baked-mac spectrum. Friends, you are in luck. This is the perfect in between. This is your mac and cheese for when you want REAL FOOD mac and cheese that has a velvety, creamy, sauce with 5 ingredients in 15 minutes.
It is hangry mac and cheese.
It is I-have-no-other-groceries mac and cheese.
It is even-if-I-did-I-would-still-make-this mac and cheese.
It is FEED ME NOW AND LOVE ME FOREVER mac and cheese.
Why Use The Instant Pot For Mac and Cheese?
Obviously Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is pretty straightforward and simple and that’s kind of the point, in my opinion? I creep around on the internets and lately I’ve seen people chatting about how frustrating it is when people just use the Instant Pot for “basic recipes like Mac and Cheese.”
Excuse me but I’d like to respectfully disagree. There’s a reason why people use the Instant Pot for basic recipes like mac and cheese, and it’s because, especially in this case, the mac and cheese your Instant Pot can give you is NEXT LEVEL GOOD. I am not food-sciencey enough to tell you how or why this works, but the texture of the creamy sauce that you get a little melted butter, and cheese, and milk?
It just works differently in the Instant Pot! You cannot replicate this on the stovetop with the same ingredients and I do not know why. Starch? Pressure? Does it matter? The IP holds the magic.
The Instant Pot is so good to us.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese: Frequently Asked Questions
Not really. I tried this with gluten-free noodles and did not have great results – they just turned to mush.
My favorite cheese combo is 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup Italian blend shredded cheese. Really, any kind of cheese you like will be good here. I lean towards smooth-melting cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, gruyere, Monterrey jack, etc. Stringy cheeses (i.e. Mozzarella or Provolone) might be tricky to work with (think ooey gooey cheese bomb) but would obvi still taste awesome.
I often add a pinch of garlic salt or a swish of hot sauce when serving. I can’t not.
A totally vegan mac and cheese recipe can be found here!
Click here to see the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
Print
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 10 minutes (+ 10 minutes resting)
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – made with just 5 real food ingredients. This is SO MUCH BETTER (and easier) than any mac and cheese I’ve ever had! Unreal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked elbow pasta
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
- up to 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Noodles: Put the pasta, water, and salt into the Instant Pot. Cook for 4 minutes using the manual function. Quick release the steam so your noodles don’t get overcooked.
- Cheese: Gently stir in the butter until melted. Add the cheese and milk (use 2-3 tablespoons of milk at a time, as needed, up to 1/2 cup). Add more seasoning or liquid if necessary. For best results, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken up a bit. MWAH! Enjoy. It’s so, so good.
Equipment
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: instant pot mac and cheese, mac and cheese, easy mac and cheese, instant mac and cheese
More Comfort Food We Love
- Paprika Chicken Pasta
- Burst Tomato Pappardelle with Zucchini, Sweet Corn, and Pan-Fried Chicken
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes
- Date Night Rigatoni with Sausage and Kale
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of easy pasta recipes. Check it out!
Have made this recipe ON REPEAT the last few months. So much so that our toddler looks at the instant pot and says “mac cheese!” 🙂
My oldest daughter was very choosey with her mac and cheese (i.e. only CFA or Panera… no boxes, no homemade) for years. This one WON HER OVER. It’s creamy — no drama with making a roux, etc… easy! Have tried a ton of cheese combos and it just always is so good we finish the whole thing. THANK YOU!
Can this be made ahead of time and then warmed in the oven? In a casserole dish?
Yes!
I made this with chickpea pasta and it turned out great!
Mac and cheese in one pot in just minutes? Yes, please!! This is so yummy and easy!! I don’t understand how this only has an average rating of 4.3 stars. Definitely use her cheese recommendations. If you make it and don’t love it, modify with some toppings: panko crumbs, bacon bits, maybe even some broccoli. This is an absolute winner for our family!
I’m still a newbie at cooking, but a loyal POY fan! Two questions:
1. What kind of cheese should I use in this recipe?
2. Why the instant pot instead of a regular pan on the stove?
Sub in 8 oz of cream cheese for 1 of the cups of regular… Its a whole n’other level of creamy…
Easy and so good!
This is the best easiest quickest way to make mac n cheese! Wow!! Thank you! It was perfect!
I love this recipe! It’s a staple in our family.
Can I double it?
Are you supposed to drain the water before adding the cheese, milk and butter?
Nope! The noodles will absorb the water during cooking and after.
Really delicious and easy recipe, it has become a family favourite!
Easy and delicious!
I’m so new to instant pot! I got the Mini 3 quart for Christmas and I tried this macaroni recipe, it’s so good it came out really well, kudos to you!! The thing I did different was I melted my cheese in the microwave and then poured it on top of the cooked macaronis, it stirred in very well. I had a little extra liquid so I didn’t have to add any. But thank you, very good, 4 minutes, who knew? 😉
Amazing! This is a true family favorite and so easy to make. I like to use the unexpected cheddar from Trader Joe’s, it makes a rich and creamy mac and cheese.
I have been making this mac and cheese on rotation for a couple years, it’s my kids’ favorite meal. One thing I have learned: It is VERY important to add the butter and milk first, let the noodles cool off for 1-3 minutes and ONLY THEN add the cheese. Otherwise the cheese can become stringy. I recently shredded a frozen block of cheese in my food processor and accidentally discovered the frozen cheese becomes extra velvety when mixed in. Now I put my shredded cheese in the freezer while I’m preparing dinner to chill it and have had great results. Cold cheese = velvety noodles. I always serve with peas or roasted kale and chili crisp for the adults.
I am only a decade late trying this but could you tell me how you would do add ins with this recipe? Like buffalo chicken or crab etc. Thanks!!!
I noticed in the written recipe the instructions say to cook for 4 minutes but in your video with you speaking, you said cook for 3 minutes. Which is correct? I have made this twice and the first time was perfect. The second time my instant pot was leaking water and overflowing the collection cup. The macaroni was burnt and my instant pot was giving me a burn message. I really don’t know what happened but I will try it again. I am going to cook it for 3 minutes instead of 4. Please advise if it’s supposed to be 3 or 4 minutes. On another note, I add fresh cooked broccoli at the end with the cheese to make it a bit healthier!
Hi Janet! We cook the macaroni for 4 minutes.
Jeez this was great. I used gluten-free pasta and combined this recipe with another one to adjust timing. I pressure cooked the pasta at 0:00 minutes and then allowed for a natural release for 7.5min before placing a towel near the valve and quick releasing the rest. I kept everything else the same and dumped some cut up spinach to wilt right in. Delicious and I will be making this weekly.
I love this recipe. I have heavy cream I need to use up. Could I substitute it for the whole milk? I also have evaporated milk I need to use. Would it be a better substitute?
I cannot even count how many times I’ve made this. Currently making a double batch for a dinner gathering. It started as an easy Thanksgiving side dish, thanks to my sister in law who lives in the south and shared the recipe. Now my kids request it often enough that I just plan to make it weekly, either for Saturday lunch or a dinner side. It’s the perfect recipe! I’ve used quite a variety of shaped noodles, 2% milk when I forgot to grab whole, regular cheddar (although sharp is much better!) and I double the batch when feeding a large group and it always turns out great. That is, as long as I pay attention to the little instant pot beep (why is it so subtle when it’s such an important part of pressure cooking?!) and do the steam release right at the end of cooking. We’ve had a few overcooked batches… but to be honest, we enjoyed those too! Such an easy and forgiving recipe.
Can you tell me if almond milk will work in place of whole milk? At the least 1%-2% milk?
I just made this, added a lil bit of mustard powder when adding cheese + a small amount of double cream and some orange cheese powder for color. One of the creamiest tastiest mac n cheeses ive had! N ive made it just about every which way you can (or so i thought).
This recipe is easier than the box kind and so much better. When I am being fancy, I add a sprinkle of garlic powder and chopped bacon (or ham or salami) and put it in a casserole dish. I top with extra cheese and crushed bbq chips and bake for 25 min.
Do you still set it for 4 mins if you double the recipe?
Yes!
It’s… just average. It is a cheese sauce made with mainly water so it’s very thin. The cheese only mostly emulsified into the water but was still weirdly stringy. The noodles and very lightly coated with sauce because it’s so thin and watery. I did all the steps including waiting for it to thicken. All in all I think it’s worth it to make a real stovetop version with milk and a roux.