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    You are here: Crunchy Creamy Sweet / Instant Pot / Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

    Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

    Published: May 9, 2019 · Modified: Mar 3, 2020 by Anna 59 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Instant Pot Mac and Cheese - the easiest way to make creamy and cheesy macaroni your whole family will love! It's so easy to make with 5 ingredients right in your pressure cooker.

    I cook pasta in my Instant Pot every week. Our favorites include the Spaghetti (fail-proof) and Pasta Carbonara.

    Instant Pot Mac and Cheese in the pressure cooker.

    Forget the box mac and make this mac and cheese with real ingredients, real cheese in just 12 minutes. This is the fastest and fail-proof way to make this classic dish that the whole family will love. The Instant Pot pressure cooker wins again! This macaroni and cheese could not be easier to make. Even my 11-year-old can make it!

    This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or simply when you are craving comfort food. You can jazz up this mac by adding steamed vegetables or cooked meat.

    Instructions

    • Place water, macaroni, nutmeg and butter in your Instant Pot insert.
    • Close lid, set valve to sealing and set timer to 5 minutes. The IP will take about 7 minutes to come to pressure.
    • Once done, stir the macaroni. Add evaporated milk and cheese, 1/2 cup at a time until it's your desired texture.
    • Serve right away or place in a baking dish, top with breadcrumb topping if desired and place under broiler to toast it up.
    Overhead shot of macaroni pasta in water, with pieces of butter on top, in Instant Pot.

    Ingredients

    • elbow macaroni
    • water and chicken or vegetable stock
    • nutmeg, salt and pepper
    • butter
    • evaporated milk (or half and half)
    • cheese (mozzarella and cheddar)

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes, you can double the ingredients to make more mac and cheese. The cooking time stays the same.

    Reheating Instructions

    If you store cooked mac and cheese, the pasta will soak up the sauce. You can reheat this mac and cheese right in your Instant Pot, on the saute setting, or on stove-top but you may need a little bit of milk to get the desired consistency.

    Variations

    • add broccoli, peas and carrots, corn, etc
    • add cooked chicken, turkey or ham
    • serve with pulled pork on your next barbecue
    Overhead shot of mac and cheese in white bowl.

    More Instant Pot pasta recipes:

    • Instant Pot Spaghetti
    • Instant Pot Baked Ziti
    • Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta

    For more recipes using the digital pressure cooker, feel free to browse our Instant Pot Category.

    Also, check out my Instant Pot Guide for Beginners, filled with all the info you need to get started with your new appliance! Seeing BURN message on your IP? Read my Instant Pot Burn Message post to learn why and how to save your dish.

    If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

    Instant Pot Mac and Cheese in the pressure cooker.

    Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

    Author: Anna
    The easiest way to make creamy Mac and Cheese, right in your Instant Pot. It requires 5 real ingredients and cooks in 12 minutes (including coming to pressure).
    4.93 from 27 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    coming to pressure 7 mins
    Total Time 17 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 5 people
    Calories 548 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 cup chicken stock low-sodium
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
    • 1.75 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
    • 1.25 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Place macaroni, butter, nutmeg, salt, stock and water in Instant Pot insert. Close the lid and set the valve to "sealing" position.
    • Press the "manual" or "pressure cook" button and set timer to 5 minutes. Make sure your Instant Pot is set to high pressure. The pressure cooker will take about 7 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking.
    • When the IP beeps, press "cancel/off" button and wait one minute. Then switch the valve to quickly release the pressure. Open lid carefully, away from your face.
    • Stir macaroni.
    • Add milk to macaroni and stir well.
    • Add cheese, half of a cup at a time, until you reach desired consistency. See notes.
    • You can serve mac immediately or bake in a dish with breadcrumb topping, if desired.

    Video

    Notes

    You can use Gruyere cheese in place of mozzarella cheese. 
    I prefer the mild cheddar in mac and cheese because I find the sharp cheddar too chalky for my taste. Feel free to use what you like. 
    Add 1/2 cup of cheese at a time until you reach desired consistency. I used 1 cup of cheddar and 1/2 cup of mozzarella. 
    To jazz it up, you can add steamed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, corn, carrots and peas or shredded cooked chicken or ground cooked turkey. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 562mg | Iron: 1.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

    More Instant Pot Recipes

    • Instant Pot Applesauce
    • Best Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
    • Instant Pot Corned Beef
    • Instant Pot Turkey Stock

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sheri Smith says

      November 23, 2021 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      I made this the other night. It was so easy and so very good! This will be my new go to! I did use gryure cheese too because I happened to have it on hand. I also used half & half. I did sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake a bit because my son likes it that way. This recipe would be just as amazing as is, too! Thank you for this deliciousness.

      Reply
    2. Elsa says

      April 10, 2021 at 3:30 pm

      I have a 10q instant pot and have a large crew to feed could you tell me how many cups of pasta I would use. I do want to make as much as the 10q can hold. Thanks

      Reply
      • Anna says

        April 11, 2021 at 9:34 pm

        I think you can easily double the recipe, Elsa! I don't have the 10qt Instant Pot and didn't test the recipe in this size.

        Reply
    3. Lori says

      January 24, 2020 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      Nice recipe for 2 adults. I used extremely sharp cheddar and Parmesan as cheeses of choice. Since my husband likes his mac and cheese baked with topping, I just added some and shoved it in the oven for a spell. Perfect and so little time even with baking. Thank you.

      Reply
    4. April says

      January 15, 2020 at 11:36 am

      How can I double this recipe?

      Reply
      • Anna says

        January 15, 2020 at 1:46 pm

        Hi April! To double the recipe use: 4 cups macaroni, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 cups chicken stock, 2 cups of water, 2 cans of evaporated milk, 3.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2.5 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. The cook time stays the same. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    5. Monique says

      January 12, 2020 at 8:04 pm

      How do you cook wheat pasta in the instapot I did it for the 5 minutes like it said and then release the pressure and it wasn't cooked all the way

      Reply
    6. Shaquwanna says

      November 22, 2019 at 9:50 am

      Can I make this in a crockpot? If so what would the cook time be?

      Reply
    7. Carolyn says

      August 03, 2019 at 11:44 am

      this looks like a great recipe. Could I use whole milk instead of Carnation? If so, same amount?

      Thanks

      Reply
      • Anna says

        August 05, 2019 at 11:47 am

        Hi Carolyn! You can use whole milk but the texture won't be as creamy. You can add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to milk and stir in with the macaroni. That should help. You can also use half and half in place of evaporated milk. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    8. Diane Cohen says

      May 19, 2019 at 8:42 pm

      4 stars
      This was very good-even my daughter that doesn't normally care for mac and cheese enjoyed it!

      Reply
    9. Erin says

      March 01, 2019 at 8:54 am

      5 stars
      This looks incredibly delicious! Get in my belly! This looks so good.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        March 04, 2019 at 6:11 pm

        Thanks, Erin!

        Reply
    10. Jocelyn says

      February 28, 2019 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and so creamy!! Our kids devoured this amazing pasta!!!

      Reply
    11. Taylor says

      February 28, 2019 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      I've never made mac and cheese in the instant pot...looks so easy! Need to give it a try!

      Reply
    12. Nichole says

      February 28, 2019 at 3:21 pm

      5 stars
      I have four grandsons and the only thing i did different is used bacon cheddar cheese. So Good!

      Reply
    13. Jade says

      February 28, 2019 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delicious!

      Reply
    14. Jennifer says

      February 28, 2019 at 12:34 pm

      5 stars
      Made this last night with cheddar and Monterey Jack. It was Fabulous!

      Reply
    15. Betsy says

      February 28, 2019 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      This macaroni and cheese recipe is so easy and delicious! We had it for dinner and then for leftovers. We ate every bite.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:08 pm

        I am so glad it was a success! Thank you, Betsy!

        Reply
    16. Melanie Bauer says

      February 28, 2019 at 9:17 am

      5 stars
      Sounds fabulous! So creamy and tasty, adding to my list of must makes!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:08 pm

        Thanks, Melanie!

        Reply
    17. Catalina says

      February 28, 2019 at 7:14 am

      5 stars
      This is always a hit in our house! Looks amazingly delicious!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:09 pm

        Thank you, Catalina!

        Reply
    18. Chrissie Baker says

      February 28, 2019 at 4:49 am

      5 stars
      We have made this twice now. Super easy and super yummy! Thanks for a great lunch!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:09 pm

        Awesome! Thank you, Chrissie!

        Reply
    19. Jennifer says

      February 27, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      I love making Mac & Cheese in my Instant Pot!! So delicious!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:10 pm

        I agree! The best!

        Reply
    20. Steph says

      February 27, 2019 at 4:04 pm

      Looks so good! Can't wait to try it out in my new Instant Pot.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:11 pm

        I hope you love it!

        Reply
    21. Kristyn says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this! I need to do more in my instant pot. My kids love macaroni!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:12 pm

        I hope they will love it!

        Reply
    22. Neil says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy and tasted so good! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:12 pm

        Thanks so much, Neil!

        Reply
    23. Kimberly says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:27 pm

      5 stars
      Sooooo creamy and flavorful, thanks for this IP version!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:12 pm

        Thanks, Kimberly!

        Reply
    24. Sabrina says

      February 27, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      I'm all about using my IP as much as possible to make meal time easier. Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:13 pm

        Thanks, Sabrina!

        Reply
    25. Jen says

      February 27, 2019 at 2:33 pm

      5 stars
      This is a game changer using the instant pot. So cheesy and perfect!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 28, 2019 at 12:13 pm

        Thank you so much, Jen!

        Reply
    26. Diane says

      February 27, 2019 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      We use this recipe multiple times a month! This recipe is not only easy and quick but so yummy!!

      Reply
    27. Cheryl says

      February 27, 2019 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      This mac and cheese is always a hit! and so easy in the instant pot!

      Reply
    28. Allison says

      February 27, 2019 at 11:29 am

      5 stars
      Do you think that this would be okay if I make this in the instant pot and then put in crockpot to keep?

      Reply
    29. Amy says

      December 19, 2018 at 7:57 pm

      5 stars
      I literally cook in my instant pot 4-5 times per week. This is hands down one of the best recipes I have ever made. It was fantastic. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        December 20, 2018 at 1:19 am

        Hi Amy! I am so happy to know you love it! Thank you so much!!

        Reply
    30. Sunnysewsit says

      November 30, 2018 at 4:56 pm

      I just received my 3-qt Instant Pot today. We have used the 6-qt a number of times, but I wanted a smaller one, too, since there's just the two of us. I will definitely make this recipe tonight, adding broccoli, mushrooms, bits of green pepper and after the noodles are cooked and the cheese added, diced leftover ham from Thanksgiving. Sounds great. Glad I found your site.

      Reply
    31. Jaimie Tavenner says

      July 24, 2018 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      This was perfect. First, I’m a rookie. Like, took my 8qt Instant Pot out of the box last night. Last night I tried to make spaghetti and that was a huge fail. Kept getting the “burn” error. Today, I decided to try another pasta recipe to see if I could actually do it without a burn message. I DID IT! I did make some slight changes and everything turned out fine. I added the evaporated milk in the beginning and I did not have nutmeg and I didn’t have mozzarella so I only used cheddar but I did put a little bit of Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard. This was seriously cooked perfectly and it was delicious. Instant Pot redeemed itself today. Lol. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        July 24, 2018 at 12:15 pm

        Hi Jaimie! YAY! It's always so exciting to hear from first time users of the Instant Pot, especially if they love the recipe. I love how you adapted the recipe to what you had on hand. Awesome! Spaghetti can be a little tricky to make. I had my share of fails with it too. I am working on it! 😀 I hope you will try more of my IP recipes and will come to really enjoy this appliance as much as I do. Thank you!!

        Reply
    32. Lesley Mays says

      July 11, 2018 at 6:35 pm

      5 stars
      DELICIOUS!! I used Gruyere cheese, cheddar and a combination of Parmesan cheese with provolone!! PERFECTION!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        July 11, 2018 at 10:27 pm

        That's awesome, Lesley! Thank you so much!

        Reply
    33. Diane says

      May 15, 2018 at 8:27 am

      4 stars
      I found that I only needed half of the milk called for. I did use shells instead of elbows, so maybe there was less volume.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        May 15, 2018 at 12:29 pm

        Thank you for trying the recipe, Diane!

        Reply
    34. Kayla says

      April 28, 2018 at 7:20 am

      What would I do to double the recipe to still get it to turn out good?

      Reply
    35. LJ says

      February 25, 2018 at 5:50 pm

      If I want to increase pasta by another cup how much liquid do I add additional and how long do I cook it for????

      Reply
    36. Holly H says

      February 15, 2018 at 3:15 pm

      So you turn it off once the pressure is reached without cooking for the 5 min set on the timer.

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        February 18, 2018 at 12:48 am

        Hi Holly! I apologize if the instructions are not clear. You turn it off when the timer reaches 0 and the IP beeps. Not sooner. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    37. Chris says

      December 29, 2017 at 3:00 pm

      5 stars
      Just received an IP for Christmas, day 2 cooking in it! All I can say is wow! I added the milk (by mistake) to the initial cook, an it turned out just fine. Used cheddar and Gruyere, wow!

      Reply
      • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

        December 30, 2017 at 4:24 pm

        Hi Chris! Yay for a new Instant Pot! That is super exciting! I am so happy to know you made my mac and cheese recipe and love it. Thank you!!

        Reply
    38. Sues says

      November 20, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      Ooh yay! Definitely need to add this one to my list!

      Reply

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