With just 5 minutes cooking time, this lush and creamy Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe is made with 100% real cheese and couldn’t be easier or faster to make.
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“Best mac and cheese I’ve ever made!! And sooo easy to make!! My family loves it!!! Thank you!!!!” -Brenda, FoodieCrush reader
Dreamy, Creamy Mac and Cheese Made Lightning Fast in Your Instant Pot
I grew up on the blue-boxed variety of mac and cheese. In high school, my friends called it yellow death. I called it delicious. In fact, it’s still one of those things we always have in the cupboard for emergency situations…like when it’s Tuesday…or Wednesday…or Thursday…or…you get the picture.
But after making this homemade mac and cheese recipe in my Instant Pot in less time and with all real ingredients, I don’t think I’ll be replenishing my stash any time soon.
I honestly can’t think of a food that is more comforting to me than a lush and creamy macaroni and cheese recipe, and I am ALWAYS on the lookout for a new variation on my favorite cheesy noodle. So when I was introduced to this pressure cooker version by my friend Ashley, it went straight to the top of my bust-out-the-Instant-Pot-must-make list.
And that’s how in just 5 minutes cooking time, we had this velvety lush mac and cheese ready for devouring.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
To make lush, creamy mac and cheese without any processed cheese or a roux, use evaporated milk. It’s real cow’s milk that’s been cooked down so some of the water content evaporates, creating a shelf-stable, always at the ready ingredient. In macaroni and cheese, it keeps the cheese from breaking or getting greasy because there’s less moisture to contend with.
Cooking in an Instant Pot means we need less liquid. When cooking this mac and cheese there’s no need for draining the pasta cooking water, it’s all mixed into the sauce, and that’s why you only need 5 ounces compared to recipes like this that call for 3 cups of whole milk.
The 5 Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pasta — I used elbow macaroni, but shells or cavatappi work too.
- Butter — We’re taking a nod from the blue box kind and adding butter for richness.
- Spices — Kosher salt, mustard powder, and garlic salt season the mac and cheese.
- Evaporated milk — You’ll need a small 5 oz. can. Don’t confuse with sweetened condensed milk, which is thick and syrupy.
- Shredded cheese — In my recipe testing, I found that a combination of yellow and white cheeses is the best combo. Choose a cheddar that has a bite to it, such as medium or sharp cheddar cheese (this is the key for the signature cheese flavor). Pair it with a meltable white cheese like Gouda, Havarti, provolone, Swiss, fontina, or Monterey Jack.
Heidi’s Tip: To make your own evaporated milk, simmer 2 ¼ cups of regular milk down to 1 cup. Or replace it with ¾ cup whole milk and ¼ cup half-and-half.
How to Make Mac and Cheese in an Instant Pot
- Add the pasta, water, butter, and spices to the Instant Pot. Pressure cook on high, then do a quick release.
- Stir in the evaporated milk and shredded cheeses. When adding the cheese to this mixture, you’ll want to use a heavy wooden spoon to really get in there and stir things up and add the cheese in batches. The result is a mac and cheese that’s smooth and rich and creamy.
- Add any mix-ins you like. I’ve shared our favorite mac and cheese creations after the recipe card below.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni pasta , such as shells or cavatappi
- 4 cups water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt , optional
- 5 ounces evaporated milk
- 4 cups shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups soft white cheese (such as gouda Swiss, fontina, or provolone)
Instructions
- In the insert of an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, add the macaroni, water, butter, kosher salt, ground mustard and garlic salt. Cook in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes on high, then quick release.
- Add the evaporated milk and half of the cheeses and use a wooden spoon to vigorously stir until the cheeses have melted then repeat with the rest of the cheese, stirring until the sauce is creamy.
- Add any additional toppings or mix-ins below at this time. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Variations and Mix-Ins
Macaroni and cheese is one of the easiest meals to add a just a couple of ingredients and create a whole new spin on the original classic. I like to create these additions for parties, and serve up a simple, make-it-yourself mac and cheese bar. Simply keep the mac and cheese warm in the Instant Pot then let your guests mix and match to their hearts desires.
If I’m making it at home, I’ll often keep half of the mac and cheese plain for leftovers, then dress up a couple of individual bowls for eating right now.
- Mac and Cheese with Hot Dogs — Boil up a batch of hot dogs, then slice into bite size pieces and mix in. Use chicken sausage, kielbasa or other sausages if you’re feeling fancy.
- Pesto Macaroni and Cheese — Stir in homemade pesto or store-bought. I typically use 1 tablespoon pesto per bowl. Add a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese or toasted pine nuts or walnuts for a little crunch. To make this even more of a Mediterranean-inspired meal, add chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red bell pepper to round out the savory flavors.
- Macaroni and Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Garlic Breadcrumbs — Top the mac and cheese with warmed caramelized onions and sprinkle with the toasted panko breadcrumbs, or, stir the onions into the mac and cheese if desired.
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese — Add 2 tablespoons butter to a medium bowl and melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in 2 tablespoons Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce and add 1 cup of shredded chicken, mixing until combined. Top the mac and cheese with a few tablespoons of the shredded chicken in sauce, and garnish with crumbled blue cheese.
- Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash and Crispy Fried Sage — Both diced roasted squash or creamed work equally well here when combined with the cheesy sauce.
More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes to Love
- Classic Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- The Best Baked Mac And Cheese
- Mini Meatball Mac and Cheese
- Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
- Skillet Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
- Lobster Mac And Cheese
- Fried Mac And Cheese Balls
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Connie
This was the first recipe in my Instant Pot and … I. AM. IN. LOVE.
The pasta came out perfectly! I used 4 cups of shredded cheddar, not 6 cups of cheese in total. It was done in literally 5 minutes, not including pressure build-up time.
I can’t wait to use this recipe again …. and the Instant Pot, of course
Kristina
The macaroni burned to the bottom of mine towards the end of cooking time. Has anyone else noticed this?
Overall it didn’t affect the dish, it still came out amazing.
Prince Moga
I have the 3qt 7 in 1 instant pot. Can I cut this recipe in half without it being too much for my instant pot??
K
I have the 3qt 7 in 1 instant pot. Can I cut this recipe in half without it being too much for my instant pot??
Kathryn Kabara
Made your plain version (new to Instant Pot and kids are picky eater). They loved it!! We will make it again! And again…..
Joe
My attempt was also very runny. Had to add more cheese.
Joe
Using 6 qt. Instant Pot. Water left at the end of the pressure cooking. Maybe some variations in the different machines?
Anna
Mine was super runny too. Added some corn starch and it was still too runny. Ended up putting it in the oven for a few minutes
Sarah
Was I supposed to drain the water before adding the milk and cheese? It’s really watery!
Becky Wendel
Very good! Used cheddar and Provolone. Makes a lot but it will get eaten!
Becky Wendel
Very good! Used cheddar and provolone. Makes a lot but it willl be eaten!
Kendra
The flavor of this was so yummy, but my consistency was way off! I shredded my own cheeses and used all the right amounts of everything, but ended up with a brick of Mac and cheese! When my pasta was done cooking there was no water left at all. Any suggestions? Family loved the flavor but we would love the thinner saucier version we see in your pictures.
Janet
Looks delicious, can’t wait to try! Would there be a cooking time adjustment to use whole wheat noodles?
Joanne
Can I make this in advance? How does this reheat?
Andrea
Could I double this recipe and still have it turn out okay?
LaurieJ
I doubled and it turned out fine. I used the 6 qt. pot , but be careful in quick release because it can get messy. Release with caution.
Brian Sanchez
This recipe was good not great. I used medium cheddar and it was over powering with the Gouda cheese. I definitely will not be using as much next time. I give 3/5.
Cindy Fitzgerald
First of all it was delicious , but I didn’t add the second half of cheese because it was already plenty cheesy. I was wondering if it was suppose to be 2 pounds of macaroni instead of ona?
Jessie
Just tried this and wow it’s amazing can’t believe how creamy and amazing this is. Thank you
Amanda Thompson
I grated extra sharp cheddar and gouda for this recipe. It tasted so good!! Not a scrap left after our dinner party. I did something wrong because when I released the pressure, starchy butter water splattered out. But my pasta was aldente and my cheese was creamy.
Sue
I bought a new 7-1 8qt instant pot this is the first recipe I made as soon as I took it out of the box. It’s absolutely delicious
Karla Schmitt
So you seriously don’t have to cook the pasta before putting it into the instant pot?
Tiffany Burnette
In my experience, the preshredded cheeses have additives that prevent caking and sticking. I think this is why the doesn’t work in this recipe. Those additives prevent the cheese from melting into each other and instead give a gritty texture. I’ve made this recipe three times and I absolutely love it!
Tonya
Do you shred both the cheddar and the white cheese or do you add the white cheese in cubes? Which white cheese do you use? Thank you!
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Rakib
This is One of the best Recipe of your blog I think! Love This Recipe? Amazing Colour and looks so Spicey the bad thing is for me I don’t have this Instant Pot Right Now! But I’m Sure I will buy this Pot. Thank You, Gayle, for giving this Delicious Recipe
Nora
I only used half the amount of cheese and it was still TOO cheesy and thick. Used more evaporated milk to try and thin it out a bit but still was not smooth and creamy like your pics. Do you think it’s because I used shredded cheese from a bag instead of grating it myself? Love your recipes and look forward to receiving new recipes in my inbox.
Lindsay
Mine turned out the same way! I also used pre-shredded cheese and elbow macaroni.
Brynne
Pre-shredded cheese is sometimes dusted with corn starch to prevent the shreds from clumping! That could account for it being too thick?
Sharon
This was so thick and rich I could only eat a few bites. Way too cheesy, nothing like the pictures and when I vented and took the lid off, the pasta resembled a gelatinous goo with all that starchy water. Sorry, but wont make this again.
Hillbilly John
Many mac-and-cheeze recipes warn not to use pre-shredded cheese because of some additives that prevent the cheese from clumping which is what would happen if you shredded a good cheese and put it in a bag.
Buy a good Wisconsin cheese and a good shredder….it’s not that much work and I can’t imagine how much more per pound you are paying for pre-shredded cheese.
Take is from a native cheese-head.
Michelle
YES! I thought it was WAYY too cheesy too! It tasted good, but same…could only eat a few bites. I did use the pre shredded cheese, though. Could be the reason.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Feel free to adjust to your taste! Thanks for the comment, Michelle!
Emily
Not sure what you did wrong but Do Not use preshredded cheese and add things a bit at a time. Best mac and cheese ever. I use to make a rue…never again!
Kb
Yes, WAY TO MUCH CHEESE! Something is wrong with the quantities. HALF the cheese was perfect, and I followed the recipe, which made it literally tons of cheese and a little macaroni. Used 1lb of Barilla Cellentani.. Please fix the recipe!
Hi KB, the amount of cheese worked well for me, but yes, feel free to cut it down if you desire.
Gayle
I think this is going to be the first recipe in my instant pot that I am afraid of and don’t know how to use! and I’m an accomplished cook. :( I think I can do it!
You’re going to love it Gayle. And it is seriously so easy. Just set the manual time for 5 minutes, then use a wooden spoon to flip the release so the air escapes. Once it’s released all of the air, open, add the evap milk and cheese, mix well and you’re done!
Gayle
Thank you Heidi. I wish you were here to give a class! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Gail Germanson
Gayle! I felt the same way but it really is easy! Am learning to love it! Gail
Kate
Haven’t had a recipe flop on me but this has me baffled. I used the substitute mentioned for evaporated milk. When I added that and the cheese, the cheese clumped into one stringy mess. It didn’t blend into sauce and get creamy. Any thoughts. Thanks.
Al
Tip for the release valve…wet a paper towel fold, toss over the release valve then release. Keeps the steam and other junk from end up all over and possibly on the cabinets or anything else nearby!
laura
can you bake this once complete with a cheddar panko topping to finish?
Deborah
Sounds yummy! I love the all the different additions! I have a slow cooker so can the recipe be adapted for slow cooking?
Hi Deborah, for cooking in the slow cooker function you would need to add milk and double the evaporated milk. I’m working on a slow cooker recipe for mac and cheese that will be coming soon.
Kathryn Larson
I may have missed it, but do you at the evaporated milk with the cheese? I’m assuming so.
Yes, add the evaporated milk with the first batch of cheese. Thanks Kathryn!