• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner

Veronika's Kitchen logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Contact Us
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Contact Us
×

Home » Course » Dinner » Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe

Published: Oct 3, 2020 · Modified: Apr 7, 2022 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This is the best creamy Mac and Cheese recipe that you can make in an Instant Pot in just 20 minutes from start to finish! The pasta is perfectly cooked and loaded with rich and creamy cheesy sauce.

Mac and Cheese  topped with thyme and black pepper in a bowl with a fork.

Who doesn’t love a good bowl of delicious Mac and Cheese, made with classic elbow pasta and loaded with rich and cheesy sauce!

The best part of this recipe is that you can make it in your pressure cooker in no time at all! Just put the ingredients in the pot, cook for 4 minutes, then add milk and cheese and stir. So easy, quick, and super delicious!

And if you want to use your pressure cooker more often, check out my post for Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners, where you will find a lot of tasty ideas, like Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Lentil Soup, Instant Pot Taco Soup, and Instant Pot Pot Roast and Potatoes.

Ingredients for Mac and Cheese.

How to make it

  1. Put pasta, chicken stock, butter, and salt in a pot. Press down with wooden spoon, don’t stir.
Process photos of how to make mac and cheese.

2. Cover with a lid and cook for 4 minutes. When done, do a quick pressure release.

3. Add milk and stir. Add cheese a handful at a time, and stir until smooth consistency.

Process photos of how to make mac and cheese.

Tips for best results

  1. If you like your pasta more cheesy and gooey, feel free to add an additional ½ cup of milk and 1 more cup of shredded cheese.
  2. For more flavor, you can add some ½ teaspoon of garlic and onion powder each. It won’t be overpowering and will add more complexity to the dish.
  3. If you don’t have chicken stock or broth, you can use just water. Although the stock will provide more flavor.
  4. For the cheese, I always recommend using a freshly grated cheese. Just buy it in a block and grate it yourself. You will see a big difference.
Mac and Cheese in Instant Pot with a wooden spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What other cheeses to use?

My favorite combo is sharp cheddar and Colby jack. You also can use Gruyere, Gouda, Fontina, Mozzarella, Monterey jack, and even a little bit of Parmesan cheese.

How to store?

For me, this recipe always tastes better right after you make it. But if you have any leftovers, you can put them in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.

How to reheat?

Because pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, you will need to add a few tablespoons of water or milk when reheating it. It will help to loosen it up and prevent from drying. If you are reheating in a microwave, just add liquid right into the bowl and reheat in 30 seconds increments, stirring in between.

Mac and Cheese topped with thyme and black pepper in a bowl with a fork.
Mac and Cheese topped with thyme and black pepper in a bowl with a fork.
Print Recipe

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe

This is the best creamy Mac and Cheese recipe that you can make in an Instant Pot in just 20 minutes from start to finish! The pasta is perfectly cooked and loaded with rich and creamy cheesy sauce.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 476kcal
Author: Veronika’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 16 oz elbow pasta uncooked
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup whole milk room temperature
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Put pasta, chicken stock, butter, and salt in a pot. Press down with wooden spoon,don’t stir.
  • Cover with a lid and cook on manual high pressure for 4 minutes. When done, do a quick pressure release.
  • Add milk and stir. Add cheese a handful at a time, and stir until smooth consistency.

Video

Notes

  1. When releasing the pressure, I like to cover the valve with a towel. Because the pasta is starchy, this process might be a bit messy.
  2. If you like your pasta more cheesy and gooey, feel free to add an additional ½ cup of milk and 1 more cup of shredded cheese.
  3. For more flavor, you can add some ½ teaspoon of garlic and onion powder each. It won’t be overpowering and will add more complexity to the dish.
  4. If you don’t have chicken stock or broth, you can use just water. Although the stock will provide more flavor.
  5. For the cheese, I always recommend using a freshly grated cheese. Just buy it in a block and grate it yourself. You will see a big difference.
What other cheeses to use? My favorite combo is sharp cheddar and Colby jack. You also can use gruyere, gouda, fontina, mozzarella, Monterey jack, and even a little bit of parmesan cheese.
How to store? For me, this recipe always tastes better right after you make it. But if you have any leftovers, you can put them in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
How to reheat? Because pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, you will need to add a few tablespoons of water or milk when reheating it. It will help to loosen it up and prevent from drying. If you are reheating in a microwave, just add liquid right into the bowl and reheat in 30 seconds increments, stirring in between.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 367mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @veronikaskitchen.

More Dinner Recipes

  • Bone-in Skin-on chicken thighs with seared lemon slices on a plate.
    Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
  • Baked diced chicken breast, sweet potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet topped with grated Parmesan cheese and herbs.
    Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
  • Cherry tomato sauce with basil in a large pan.
    15 Minute Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
  • Chicken drumsticks with potatoes in a baking dish.
    Oven Baked Chicken Legs with Potatoes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Katie says

    November 10, 2022 at 11:27 pm

    Love this recipe! So quick & easy to make and I feel good knowing the kids are getting some veggies
    For some reason I never have to add milk, the mixture is wet enough without it.
    I have a pressure cooker/ grill so I also grill it once cooked to turn it into a pasta bake

    Reply
  2. Joyce Ratley says

    February 03, 2022 at 8:27 am

    I want to comment on how well you give the directions. Congrats. Great job! I will be using these recipes because I trust that they are right,

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Follow me on:

Welcome to Veronika’s Kitchen!

Hi, I'm Veronika! I'm so happy to see you on my blog and share my favorite meals with you! My main goal is to share delicious classic recipes using simple ingredients. Read More…

Categories

Featured at:

list of brand logos

Most Popular

  • Stew with beef tips, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a bowl.
    Dutch Oven Beef Stew
  • Chicken and rice with broccoli and melted cheese in a white casserole.
    Cheesy Broccoli Chicken and Rice Casserole
  • A slice of Tiramisu on a grey plate.
    Classic Tiramisu Recipe
  • Sliced banana bread on a white table.
    One Bowl Banana Bread

Instant Pot Recipes

  • Mashed potatoes, topped with butter and chopped parsley in a bowl.
    Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
  • A collage of four Instant Pot recipes with text in the middle.
    Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners
  • Bolognese sauce over pasta in a grey bowl.
    Easy Instant Pot Bolognese Sauce
  • Lamb shank with gravy, vegetables, amd mashed potatoes in a grey bowl.
    Instant Pot Lamb Shanks

Dinner Recipes

  • Sauteed broccoli, carrots, snow peas, and red bell pepper in teriyaki sauce over white rice in a bowl.
    Vegetables Teriyaki Stir Fry
  • Soup with onions, carrots, potatoes, peas, and pasta in a bowl.
    Vegetable Noodle Soup
  • Carrot and lentil soup, topped with Parmesan cheese and parsley, in a bowl with a spoon.
    Carrot and Lentil Soup
  • Pasta with chicken, spinach, with blush sauce, topped with melted cheese and parsley, in a baking dish.
    Tomato Chicken Pasta Bake

Dessert Recipes

  • Sour Cream Cookies, topped with sugar icing and sprinkles on a plate.
    Sour Cream Cookies
  • Chocolate bundt cake, topped with chocolate ganache.
    Chocolate Overload Cake
  • Cookies topped with M&Ms and chocolate chips on a wire rack.
    Monster Cookies
  • Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll in a baking dish.
    Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Contact

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Copyright © 2023 Veronika's Kitchen on the Cookd Pro Theme