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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese couldn’t be easier to make! It’s about to be your new favorite recipe that will make you forget the boxed stuff!
We love our Instant Pot and make dinner in it a few times per week. Our favorites are Instant Pot Chili, Instant Pot Chicken Chili, and Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot
Let’s be honest, Instant Pot recipes are the best! Who doesn’t love a recipe where you can just dump a bunch of ingredients into a pot, hit start, and have a complete meal done in minutes? It’s magical.
You can now add your favorite childhood dish to your instant pot recipe arsenal with this Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese. It is loaded with amazingly cheesy flavor with a perfect combination of spices that makes this recipe stand out from the crowd.
Just grab your instant pot and a handful of ingredients and you’ll be ready to go with dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!
How To Make Mac and Cheese In an Instant Pot
- In the inner pot of an Instant Pot, combine chicken broth, macaroni, butter, dried onion powder, mustard, hot sauce, and black pepper.
- Put the lid on the pot and set the valve to the sealing position and cook on high.
- After the time is up do a quick release and wait for all the pressure to be released before removing the top.
- Add the milk, then stir in handfuls of cheese at a time and stir until smooth and melted. Add more milk if needed. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.
Do I Have To Use an Instant Pot?
To make this recipe as quick and simple as it is directed in the recipe below, you will need to stick with using an instants pot or pressure cooker.
If you have some extra time and don’t need dinner ready in a flash, you can cook it in a slow cooker on low for about three hours.
To make this recipe on the stovetop it would take a bit too much adjusting, so I recommend sticking with a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
What To Serve With Mac and Cheese
Of course, mac and cheese make a great backyard summer party staple. It’s easy to whip together, and everyone both young and old will love it!
Serve it up with a few other party dishes to complete a food table people will flock to.
My go-to party foods always include German Cucumber Salad, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Italian Pasta Salad, Zucchini Salad, and Cheesy Bacon and Caramelized Onion Dip.
Optional Mac and Cheese Toppings/Mix-Ins
This traditional mac and cheese recipe is perfect just the way it is, but if you want to have a little fun with it, there’s an endless amount of opportunity!
Stir in come precooked shredded chicken to make it into a complete hearty meal. Or add some jalapeno slices to add a bit of a kick.
If you really want to have some fun and incorporate this mac and cheese into your next party or event, try setting up a mac and cheese bar. Just set out the pot of mac and cheese and line up your favorite toppings like bacon bits, bread crumbs, pico, or anything else you can think of.
Tips For Making Mac and Cheese in an Instant Pot
- First and foremost, make sure your instant pot is set to “seal” not “vent” BEFORE you press start. The pot will not be able to heat up properly if it’s not sealed correctly, and once it is already turned on it will be very hard to adjust as hot steam will start to release from the top.
- Instead of cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese, you could also use a mixture of any smooth melting cheese like gouda, gruyere, or Monterey Jack. I don’t recommend using Mozzarella cheese because it gets stringy when melted.
- Make sure the settings on your pot are on high pressure. If the temperature is set to a lower temperature it will take longer to cook the dish, and it will not be done after just 5 minutes.
- Have a paper towel or dishtowel ready when you release the pressure. Because the pasta is starchy there will be some splattering out of the valve.
- Add milk until you’ve reached your desired consistency. If you prefer a thinner cheese sauce you can add a little extra milk to thin out the sauce. Only do a little at a time so you don’t end up adding too much.
Tools Used To Make This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot: Clearly, from the name of this recipe, you’ll need to have an instant pot or pressure cooker. The 6-quart size is perfect for all of your cooking needs!
Dijon Mustard: This mustard adds flavor and goes so well with the Mac and Cheese.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 4 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, or regular mustard
- 1 tsp hot sauce, optional
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, optional
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder, optional
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cups grated Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- In the inner pot of an Instant Pot, combine macaroni, chicken broth, butter, mustard, hot sauce, and spices.
- Put the lid on the pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Set to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
- After the time is up do a quick release. Have a towel ready because there might be some liquid spraying. If there is extra liquid, put the lid back on and let sit for 2 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of milk, then stir in handfuls of cheese at a time and stir until smooth and melted. Add more milk if needed. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.
