Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
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Today, I’m sharing a step-by-step recipe for how to make Cheesy, Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese – perfect for when the oven is busy cooking your main dish or as a quick potluck recipe when you are pressed for time.
Best Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Today’s Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is ready in less than 10 minutes and is creamy, cheesy and delicious – perfect to enjoy as a side dish at a BBQ or potluck, or even during the holidays.
While my Baked Southern Mac and Cheese is hands-down my favorite mac and cheese, it is a bit time-consuming so while I highly recommend making that recipe when time permits, this easy Instant Pot mac and cheese is great in a pinch.
Tender, perfectly cooked macaroni noodles coated in a creamy and luscious cheese sauce with amazing flavor – the epitome of easy comfort food. Add your favorite seasonings to make this dish absolutely mouthwatering.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Variations:
- use broth instead of water
- add favorite seasonings (Cajun, ranch, etc)
- add protein like cooked chicken, beef or shrimp
- use a combination of cheeses for more depth of flavor
- serve with a crunchy topping of toasted breadcrumbs
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese FAQs
How to store leftover Instant Pot Mac and Cheese: Since this recipe makes a ton of pasta, you may end up with leftovers. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. If the cheese sauce seems somewhat dry, add a few tablespoons of milk to add some moisture back in to the recipe.
Can you freeze mac and cheese? You can freeze the cheese sauce on it’s own, but freezing with the pasta will result in a soggy, grainy mac and cheese. Freeze in an airtight freezer container and allow to thaw at room temperature before reheating and mixing with freshly cooked pasta. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)
Substitute with Fresh Milk, Heavy Cream, or Half & Half: If you need to substitute with these, it’ll work for this mac n cheese Instant Pot recipe. But keep in mind it’ll be more runny using regular milk, and the cheese sauce won’t be as smooth and creamy.
Homemade Evaporated Milk: You can make evaporated milk by reducing the water content in fresh milk. Reduce the water content by gently simmering 800ml of fresh milk until it reduces to 355ml.
Looking for more Instant Pot Recipes? Check out our full collection here!
Or, for more Mac and Cheese recipes, check out our giant collection here.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
- Cooked Macaroni
- Cream Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Tip: for a creamier mac and cheese, swap out half of the shredded cheese and all of the milk for a can of cheddar cheese soup.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Instant Pot <– I’m so excited to upgrade to this one with air fryer capacities soon! (You can also just buy the lid which adds the air fryer capacity to your standard IP.)
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
How to Make Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot
Cook your macaroni according to the package directions, maybe undercook slightly by a few minutes.
Drain and place the noodles in the Instant Pot.
Add the cream cheese, soup, sour cream and half of the cheese to the Instant Pot and stir well.
Set the Instant Pot to manual for 5 minutes, then quick release.
Remove the lid and stir in the remaining cheese, then season to taste with salt, pepper and any desired additional seasoning.
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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 5 cups Cooked Macaroni
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 cups Shredded Cheese
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook your macaroni according to the package directions, maybe undercook slightly by a few minutes.
- Drain and place the noodles in the Instant Pot.
- Add the cream cheese, soup, sour cream and half of the cheese to the Instant Pot and stir well.
- Set the Instant Pot to manual for 5 minutes, then quick release.
- Remove the lid and stir in the remaining cheese, then season to taste with salt, pepper and any desired additional seasoning.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 300Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 271mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy mac and cheese recipe as much as my daughter did!
For more easy Instant Pot ideas, check out our full Instant Pot recipe collection here:
For more perfect pastas, check out our full pasta recipe collection here:
