Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

A white bowl filled with cream instant pot mac and cheese with the instant pot in the background.

4.83 from 41 votes

Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

In just 20 minutes and with little effort, you can whip up the Creamiest Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. With our foolproof steps and insider tricks for achieving the most amazing flavor and texture, you’ll have the perfect weeknight side dish your family will be craving again and again.

Author: Nikki Lee

Servings: servings

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 4

Coming to Pressure & Stirring 13

Total Time 20

Ingredients

▢ 1 lb Pasta - I use large elbow macaroni noodles
▢ 4 cups water (or chicken broth for extra flavor)
▢ 4 tbsp butter
▢ 2 tsp kosher salt reduce salt to ½ (or to taste)if using salted broth
▢ ½ tsp black pepper
▢ 1 cup heavy cream
▢ 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
▢ 2 cups Mexican or Colby Jack Blend Cheese shredded

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Instructions

Add the uncooked pasta, water, salt, pepper, and butter to the inner pot of a 6-quart Instant Pot. Use a wooden spoon to gently press down to make sure all pasta is covered, but do not stir.
Place lid on instant pot and turn to locked/sealed position. Make sure the pressure valve is closed. Press the Pressure Cook or the Manual button to high pressure and use the +/- or with the dial to set the timer to 4 minutes.
Once the time is up (when it beeps), do a manual release by opening the valve and releasing pressure immediately. Please note this recipe is starchy and will spew some foam out of the valve. I place a paper towel loosely over the vent to help catch the mess (See Release Pressure Immediately NOTE).
Do not drain any water left in the pot - this is normal and will help create your cheese sauce.
When the pin drops, remove the lid and set aside. Pour in the heavy cream, and slowly add the cheese. Keep stirring until well melted and creamy.
The mac and cheese will thicken as it sits. If it seems a little thin, add the lid back on and let it thicken for a few minutes or until ready to serve. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

MY RECIPE TIPS:

This recipe has been tested in a 6-quart Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.

The time it takes for your Instant Pot to come up to pressure can vary for individual cookers. My pot took around 10 minutes to reach pressure and about 2 minutes to stir everything into a smooth, creamy sauce.
Release Pressure Immediately (NOTE) to avoid overcooking the pasta. If your Instant Pot allows, press the valve with a wooden spoon to slowly release the pressure. When opening the valve, some of the starchy water (foamy) will spew out. You may want to put a paper towel loosely over the valve or down around the Instant Pot or ensure you have it in an area that can be wiped up. I find that slowly releasing the steam at first helps prevent this from happening.
Adjust seasoning after cooking: Wait to add any additional seasoning until after adding the cheese, as it can add extra salt.
If you need to thin out the sauce as it sits, add more heavy cream.

Nutrition

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