In our house, we love Instant Pot macaroni and cheese! All of the different kinds. Even the box kind if my husband is making it. 😉
When we came up with this amazingly simple Instant Pot idea for creamy macaroni and cheese, I fell in love! It’s so great that I can just pour the noodles in, set the timer and no draining is required.
By making the macaroni in the Instant Pot, you cut down on not only the amount of time, but also the dishes to make mac and cheese. Both are wins in my book!
If you want to try out some more awesome macaroni recipes take a look at our Ground Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup recipe, or our super delicious Cheeseburger Macaroni (my kid’s favorite meal!) recipe, and another favorite, our Cheesy Macaroni Casserole recipe.
Here is everything that you will need for this easy creamy macaroni and cheese recipe!
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese ingredients:
- Elbow macaroni noodles
- Chicken broth
- Butter
- Salt
- Whipping cream
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Garlic salt
- Parsley
- Dry Mustard
Related recipe: Don’t have an instant pot? Try our Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese!
Don’t put dairy ingredients in an Instant Pot!
When cooking dairy ingredients in the Instant Pot, it is a lot different than cooking them on the stove top, oven, microwave or in a slow cooker.
If a recipe calls for dairy ingredients, make sure to add them once you have cooked your food and depressurized your Instant Pot. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy and milk ingredients to scorch or to turn clumpy. No one likes clumpy food.
So for this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese make sure you add your milk AFTER your noodles have already cooked!
If you are new to the Instant Pot, read our list of 9 Instant Pot Don’ts HERE!
Related recipe: Instant Pot Cheesy Penne Pasta (it’s so easy!)
You will also need these items for this Instant Pot macaroni and cheese:
- Instant Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Knife
Related Article: Do you have picky kids too? Check out these 20 Recipes for Picky Eaters!
Looking for an Instant Pot? What Instant Pot Should You Get?
I have the Instant Pot LUX 6 Quart 6-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker. It’s basically 6 appliances in 1 – pressure cooker, rice cooker, saute, steamer, cake maker, and warmer. It is awesome!
I know there are so many different versions and sizes of the Instant Pot now that it can make it hard to choose “the right one”.
- If you are cooking for 1-2 people I would suggest the 3 Quart Instant Pot. If you are cooking for more, I would suggest the 6 quart or 8 quart.
- This is the Instant Pot I have. I have a family of six and the 6 quart feeds us just fine! It is even the cheaper one and I love it! Find it HERE
- If you want to make big meals or big cheesecakes, etc. I would highly suggest getting the 8 quart!
Let’s begin making this popular Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe below!
Begin by having your Instant Pot on the counter and plugged in. Pour in the whole 16 oz box of macaroni noodles and then pour in the chicken broth over top.
TIP #1: If you do not have chicken broth, you can use water, it just won’t have quite as much flavor.
Then, take the butter and cut it into small pieces and place it in the Instant Pot with the pasta and broth.
Now add in the salt with everything else in the Instant Pot.
Once you’re finished with that, place the top on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to the “SEALING” position.
Next, press the “MANUAL” button and set the timer for 4 minutes and let the Instant Pot do it’s thing.
When the timer runs out, let the Instant Pot sit for another 5-minute natural release of the pressure. After that 5 minute mark, move the valve to the “VENTING” position to release the remaining pressure from the inner pot.
TIP #2: There might be some foam that comes out of the top. Just place a paper towel over top and wipe it off when it’s done.
Now, remove the lid and add in the whipping cream, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.
Then add in the garlic salt, parsley, and dry mustard and then mix everything together! Keep mixing until the cheese is melted and smooth.
Now just serve up this creamy mac and cheese, and enjoy!
Tasty toppings for your instant pot macaroni and cheese
You can always add some protein to the macaroni and cheese. Here are a few suggestions:
- Chopped bacon
- Sliced up hotdogs
- Cooked sausage
All of the macaroni recipes you’ll need:
- SLOW COOKER CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
- SKINNY BAKED BROCCOLI MACARONI AND CHEESE RECIPE
- INSTANT POT LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE
- LOADED MACARONI SALAD
- BARBECUE MACARONI SALAD RECIPE
Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Place macaroni in Instant Pot. Pour chicken broth over macaroni so that all macaroni is covered by liquid.
- Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of pasta. Add salt.
- Place lid on top of Instant Pot and secure in place.
- Move vent to SEALING position.
- Press MANUAL button and set timer for 4 minutes.
- When finished cooking, allow for a 5 minute NATURAL RELEASE, then move the venting to VENTING to quickly release the remaining pressure. (Some foam might come out of the vent, just use a paper towel to quickly wipe it off)
- Remove lid and add whipping cream, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Add in seasonings and mix together until the cheese is all smooth and melted.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Recipe Details
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This recipe sounds delish!! What kind of milk are you suggesting we use: evaporated, whole, skim? Can't wait to try it!!
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I ended up having to use cashew milk because it's all we had! I don't think it really matters what kind you use. I also only ended up using about a 1/4 cup.
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CAN I USE 1/2 N 1/2 UNSTEAD OF WH. CREAM? Marilyn
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I made this today for lunch with my kids. We all enjoyed it very much. Next time, I'll probably do 6 minutes instead of 5, as I felt like there was a bit more moisture than I wanted when I opened it. Thanks for the great recipe!
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Thanks for this recipe! I made it last night for my son and husband because I was going out (I am gluten and dairy free so this was a treat for them to get the real stuff haha), and not only was it super easy, it was really delicious. I did follow the suggestion above and let it cook for 6 minutes and found that was a good idea. Thanks for the easy Monday night dinner - will definitely make again (and might even try a gluten free/dairy free version one day ;)
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I am having a problem with the recipe. I have made it twice now, and the first time I used the liquid that it called for. I got the burn notice. The pasta was done but scorched on bottom. The second time, I added an extra 1/2 cup of water. I got the burn notice and it scorched on bottom. What am I doing wrong? TIA
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Is that about 4 cups uncooked macaroni ?
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So easy - added Fontina cheese to chedddar - nice and creamy.Will pass on to friends and family.
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Would this work in a Cuisinart pressure cooker too?
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If I half this recipe is it still the same amount of cooking time?
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I needed to use 6 1/4 cups of broth to cover the noodles. I used 16 oz of elbow macaroni though. ?? I hope it all turns out.
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Do you not drain the noodles? You keep the liquid it was cooked in?
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I did this with bow tie pasta. Used more broth than called for to get the pasta covered, maybe if I used elbows it wouldn't have taken so much broth. Also, I used 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk. I did not drain the pasta. This was so good! Very creamy but not gobs of sauce. Served with a scoop of bbq pork over the Mac n cheese. Yummy! I'm not saying these changes were necessary, just how I happened to make it.
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Not great... had to add a lot more water to cover noodles, and drain water after. The noodles were over cooked. I think it needs something to help the cheese stick to the noodles.
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The starch in the pasta water helps bind the sauce to the pasta.. it's always a good idea to reserve *some* pasta water, in any pasta and sauce dish :)
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I made this today in my IP and boy was it tasty! There is plenty leftover for a quick snack.
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I should have stuck to the recipe and set my Instant Pot for 5 min. Six minutes was too long.
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This was the first thing I made in my IP. Delicious! I used left over cheese from a cheese plate. Thanks!
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This. Stuff. Was. Awesome! I cooked the pasta for 5 minutes on HP then quick release. I used 3c sodium-free chicken stock; the noodles were just covered. (I like sodium-free stocks so I'm able to control the salt.) The elbow noodles were perfectly cooked! Closer to al dente...definitely NOT overcooked. I do take pasta and rice dishes out of the cooking insert to limit the cook over time as they will get soft. The only extra thing I added was 1/4 c of low-fat sour cream which I just like to add to my mac and cheese. :) Winner for sure...the fam is already asking when I'll make it again.
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I'm not feeling well tonight (Thank you elementary school! LOL) and was going to just order pizza until I realized I'd have this on the table long before pizza would be delivered. I think tonight is the 4th time I've made this mac and cheese in the past 3 weeks. :) It's a fast, yummy meal each time. To add a protein, I just put some organic nuggets or some type of marinated chicken breasts in the oven before I start the IP. By time the IP reaches pressure, noodles cook, I set the table and mix in the cheese and stuff, the chicken is cooked and ready to serve at the same time. (I have it down to a science now. LOL) At 5 mins. HP then quick release, the noodles are perfectly cooked; I've not had any problems with them being mushy or having to drain.
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Hey. I used 16 Oz of pasta - by weight - not volume- bad idea. I’d love it if you could specify weight or volume in the future for those of us who don’t buy pasta in 16 Oz Boxes. Thanks
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She did specify...the recipe doesn't state fluid ounces. This is literally common sense.
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So, it's 2 cups of dry pasta then?
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1 pound or 16 oz is 4 cups of elbow macaroni.
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Fluid ounces, 16 oz is 2 cups of "liquid", not 4 cups.
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So you know if I double the recipe would I need to add more time? I am new to using an instant pot and have a potluck to go to and would love to bring this.
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Tip: use small noodles, not bow tie pasta. My noodles weren't quite covered in broth so they were a little too al dente for my son who had wisdom tooth extraction yesterday. Tasty though!
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I just made this and it’s super liquidy, the cheese melted into the milk and made a runny cheese sauce, and nothing sticks to the pasta ? One person asked if 16oz was 4 cups of uncooked pasta but 16oz is 2 cups
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16 oz is 4 cups dry, 2 cups dry is only 8 oz.
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Made this in an 8qt IP with roughly half of a 32oz.box macaroni noodles, 1block of sharp cheese, and about 3 cups of broth. So good! I added a little more milk and a sprinkle of salt. Will definitely make this again!!
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I'm confused, I this post you tell us not to put dairy before the food is cooked and that matches the recipe however, in the video, you double the amount of the butter and put it in with the water, salt and pasta. Also, should the mustard go in at the beginning with the uncooked pasta or after with the milk. Thanks in advance
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I’ve only had my instant pot for about 3 weeks. I followed the recipe exactly as described and it came out absolutely perfect. Thank you!
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Hmmmm....The youtube video and the recipe are two different things. That is confusing and misleading. In the video they use water. In the recipe, they call for chicken broth. In the video, she uses parsley and in the recipe, they use dijon mustard? I am probably going to be one of those people who missed an obvious detail in the post that would help me understand....If so feel free to correct me nicely. I am not intentionally trying to be an idiot. :)
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That is what I thought - I watched the video so I just printed the recipe but it was totally different. Not sure which one is correct?
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The video is a different recipe. It's the creamy mac n cheese recipe.
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The video is a different recipe. It's the creamy mac n cheese. She specifies this in the very beginning of her post. It is easy to miss.
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Not asking to be negative - I'm really curious. Is there an advantage to doing mac and cheese in an instant pot? It seems like it would take less time to boil the noodles on the stovetop, then add in all the ingredients as usual, versus waiting for the instant pot to build pressure, cook the noodles, then depressurize. Is there an advantage to using the instant pot instead? Again, legitimately curious!
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Yes. You can set it and forget it, and do other things. Plus the broth taste gets inside the noodles.
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Made this tonight, 2 cups of cheese wasn’t nearly enough, all I could taste was the mustard, needs more cheese. Other than that it seems like a good texture.
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I have always used ground mustard in my mac and cheese. I still did this with this recipe instead of the dijon mustard and it turned out great! I may have added extra cheese too. I didn't really measure but one can never have too much cheese. Just thought I would share in case you wanted to try again with ground mustard instead.
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I made this, left out the mustard and hot sauce, and substituted half of the chicken broth with lobster broth (from Better Bouillon) and made lobster mac and cheese. it was great!
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If I want to double this, do I keep the times the same?
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I made this and my boys loved it! My box mac n cheese enthusiast told me that "it barely tastes like homemade". Of course, I had to leave out the hot sauce and mustard for my picky eaters. Also, I drained the pasta before adding the rest of the ingredients. I am going to try it again with just enough broth to cover the pasta. Thank you for a much healthier alternative to the boxed stuff!
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I have used this recipe three times with great success. The last time I added a can of evaporated milk after the dish was done I also omitted the hot sauce and mustard. Everybody had two helpings and enjoyed the meal. Looking forward to the next time and another variation. I have made other recipes from Six Sisters and all have come out great. Tomorrow is Orange Chicken!
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Your recipes contradict themselves. In your written one you say chicken broth and water but your video says heavy whipping cream and water two different things ??
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She mentions in the write up that the video is for the 'creamy' m&c version, and is not the same as the printed recipe :)
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Little confused as the video I originally watched on your Youtube channel say 4 minutes, water and here in the print it says chicken broth and 5 minutes. I'm making it now as per the video. Next time I'll try it with the broth. I gather the broth gives it a better taste? I'm a newbie to cooking and the Instant Pot. Thanks
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Thank you for the tip about not pressuring milk in the instant pot! That would explain why my cheesy broccoli potato soup always gives me the burn warning. I will try making it with just the chicken broth and stir in milk at the end. About this macaroni recipe, would it work the same with a good gluten free macaroni like Tinkyada fusilli? Or would the pasta need to be cooked longer?
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Super fast, easy, and tasty!
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Could you use water instead of chicken broth??
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This is a disaster. Turned into soupy noodles with some melted cheese. So disappointed. And now I've wasted a whole box of noodles. I followed the recipe to a T
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Ok, after stirring for 10 minutes straight, it was no longer soupy (using the saute setting on and off), but the cheese was stringy, and didn't really make a sauce. It was ok. But I'll stick to your crock pot version, that tastes better and is easier.
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I just made this for the first time...it is awesome! I used up the leftover cheeses we had from a cheese board and it is really yummy!!
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Ahhhh... did this recipe get changed? I always make this but I don’t have it memorized, sadly. My family loves the version with the hot sauce. This is the same web page with the same comments and everything, but a different recipe. Where is the old recipe?
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I have the same problem as my family loves the original as well! I even searched the YouTube channel. Six Sisters can you repost as the Original Instant Pot Mac and Cheese please?
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Scratch that previous comment. I just found it on the YouTube channel under Extremely Easy and Affordable Macaroni and Cheese!😀💖
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💕Best Mac-n-cheese ever! 💕
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We LOVED this Mac and cheese! We had leftovers of it and I made it into baked Mac and cheese the next day. It was amazing! Thank you for the simple delicious recipe!
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It smelt and looked great but unfortunately the cheesy sauce had a weird texture to it. Almost like there was powder mixed in to it. Anyone else experience this? I followed the recipe exactly as stated.
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Do you think that would have been the parm cheese? Did you use grated? That's what I'm planning on doing in my inaugural use of my IP, so I hope it turns out,..
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My family really enjoyed this Mac and cheese. It was so easy to make. Since I don’t usually keep fresh cream on hand and since the recipe also calls for Parmesan I substituted half a jar of Alfredo sauce for the fresh cream. It worked great!
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In my house lives my husband & I, but sometimes our whole family (8) gets together for dinners. Can I double reciepes & make in the 6qt.pot or should I get the 8qt. one? Also can crock pot cooking bags be used in these pots?
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What would the instructions be if cooking on stovetop?
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Why is the Duo your favorite?
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Can I use gluten free macaroni in this recipe?
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Do you drain the noodles before adding the cheeses?
