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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – This macaroni and cheese is every family’s favorite comfort food pasta recipe made easy in the Instant Pot! You can have creamy, mouthwatering, homemade mac and cheese for dinner in about 10 minutes!

Have I mentioned lately that I’m kind of in love with my Instant Pot? If you have been following me on Instagram you’ll know that I’ve documented my daily trials and errors using the thing. I was so skeptical of even getting one in the first place, and now, it’s pretty much all I want to use for cooking at all! It takes a lot of the in-between steps out of making simple recipes. Like this mac and cheese, the pasta cooks in just enough liquid, with no need to drain! If you’re looking for more amazing Instant Pot dinners definitely try out this Instant Pot Jambalaya it’s out of this world!!

My family absolutely LOVED this macaroni and cheese. Well, I did too. The flavor was absolutely perfect and it was super creamy, just like a good mac should be.

I made this recipe in my 8 quart Instant Pot, and it will definitely work just fine if you have a 6 quart as well. It makes a whole lot by the way. Yay for leftovers!

There was enough for my family of four to eat this as a main dish with a side salad for supper. Then, my kids took some for lunch in their thermos to school the next day. Even after that we had enough left to use up as a side dish later in the week!

How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese:

For the best flavor, I recommend using chicken broth as your cooking liquid. I used low sodium chicken broth. If you don’t have low sodium, leave out the extra addition of salt, then salt as needed when serving.

Use seasoning! I add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce to this before cooking. Don’t worry, the hot sauce does not make this spicy at all. It just adds an additional layer of flavor that’s amazing.

Use a combination of cheeses for the best taste. I use a mixture of sharp cheddar, mozzarella. When you add the cheese, make sure to stir continuously so that it all melts in really well and you aren’t left with clumps.

Don’t use canned milk. I used regular 2% milk, and I recommend that or whole milk for best results. Most of the recipes I saw for Instant Pot mac and cheese used evaporated milk which I am not a fan of at all.

Enjoy!

~Nichole

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Instant Pot Mac and Cheese - This macaroni and cheese is every family's favorite comfort food pasta recipe made easy in the Instant Pot! You can have creamy, mouthwatering, homemade mac and cheese for dinner in about 10 minutes! 4.88 from 428 votes Print Pin Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: 206 kcal Author: Nichole Ingredients 16 Ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni 16 Ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni

4 Cups Chicken Broth 4 Cups Chicken Broth

2 Tablespoons Butter 2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce 1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Salt 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese 1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1/2 -1 Cup Milk 1/2 -1 Cup Milk Instructions Add the uncooked macaroni, chicken broth, butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the Instant Pot.

Place the lid on the pot and set to sealing. Cook on manual function, high pressure for 5 minutes. Then, do a quick release.

Add the milk, then the cheese to the pot in 3-4 handfuls, stirring in between each addition until smooth and creamy. Season as necessary to taste. Notes NOTE ABOUT MEASURING: This recipe calls for one, 16 ounce box of dried elbow macaroni. If you are measuring from a large bag, this is equal to 4 cups dry measure. The 16 ounces is also equal to 453 grams. NOTE: Some people say that they find this "stringy" Mozzarella is a stringy cheese, if you don't like that texture, use a different cheese, or all cheddar. Also, keep in mind that you MUST add the cheese in 3-4 handfuls, stirring between each addition, don't add all of the cheese at once. NOTE: The cheeses listed in the recipe have produced the best flavor that I have found. Feel free to use your family's favorite cheese combination. NOTE: For the milk, start with 1/2 cup and add up to one cup if you find it needs to be thinned out a little bit more. Nutrition Serving: 1 Cup | Calories: 206 kcal | Protein: 13 g | Fat: 17 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Cholesterol: 52 mg | Sodium: 966 mg | Potassium: 145 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 1 g | Vitamin A: 519 IU | Vitamin C: 9 mg | Calcium: 351 mg | Iron: 1 mg Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today! Mention @the_salty_marshmallow or tag #TheSaltyMarshmallow

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