Instant Pot Mac and Cheese - One of those recipes where you literally just dump and forget. Takes an instant and is by far the best mac and cheese I've ever had.
Don't get me wrong. I loved my Baked Mac and Cheese or Jalapenõ Mac and Cheese Balls or my favorite Mac and Cheese Tacos. But, there is something so comforting about this recipe.
Imagine a lazy Sunday where you don't feel like getting out of your couch, well this recipe is for those days. All you have to do is just dump and forget. It's as easy as this BBQ Chicken in Instant Pot (Pulled Chicken), Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya, Instant Pot Coconut Chicken Curry (KETO), Chicken Vindaloo, Smoked Sausage with Rice
There are so many reasons why I love this recipe. And, I am sure you'll love this too.
Why you'll Love this recipe
- It's easy.
- It's Quick.
- It's Just Dump and Forget.
- No-Fuss just your basic Mac and Cheese
- The amazing taste.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
This recipe for Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is my favorite because I've used certain ingredients that make this stand out.
There is Dijon Mustard. There is Worcestershire Sauce. And, there is my favorite Frank's Red Hot Sauce.
These three ingredients bring out the flavors even more. Adds so many layers of taste to the recipe.
I cannot believe that a simple no-fuss dump and forget dinner could be actually so delicious. 😋
Some other Dump and Forget Dinner that I bet you'll love:
- Sausage and Peppers with Onions in Crockpot
- Crockpot Parmesan Chicken and Rice
- Cajun Shrimp and Rice
- Coconut Rice Recipe
- Low Carb Lemon Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
See the recipe card for Quantities and Check out the video for a quick visual
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
- Elbow Macaroni - You can use any pasta of your choice.
- Chicken Broth - I love Low Sodium Chicken broth and I use it often for my other Instant Pot recipes such as Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta, Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta, and etc.
- Half and Half - I like Half and Half because its Half Whole Milk and Half Cream. And who doesn't like creamy mac and cheese. right?
- Butter - Unsalted Butter
- Dijon Mustard - Love the sharp taste of Mustard with creamy mac and cheese.
- Hot Sauce - The heat of hot sauce is simply phenomenal. It gets me going.
- Worcestershire Sauce - Just 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce makes this taste amazing.
- Salt and Pepper
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese - I prefer shredding my cheese at home. It mixes faster.
- Smoked Cheddar Cheese
How to Make Mac and Cheese in Instant Pot
Step 1: Add macaroni and Chicken broth in IP
Put your Instant pot to manual/Pressure cook mode and add Elbow Macaroni or any other pasta that you are using. Pour Chicken Broth and make sure the broth is covering the Macaroni. Close the lid. Make sure the knob is set to sealing position and pressure cook/manual mode for 4-minutes.
Step 2: Quick Pressure release
Once your Instant Pot beeps, position the knob from sealing position to venting position. Open the lid and stir lightly.
Step 3: Add other Ingredients and Cheese
Add Dijon Mustard, Hot Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Salt and Pepper, Butter, Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and Smoked Cheddar Cheese. Put your Instant Pot in Sauté mode and stir just until the cheese melts. Then press "cancel mode" and turn off the Instant Pot. Serve right away.
Storage
Refrigerate: You can store your IP Mac and Cheese once it cools down to room temperature in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Freeze: Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Freezes very well. Divide them into equal portions. Double wrap in Plastic-wrap. Wrap them all over again in Aluminium Foil. And then zip them into plastic ziplock bags. Label and Put a date. Freeze up to three months.
BUT - MAKE SURE YOU COOL DOWN YOUR MAC AND CHEESE before Freezing or Refrigerating.
Variations
- Gruyere Cheese - I love the fruity, nutty, and evolved taste of Gruyere Cheese.
- Parmesan Cheese - No one can say that they don't like their mac and cheese with some freshly shredded parmesan cheese on top. right?
- Nutmeg - Now this is totally optional but just to enhance the flavor you can add a pinch (1/2 teaspoon) of Nutmeg while making Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
- Heavy Whipping Cream - In case you feel that you need to make your Mac and Cheese creamy then you can add some heavy whipping cream.
- Smoked Paprika - Although this recipe uses hot sauce. But, in case you want to crank up the heat go ahead and add just 1/4 teaspoon of Smoked paprika.
- Onion Powder & Garlic Powder - Just 1/2 teaspoon of Onion Powder and 1/4 teaspoon of Garlic Powder makes this taste so good.
- Cream Cheese - If you love adding Cream Cheese to your Mac and Cheese you can do that.
What Kind of Cheese Should I use?
I love using Classic Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Smoked Cheddar Cheese for my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe. I highly recommend you try this recipe with both sharp cheddar and smoked cheddar. Of course, don't use pre-shredded cheese. Shred-it at home. It's gonna take a while. But, it's worth the time.
I like Smoked Cheddar because it imparts a "smoky", "earthy", "meaty", "toasty" taste to this recipe for Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
Many people also use Mozzarella Cheese. But, nothing compares to Classic Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
Top Tips
- Make sure there is enough chicken broth to cover the macaroni in the Instant Pot.
- Make sure the knob is set to "Sealing Position" or else the Pressure won't build in it.
- While doing a "Quick Pressure release" make sure there is nothing on top or else the steam might damage it.
- When you pressure sauté mode make sure you don't cook too long. Don't let the paste get burnt or the bottom of the Instant pot turn brown.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Ranch Cheddar Corn on the Cob in Instant Pot
Instant Pot Peach Chicken in Honey Balsamic Sauce
Instant Pot Shredded Hawaiian Chicken Tacos
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe - Slow Cooker
Instant Pot Vegetarian Baked Ziti
Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe {Vegan}
If you are making this recipe, then please leave a rating below. Snap it and Tag me @recipemagik with #recipemagik.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni or any other pasta that you like
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth can be replaced with water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- salt as per taste
- Freshly ground black pepper as per taste
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Hot sauce any hot sauce that you like
- ½ cup half and half can be replaced with whole milk
- 1½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1½ cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add Elbow Macaroni in Instant Pot. Pour low sodium chicken broth or water. Make sure the water or broth covers the pasta. Close the lid and push the knob to "sealing position". Push the Manual/Pressure Cook button and set the time to 4-minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot shows "L" and beeps at you, transfer the knob to "venting position" and do a quick pressure release. Once the steam has released the small pin will drop then you can release it safely. It should be a bit liquidy at the bottom and they might be stuck together. That's ok. Stir lightly.
- Push the "saute" button and add Butter, Half and Half, Dijon Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, and your favorite Hot sauce. Use a spatula to mix everything well until the butter melts. Once the butter has melted completely, add shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and shredded smoked cheddar cheese. Mix well and stir well until cheese melts. Once the cheese is melted, press the cancel button, or else your noodles might get burnt.If you want to eat it later, then press the Keep warm button and put the lid back on. Serve when you are ready to eat.
Video
Notes
- Close the lid and push the knob to "sealing position". Or else your Instant Pot won't store enough steam.
- Once the cheese is melted, press the cancel button, or else your noodles might get burnt and the Instant Pot container might get burnt at the bottom.
- HINT - Add a pinch of Nutmeg while cooking noodles to enhance its flavor.
Racheal says
Superb recipe!!! Love it 😘
Anjali says
Thanks Racheal.