This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is incredibly easy to make with simple ingredients. It comes together in no time and is creamy and delicious, with the just the right amount of cheese!
Guys…if you haven’t hopped on the Instant Pot train yet, it’s most definitely time! 💜 I’ve been using mine for years now, and it’s totally changed the way that I cook. While it’s definitely not truly instant, it does cut down on the cooking time of many recipes quite significantly. One of my absolute favorite recipes to make in mine (I’ve made it an embarrassing number of times during quarantine, not ashamed) is Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. This recipe is incredibly creamy and delicious, and the pasta is perfectly al dente (no mushy noodles here!) The best part of all is that it is done in about 25 minutes from start to finish!
INSTANT POT MAC AND CHEESE INGREDIENTS
- Pasta: So far, we’ve only tested this recipe with traditional semolina pasta. If you try it with whole wheat/gluten free/other types of noodles, let us know how it turns out! Our favorite variety to use is short Cavatappi noodles, as they hold up nicely to the creamy sauce.
- Water & butter: The water cooks the pasta, of course, and the butter gives it some additional flavor when cooking.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and mustard powder all flavor this dish nicely.
- Cheeses: We prefer to freshly grate our main cheese from a block (our favorite is sharp cheddar), and we always use pre-grated Pecorino Romano/Parmesan. A few tablespoons of cream cheese add some extra creaminess.
- Milk: This makes the sauce creamy and the perfect consistency.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT MAC AND CHEESE
- Combine ingredients: Add the pasta, water, butter, and seasonings to your Instant Pot, and stir to combine.
- Cook: Cook on Manual high pressure for 4 minutes; quick release the pressure.
- Add cheeses: Add your cheeses and stir until completely melted.
- Add milk: Stir in the milk until the sauce is to your desired creaminess and consistency.
- Taste & tweak: Taste and adjust seasonings, as necessary. We always add more freshly cracked black pepper at this point – yum!
- Serve & enjoy!
If you haven’t been convinced already…get yourself an Instant Pot and make this recipe tonight. You won’t regret it! 😋
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked pasta
- 4 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- black pepper (to taste)
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (we prefer extra sharp)
- 2 Tablespoons cream cheese (cut into cubes)
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 – 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Add pasta, water, butter, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder, and black pepper to the bowl of your Instant Pot. Stir briefly and gently to combine.
- Cover and set the lid to “Sealing.” Cook on Manual high pressure for 4 minutes, followed by a quick release of the pressure (cover the vent with a dishtowel or cloth when releasing to prevent splatter). Once it's finished, carefully remove the lid.
- Add in the cheeses and gently stir until they are fully melted.
- Add the milk, starting with 1/2 cup (and working up to as much as 1 cup total, as needed) and stir until everything is combined and the sauce is creamy (if your sauce seems thin, let everything sit for a few minutes until it thickens up).
- Add freshly cracked black pepper and serve!
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If you’re looking for another great Instant Pot recipe, try our:
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? ♥️
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