Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is so quick and easy to make. Best of all, it’s super cheesy! It’s the best way to make creamy macaroni for an easy dinner any night of the week.

It’s the perfect go-to family meal, and it’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Ingredients

Noodles: Classic macaroni noodles are best of course, but you can substitute different pastas if you prefer. Use any similarly sized noodle like rotelle, penne, fusilli, or rigatoni.
Butter: Use unsalted butter. If you only have salted, skip the added salt.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese will give you the most classic Mac and cheese flavor! But you can use 3 ½ cups of your favorite smooth melting cheese. Think cheddar, fontina, Colby, Swiss, Monterey jack, and provolone. For the creamiest mac and cheese, buy blocks of cheese and shred it yourself. While pre-shredded cheese is convenient, it doesn’t melt as well as freshly shredded cheese.
Heavy Cream: This adds a creamy texture we love.

How to Make Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot

You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!

Add noodles, water, and seasonings to the Instant Pot, and cook briefly to cook the noodles.
Stir in the butter and cheese, and then the heavy cream.
Serve it up and enjoy!

Instant Pot mac and cheese will have your favorite dish ready in just 15 minutes and it comes out so creamy and delicious.

But if you don’t have a pressure cooker, try my recipes for crockpot mac or cheese or baked mac and cheese instead. For something a little different, try this skillet white cheddar mac and cheese!

Tips for the Best Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

There’s no need to cook the macaroni noodles before adding them to the Instant Pot. So just throw them in and cook!
Freshly shredded cheese will melt and mix in the most easily.
The Mac and cheese will thicken as it cools and sets, so stir in a bit more cream to refresh.
For a richer flavor, use 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (or half broth and half water) in this recipe.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Whether you are making this instant pot mac and cheese for a family get-together or for a quick dinner, or you pair it with another delicious dish or eat it on its own, you won’t be sorry you gave this quick dish a chance. It’s sure to be the kids’ favorite dinner night after night.

More 30 Minute Dinner Recipes We Love

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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe

This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is so quick and easy to make, and best of all, it's super cheesy! It's the best way to make macaroni for an easy dinner any night of the week.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings

Calories 513kcal

Author Becky Hardin – The Cookie Rookie

Ingredients

16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon dried mustard powder optional
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Add the macaroni, water, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder to the Instant Pot and stir.

16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dried mustard powder
Attach the Instant Pot lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook – Manual for 4 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually. Place a towel over the valve to avoid any splatters.
Remove the lid and stir in the butter and cheese.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Once the cheese is fully incorporated, stir in the heavy cream. The macaroni and cheese will thicken as it sits. If it becomes too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it out.

¾ cup heavy cream
Season to taste with salt and serve.

Video

Notes

Storage: Store macaroni and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a splash of milk before reheating. I don’t recommend freezing this pasta – cream-based sauces don’t thaw well.