Ready in less than 30 minutes, this simple recipe for Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is super creamy and irresistibly cheesy and is sure to become a family favorite.
Inspired by my recipe for One-Pot Mac and Cheese, this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe has quickly become a staple at our house. And after one bite, I am willing to bet Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese will be a new favorite at your house!
Reasons to Love Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Easier than Boxed Mac and Cheese. Truly! There is no boiling, no draining, just dump and pressure cook! And Instant Pot Mac and Cheese tastes a million times better than the boxed version!
- Perfectly Cooked and Seasoned Noodles. Just like my recipes for Instant Pot Rigatoni with Sausage and Instant Pot Spaghetti, I have perfected the cooking time for making tender noodles in the Instant Pot. And because the noodles cook in a seasoned broth, they absorb additional flavor as they cook.
- Uber Creamy. Super cheesy, super creamy, and slightly tangy, Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is not only an easy recipe for mac and cheese, but the best!
- Kid-Friendly Meal. Pair Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with a fruit salad and Instant Pot glazed carrots or roasted broccoli, and not only will the kids be happy, but the adults will enjoy this simple meal as well.
Notes on Ingredients
- Noodles: This recipe calls for 16 ounces of dried elbow macaroni noodles, which is about 4 cups of noodles. You can use whole wheat or regular elbow noodles without changing anything to the recipe. I don't recommend using gluten-free noodles unless using the Barilla brand. That is the only gluten-free brand I have used with success, as others release too much starch as they cook.
- Cheese: For the cheese, use a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and Parmesan for the best flavor. It is best to freshly grate cheese from a block of cheese rather than using bagged cheese. Bagged cheese is coated in an anticaking agent, that can make the mac and cheese taste gritty as the cheese won't melt as smoothly.
- Broth: I recommend using broth over water to flavor the noodles as they cook. You can opt to use store-bought, homemade chicken stock, Instant Pot chicken stock, or vegetable broth, but I suggest using low-sodium broth to control the level of sodium in the macaroni and cheese.
- Seasonings: Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika work to add incredible flavor to the elbow noodles as they pressure cook, in turn adding incredible flavor to the mac and cheese.
- Milk: While whole milk will make the macaroni and cheese much creamier, any fat percentage of milk can be used.
- Sour Cream: The sour cream makes this mac and cheese super creamy and helps to balance the rich, sharp cheeses. Use low-fat or full-fat, not fat-free sour cream for the creamiest results.
How To Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One: Combine Ingredients. Add the broth, seasonings, and noodles to the pressure cooker. Gently tap down to spread out the noodles in an even layer, ensuring they are submerged in the liquid. This will ensure that the noodles cook evenly and don't dry out while pressure cooking.
Step Two: Pressure Cook. I have experimented countless times with cooking pasta in the instant pot and have achieved the perfect timing that results in pasta that is fully cooked but not mushy. The key is to cook for half the cooking time the box of pasta suggests followed by EXACTLY 5 minutes of natural pressure release. This will result in perfectly cooked pasta every time!
Step Three: Grate Cheese. While the noodles are pressure cooking, use that time to grate the cheese in a food processor fitted with a grating blade or on a handheld box grater. Don't be tempted to use bagged cheese, as it will not melt as smoothly.
Step Four: Add Cheese and Milk. Once the noodles are pressure cooked, stir in the cheese a handful at a time, stirring to melt the cheese. Add the milk and sour cream and stir into the pasta until creamy and smooth. If needed, add additional milk to thin the cheese sauce to achieve the desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is so easy to make that it is a go-to recipe for a quick kid-friendly lunch. Yet Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is so creamy and irresistibly good that it also makes a fabulous addition to your holiday meal alongside Instant Pot Ham or Pineapple Glazed Ham, Air Fryer Asparagus, and Strawberry Spinach Salad.
Storage Directions
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is best when served immediately. However, with a few tips, you can enjoy the same creamy results with leftovers.
- Refrigerate: Store cooled leftover mac and cheese in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Place the leftovers into a heat-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals until warmed through, adding 1-2 tablespoons broth or milk if needed to add moisture to the pasta. I also like to add in a tablespoon or so more sour cream after reheating, which will help give the pasta new life and make it taste as though it was just made.
More Easy Kid-Friendly Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
- Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
- Instant Pot Taco Pasta
If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, I would appreciate it greatly if you took the time to leave a comment and rating below.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 16 ounces elbow noodles whole wheat or regular (or 4 cups of elbow noodles)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Pour the broth into the inner pot of the instant pot. Stir in the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Add the noodles and gently push down the noodles to submerge in the liquid.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed. Set to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes by hitting manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust the time.
- When the cooking time has finished, let the pressure release naturally for EXACTLY 5 minutes. Then do a quick release of pressure by using a pot holder or long spoon to move the venting knob from the sealed to the venting position. Stand away from the steam, so as to not get burned.
- Add in ¼ cup milk and stir well. Add the cheese, one handful at a time, stirring to melt in between each addition. Once the cheese is added, add in the sour cream and stir well. Add up to ½ cup more milk to loosen up macaroni and cheese if needed.
- Taste and add in additional salt or pepper if needed and then serve.
bonnie
how much broth do you add and what spices do you add how much do you add
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Bonnie! The ingredients and amounts are listed in the green recipe card. You can hit jump to recipe to get the exact amounts.
Claudia
Another winning recipe! Made this tonight and my hubby and I loved it. Cooking with the chicken stock and the added spices (plus the sour cream) made this a great dish. Thank you Kristen!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful!! Thanks for sharing Claudia.
Anthony
I make this all the time! My kids love it! We add some chicken and bacon at the end sometimes as well. If I wanted to double up the noodles and make a big party batch, are the cook times the same??
Kristen Chidsey
The cooking time would be the same, just keep in mind it will take longer to come to pressure 🙂 And I love hearing you enjoy.
Gayle
This was the best mac-n-cheese that I have made in my instant pot! So delicious and creamy, the seasonings and the Swiss cheese added add a nice level of flavor. Thank you for a successful recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I love hearing this is the best!
Brandy
The broth and seasonings really add such a deep flavoring to this recipe. Creamy and delicious. I subbed Asiago for Swiss and reduced fare cheddar and it came out great!
Joe Ryan
Excellent recipe. The mac & cheese is creamy, flavorful, and delightful! It was super easy. My 14 year old niece is learning to cook and she enjoyed making this recipe. Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
I love that your niece made this for you! And so glad you all enjoyed!
Glenda
So easy. I didn't have chicken stock so I substituted beef stock. It came out delicious!! Thanks for the detailed directions.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Glenda! Good to know the flavors worked well even if using beef stock.
Melissa
I have a grandson that LOVES Mac n cheese. Is this a “creamier” version? He HATES stringy gooey Mac n cheese. He’s more apt to gravitate to the blue box 🤮
Kristen Chidsey
This is SUPER creamy! The key is to grate the cheese yourself, as it will melt into the pasta better. Also the sour cream really helps. We hate string mac and cheese too!
Linda Tokar
Hi Kristen - this looks perfect and I have everything on hand... except... I have a package of bowtie pasta instead of elbow macaroni. Will it still work? How (if at all) should I adjust cooking time? BTW - I'm hoping to make this today ...in about 5 hours... so if you happen to check between now and then, that'd be awesome!!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Linda!! I think I saw in time! I have not tried this particular recipe with bowtie, but I have made many other of my IP pasta recipes with bowtie noodles. You want to set cook time to 5 minutes with 5 minutes natural pressure release. Enjoy.
Sandra Walls
OMG! This is the best mac and cheese I've ever made. My guests said the same thing! My normally picky 15 year old nephew loved it too! I'm making it again tonight but with gouda cheese instead of swiss. Also, my nephew always wants the bread crumb topping. I use Italian panko bread crumbs mixed with parmesan cheese and melted butter. Bake until crumbs are toasted. Tonight I'm trying the broiler instead of the oven. Thanks for the recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sandra! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review and let me know how much you enjoyed this recipe--it makes my heart so happy! I love the topping idea as well.
Becky Brakel
I made this tonight with cellatani pasta. Delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Becky!
Rachel
Do you think this would work with GF noodles?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Rachel! I have had success with Barilla Gluten Free Noodles in my Instant Pot before (using my Creamy Pasta Recipe). Other brands I have had not had as much success. I would love if you try it to report back to us how it worked out 🙂
Dara Michalski
Such a great way to make mac and cheese!
Kristen Chidsey
It really is a one pot wonder! I hope your family enjoyed Dara!
Jennifer Banz
The perfect comfort food, and so easy!
Kristen Chidsey
It is totally comfort food. So glad you enjoyed Jennifer.
Beth Lee
I am really in the need of comfort food right now - this is the perfect recipe! Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
I hope this is like a big hug to your soul Beth!
Heather
When you say "add up to 3/4 cup as needed I assume you mean the milk?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, that is correct Heather. I will be sure to make that clear.