My Most Requested Mac and Cheese (Made in the Instant Pot!) One of our favorite Instant Pot recipes is mac and cheese. It is about as fast as preparing the blue box and so much tastier! Plus the recipe makes a TON! You can easily prepare half if you are cooking for less. I find 1 batch feeds 4-6 as a main dish and 8 or more as a side.
No Instant Pot? No worries!
If you have not yet jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon, you can still make a killer easy homemade mac and cheese. Use my all-purpose cheese sauce and cook your pasta according to the package directions. If you are looking for your go-to mac and cheese in the Instant Pot, then you will want to keep reading…
Why You’ll Love It
- One-pot magic (minimal cleanup!)
- Quick-ready in about 15 minutes or less
- Ultra creamy and customizable
- Keeps picky eaters happy
The best part? This mac and cheese is totally customizable.
Whether you like it extra cheesy, a little spicy, or packed with mix-ins, I’ve got you covered with easy swaps and add-ins to make it your own. I like sharp cheddar or colby jack cheese in here buti if you want it spicier, you can use pepper jack or go Italian and use mozzarella and throw in some diced pepperoni or crumbled Italian sausage. The possibilities are endless.
This recipe is practically perfect in every way.
The evaporated milk makes the sauce creamy and dreamy. The mustard powder gives a slight punch to counteract the richness of the cheese, butter, and milk. For a while, we had this for lunch every.single.Sunday. Now we use it as a side dish to accompany pulled pork or BBQ chicken, take it to a Superbowl or NYE party, or make it just because mac and cheese is just always so, so good.
Healthy? Not so much, but this is inexpensive and much tastier than any blue box and just about as quick and you do avoid extra processed food by making the sauce yourself.
I am being honest here…I have tried many IP mac and cheese recipes and the one I have chosen as THE one is what I am sharing with you here. The secret to the perfectly creamy and smooth cheese sauce in here is a can of evaporated milk. I like to zhush up the seasonings a bit…I add granulated garlic and green Tabasco sauce before cooking and offer a variety of flavored blends (along with more green Tabasco sauce) at the table along with freshly sliced green onions, bacon bits, or shredded meat for everyone to top their bowl and customize it to their liking. One of my daughters loves to add in Taco Seasoning (recipe coming soon) mix before cooking and taco meat. I have not yet tried it this way. We have tried it with cajun seasoning and that is really good. I have also added in leftover cooked ham, shredded pork, or Greek chicken all with great results.
Ready to see this Instant Pot magic in action? Check out the step-by-step shots below!
And just like that, you’ve got a pot of creamy, comforting mac and cheese—made fast, made easy, and made with ingredients you can feel good about. Whether it’s dinner on a busy night or something cozy for the weekend, it’s not fancy, but it always disappears fast.
If you make it, I’d love to hear how it went or how you made it your own—drop a comment or tag me! Real food. Real kitchens. Real love. – The Food Civilian
Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
Ingredients
Into inner pot, add in:
- 4 c water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 TBS dried mustard
- 1 tsp hot sauce or to taste
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Cook on high setting for 4 minutes. When cooking is complete, perform a quick release. If it sputters out milky liquid, wait a few minutes to continue. Once pressure is released, remove instant pot lid.
Using pot holders, remove inner pot from Instant Pot and stir in:
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk can use 1c milk or half and half instead
- 16 oz shredded sharp chaddar
- 1-2 c another favorite shredded cheese I like Colby-jack or Mexican style
- Mix well with a sturdy rubber spatula and stir until everything is melted.
- Serve with chopped green onions & bacon bits or shredded pork w/ BBQ sauce. YUM!
Instructions
- Add first 5 ingredients into inner pot.
- Cook on high setting for 4 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, perform a quick release. If it sputters out milky liquid, wait a few minutes to continue.
- Once pressure is released, remove instant pot lid.
- Using pot holders, remove inner pot from Instant Pot and stir in remaining ingredients (but not the toppings)
- Mix well with a sturdy rubber spatula and stir until everything is melted.
- Top with chopped green onions & bacon bits or shredded pork w/ BBQ sauce. YUM!