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You are here: Home / Instant Pot / Easy Instant Pot Mac & Cheese Recipe

Easy Instant Pot Mac & Cheese Recipe

Posted by Jessica Pinney on November 23, 2019, last updated February 27, 2021

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Mac & cheese is one of our favorite things to cook in the Instant Pot. It’s so easy to make and comes together in just minutes!

A spoon holding Instant Pot Mac & Cheese over the appliance.

We always have mac & cheese as a side dish during the holidays, so I’ve been trying to perfect my recipe before Thanksgiving. After a bit of trial and error, I’ve created my creamy, dreamy version of Instant Pot Mac & Cheese that uses minimal ingredients for a classic taste. 

Ingredients

  • Dry Elbow Macaroni
  • Water or Broth
  • Butter
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Evaporated Milk
  • Salt & Garlic Powder

I like to use a mix of water and chicken broth. The broth adds a little extra flavor, but you can also just use water if you don’t have any broth on hand. 

Instant Pot Mac & Cheese Ingredients - cheddar cheese, white cheese, evaporated milk, chicken broth, and elbow pasta.

What cheese should you use?

You should freshly grate all the cheese for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that keeps it from sticking together and is not ideal for a cheese sauce.

Wondering what type of cheddar cheese to use? I like to use medium cheddar, or a 50/50 mix of it and sharp cheddar. 

I’ve found Monterey Jack to be the best white cheese that helps make this cheese sauce creamy without adding an overwhelming flavor. Gouda is a good substitute if you don’t mind adding a but of its distinct flavor. 

Close up of Instant Pot Mac & Cheese.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Evaporated Milk

You may notice that this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is made with evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is the best way to achieve a creamy sauce and closely mimics the flavor and texture of classic boxed mac & cheese.

How To Season

Since I was trying to create a traditional mac and cheese here I did not get crazy with the seasonings. A little salt and garlic powder is all this recipe really needs. 

If you want to get fancy with it, a little dry mustard, onion powder, and a dash of cayenne all taste great. 

Instant Pot Mac & Cheese in front of the Instant Pot.

How To Make

Making mac & cheese in the Instant Pot is super easy! 

First, you add your liquid, butter, seasonings, and noodles to the pot. Cook them on high pressure for six minutes. 

Once the noodles are done, initiate a quick release. Once the pin has dropped and pressure has fully released, remove the lid. Add the evaporated milk, then add the cheese a handful at a time and incorporate by stirring gently. 

More Instant Pot Recipes

  • Instant Pot Twice Baked Potato Casserole
  • Instant Pot Milk & Honey Corn
  • Instant Pot Wendy’s Chili
  • Instant Pot Crab Legs

Close up of Instant Pot Mac and Cheese in a white serving bowl.

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Print

Easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe

This Easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese has a creamy cheese sauce and uses only a few ingredients for a classic taste.

  • Author: Jessica Pinney
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: American
Instant Pot Mac & Cheese Recipe
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

Ingredients

16oz Dry Macaroni Elbows

2 Cups Water

2 Cups Chicken Broth

4 Tbsp Butter

1.5 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 1/4 Cups Evaporated Milk

2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Instructions

Add macaroni, water, broth, butter, salt and garlic powder to your Instant Pot (we used this one). Seal and cook for 6 minutes on high pressure. Once cooking is complete, quick release the pressure.

After pressure has been released, open the lid and add the evaporated milk. Next, add in both cheeses one hand full at a time. Stir until all cheese is melted and macaroni is coated in the cheese sauce.

Serve immediately.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 257

Did you make this recipe?

Please tag @cookingwithjanica and use #cookingwithjanica on social media. We'd love to see!

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  1. Ann says

    November 28, 2019 at 9:48 am

    I’m a sucker for this! This filling and affordable recipe is absolutely fab! Once you try it, there’s no turning back. I could indeed enjoy it for all three meals. Plus, it’s so easy to make. Highly recommend everyone to give this a try. Believe me, the taste is just phenomenal.
    Thank you so much for sharing this awesome idea and all of your useful recommendations. They’ll surely help your readers avoid mistakes. Look forward to your new fab recipes. I appreciate all of your hard work and effort. Keep it up!
    p.s. I adore the photos you take!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Joan says

    July 25, 2021 at 2:57 pm

    Made this today to go with meatloaf. It was so yummy.

    Reply
  3. Alexis says

    August 8, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    My picky girls hate homemade Mac and Cheese but are in love with this recipe. I followed it exactly as written. They love the flavor, the creaminess….all if it. Thanks for the great recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Joan says

    October 20, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    Loved this simple recipe. So yummy. Will definitely make it for Thanksgiving. I used one half of the recipe. Plan to make the full recipe at Thanksgiving. I love simple instapot recipes.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Anjie says

    November 17, 2022 at 5:02 pm

    Can I add vegetable broth instead of chicken broth or will that change the taste?

    Reply
    • Jessica Pinney says

      November 19, 2022 at 5:23 pm

      Yes, you can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.

      Reply

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