10 Minute Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese: Easiest Comfort Food Ever
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Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is simply the easiest comfort food… ever. And delicious? Oh, my, goodness. It’s creamy, cheese, and so incredibly tasty. It’s everything you love about Mac and Cheese… in 10 minutes or less.
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Macaroni and Cheese is a perennial favorite. And I can’t tell you how much I love our Baked Mac and Cheese. It’s a comfort food treat that never falls far from family requests. The crunchy top and homey charm is nearly perfect.
Then there are days when you NEED homey comfort food… and you NEED it to be quick. And simple. And easy, ooey-gooey, mouthwateringly delicious.
That would be this… Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese. If you’re new to Instant Pot cooking, this is an incredibly easy recipe to begin with.
And the reward is oh-so-delicious!
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Ingredients
Not only is the quickest mac and cheese recipe you can make, it also requires only a handful of ingredients. The measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Here’s what you need:
- Uncooked pasta: (I prefer elbow macaroni)
- Seasoning: salt and garlic powder (if you’re not a fan of garlic powder, this can be eliminated.
- Milk: Your choice of dairy or non-dairy
- Butter: For creaminess
- Cheese: You can use a variety of cheese combinations. My favorite is shredded sharp cheddar with Parmesan. Use a smooth melting cheese like cheddar, gouda, gruyere, Monterrey jack, Italian cheese mix, etc.
- Fresh Herbs: Completely optional but if you have access to fresh herbs like parsley or thyme, it’s always delicious.
How to Make Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
This easy recipe will have you making macaroni and cheese more often! Here’s how to make it:
- Add dry pasta and seasoning to the Instant Pot insert. Cover with 4 cups of water.
- Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Then instant release the pressure.
- Switch to the sauté setting and add butter, shredded cheese, and milk. Stir until creamy.
More Instant Pot Recipes You May Also Enjoy
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10 Minute Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- One pound uncooked pasta elbow macaroni, shells
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 to 1 cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 and 1/2 cups shredded cheese * see note
Instructions
- Combine the uncooked pasta, 4 cups water, salt and garlic powder in a pressure cooker/ Instant Pot (affiliate link). Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and set to "sealing".
- Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Then follow the guide for quick release, unlock and remove the lid.
- Stir in the milk and butter (begin with 1/2 cup of milk then add up to one cup to achieve desired creaminess). Then add the shredded cheese, stirring constantly until completely melted. Season to taste and serve hot garnished with fresh herbs (like parsley) if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
We tried this with red lentil pasta and a 6-Italian cheese blend. Soooo good!
Thank you for trying it, Emily!! I love that you used red lentil pasta!
This was awesome and easy!
You’re welcome! We love it too!
Tried this today. Amazing flavor and super quick prep.
So glad you liked it Todd! A favorite for us!
Do you drain the 4 cups of water used to Cook the macaroni. If not does it not come out real starchy?
Hi Tonya – You do not need to drain the pasta. If there is any residual moisture, it is absorbed while adding the cheese, butter and milk. I’ve not found it to be starchy at all!