Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

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Instant Pot Mac And Cheese is a quick and easy, creamy and cheesy macaroni and cheese that can be on the table in about 15 minutes! It’s perfect when you want everyone’s favorite comfort food fast!

The elbow macaroni cooked up perfectly after pressure cooking for only 5 minutes and then the cheese and heavy cream make the macaroni and cheese super rich, creamy and cheesy. I may never make macaroni and cheese any other way again!

If you want to add a crunchy topping and bake the Mac and cheese, then after you have pressure cooked the Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot, transfer it to a casserole dish and top with Panko bread crumbs and melted butter and then bake for 15 minutes or until the crumb topping has turned a golden brown. The pasta is already hot so that makes for a shorter baking time.

With only pasta, water (or chicken broth), seasonings, cheese, and milk, you can make a delicious side dish or comfort food meal.

How To Make Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

Below are detailed step by step instructions for how to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. Also, see the photo collage below the instructions showing a photo of each step of how to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. In addition, check out the video in this article showing how to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.

Instructions

1. Add Pasta and Liquid. Add 16-ounces of elbow macaroni or other recommended pasta in the instant pot inner liner and add 4 cups or 32-ounces of water or chicken broth. (I recommend using low sodium chicken broth.)
2. Add Butter and Seasonings. Add 2 Tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. (I use 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper.)
3. Pressure Cook The Pasta. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn to close, and move the venting button to the sealing position. Press the pressure cook button, (or manual button) depending on your IP model, select High Pressure for pressure level, and adjust the pressure cook time to 5 minutes. 
4. Do A Quick Release. Immediately after the Instant Pot has finished the 5 minutes of pressure cooking, and shows “L” on the front, use a long handled spoon to move the venting button to the venting position on top of the Instant Pot. Wait for the pressure to release and for the pin to drop. Then carefully remove the lid.
5. Add the Dairy Ingredients.  Add the 3 cheeses and 1 cup of heavy cream into the pasta and stir until the cheese is thoroughly combined and cheese is melted. 
6. Mac And Cheese.  After stirring the cheese into the pasta, the cheese will melt and it will become a rich and creamy Macaroni and Cheese that is ready to serve! Top with chopped chives if you like.

What Type Of Noodles Are Best For Mac And Cheese?

Traditionally, elbow macaroni is used to make Macaroni and Cheese. However, You could use other short, sturdy pasta, such as cavatappi, whose name translates to corkscrew, is a spiral pasta that is bigger and thicker than elbow macaroni but is sturdy enough to hold up to the pressure cooking and to hold onto that delicious cheesy sauce.

Other types of pasta that work work well in this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese include penne pasta, shell pasta, bow tie pasta, or rotini. If you don’t have elbow macaroni pasta on hand, any of these other pastas would work well in this recipe too.  

What Type Of Cheese Is Best For Macaroni And Cheese?

I love sharp cheddar cheese! You could use only sharp cheddar and it will be delicious. However, my favorite is to combine different types of cheeses. I like to use a combination of sharp cheddar and white cheddar cheese but add parmesan for a more complex flavor.

For cheeses to work well in this recipe, they need to be melting cheeses, meaning that they melt really well. Cheeses such as Gouda, Gruyere, Mozzarella, Fontina, or Monterrey Jack, or for an added spicy kick, use Pepper Jack cheese.

You can use pre-shredded cheese and that would work. However, for the best quality Mac and Cheese, especially in an Instant Pot, I recommend shredded the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains potato starch and other anti-clumping ingredients that can slightly change the texture of the cheese.

How To Get A Crunchy Topping For Mac and Cheese?

The Instant Pot Mac and Cheese gives a creamy textured macaroni and cheese. If you want to add a crunchy topping, then transfer the pressure cooked Mac and cheese to a casserole dish and sprinkle bread crumbs on top and pour a little melted butter over the top of everything. Then bake at 350 degrees F in a preheated oven for about 10 or 15 minutes to brown the top.

Do I Need To Bake This Mac And Cheese?

No. The Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese does not require baking. The only time you need to bake the Macaroni and Cheese is if you would like a crunchy topping on the Mac and cheese.

Tips For Perfect Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

1. Shred The Cheese Yourself. While the pre-shredded cheese will work in this recipe and is quick and convenient, for the best quality macaroni and cheese, I recommend buying block cheese and shredding the cheese yourself.  See above for the best types of cheese to use in macaroni and cheese.
2. Use Heavy Cream. For the creamiest Mac and cheese, I recommend using heavy cream. However, if you don’t have that on hand, then you can use milk instead. 

What To Serve With Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

1. Serve macaroni and cheese with Meat Loaf, Pork Roast, Pork Chops, or Roast Chicken.
2. Other sides that go well with macaroni and cheese include Broccoli Salad, Green Beans, or a Cucumber Tomato Salad.

More Cheesy Pasta Recipes

If you are looking for more cheesy pasta recipes, try Green Chile Chicken Pasta, Cheesy Skillet Chicken Pasta, or Cheesy Tortellini Skillet Lasagna, French Onion Pasta.

More Instant Pot Recipes

Other Instant Pot comfort food recipes that you may enjoy include Instant Pot Ham Green Beans And Potatoes, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings, and Instant Pot Beef Stew.

Recipe