The classic comfort food, in an instant.
Get ready for the best Instant Pot Mac and Cheese!
Since I got my Instant Pot, I’ve discovered it’s really good for making comfort food – those warm, cozy dishes that used to take all day to cook. After using it for my favorite beef stew and for corned beef and cabbage, I decided it was time to put this thing to a real test. I wanted to use the Instant Pot to make the most classic comfort food of them all, mac and cheese.
Well, I don’t mind telling you, this wasn’t that easy. I had to do a little tinkering to get the amounts and the timing just right. But at last, I finally came up with a version that delivers truly perfect mac and cheese: rich, creamy, and incredibly comforting.
The key turns out to be using a combination of different cheeses, plus milk and BUTTER. That way, all you have to do is cook the pasta with seasonings in the Instant Pot, let off the steam, and then stir in the rest of the ingredients. The heat of the pasta is enough to melt the cheeses and cream together into a perfect, creamy sauce in no time.
With this Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, you can go from dry pasta to rich, cozy mac and cheese in just 10 minutes. That’s less time than it takes to mix up instant mac and cheese from a box – and this stuff is soooooo much better.
Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Directions:
- Place the dry pasta, butter, garlic salt, salt, dry mustard and water into the IP cooker pot. Place the lid on the top and seal the toggle switch. Press manual (high) and timer for 4 minutes.
- When cooking time is complete, do a quick release and remove the lid when the pin drops.
- Keeping the pressure cooking on low heat (the Instant Pot will automatically go into this warm mode after cooking) Add the evaporated milk, and half the cheeses. Melt the cheeses by stirring, and when the first batch of cheese is melted, add the second half.
- Test for seasoning and add more salt (and pepper) if you prefer. Remove mac and cheese from heat source and let rest for about 5 mins to let the sauce thicken.
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TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS CREAMY INSTANT POT MAC AND CHEESE
Instant Pot: This 6qt Instant Pot pressure cooker is always my go to!
Measuring Cups and Spoons: Each cup’s “ml” and cup sizes have
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Creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 cups water
- 5 oz can evaporated milk
- 3 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the dry pasta, butter, garlic salt, salt, dry mustard and water into the IP cooker pot. Place the lid on the top and seal the toggle switch. Press manual (high) and timer for 4 minutes.
- When cooking time is complete, do a quick release and remove the lid when the pin drops.
- Keeping the pressure cooking on low heat (the Instant Pot will automatically go into this warm mode after cooking) Add the evaporated milk, and half the cheeses. Melt the cheeses by stirring, and when the first batch of cheese is melted, add the second half.
- Test for seasoning and add more salt (and pepper) if you prefer. Remove mac and cheese from heat source and let rest for about 5 mins to let the sauce thicken.
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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Post updated December 12, 2019
Daniel says
Made this today my wife absolutely loved it…thank you very much
Alex says
Have you tried doubling this recipe? If so, will it affect the cooking time of the pasta?
Corey says
I have not tried doubling this in the IP yet. What size IP do you have?
Alex says
6 qt
Stephanie Agnew says
I’d like to know what effect there is as well.
Dom says
I doubled it!! I added a bit more water to ensure I had covered the pasta sufficiently – maybe another cup –
and then just made sure I doubled the rest of the ingredients. Kept the time to 4 minutes and added some already-cooked ground beef to the mix before adding the cheese. Turned out PERFECT (and was eaten by adults and kids alike).
Candace says
I doubled it as well and had no issues except the quick release sprayed a buttery mess all over my kitchen. Did you have that issue as well?
Donne says
I always cover the vent on top with a dishtowel when I’m doing quick release. That contains any spray and is much easier to clean up!
Laura says
This recipe is a great one. Quick,simple,and easy to add to.
Anne says
Do you know if this recipe will freeze well? I am making freezer meals for my son and DIL who are getting ready to have their first baby. Thx
B McKenzie says
Does this recipe freeze well?
Dina says
Quick question – what if you use whole milk vs. evaporated? Does it make a difference in the outcome?
Kathy says
I made this to go with our Labor Day dinner. I used shell noodles and they were a little uncooked at 4 min. I had to increase just one min. Other then that this recipe was a huge hit! My daughter usually makes the mac and cheese for parties but everyone agreed that this recipe was much better.
Dma says
What is an instant pot?
Corey says
It is a brand of pressure cooker 🙂
KS says
Did you drain it after cooking the pasta in the instant pot? Mine came out really watery and the cheese dish not mix well with it.
Corey says
No I did not KS. Was your pasta cooked throughly? What kind of pasta did you use?
Karen says
Pasta comes in grams rather than ounces where I live, so I estimated 2 cups of dry elbow macaroni. Mine came out watery too, so I removed the excess water with a turkey baster and heated it up a bit more.
Brandon says
16 oz is ~454 grams. 1 cup of dry macaroni is ~4 oz.
You were using about half the proper amount of dry pasta.
Steve D. says
Anyone have an estimate on the calories per cup cooked?
C.B. says
I was curious about this as well, so I plugged the ingredients into myfitnesspal’s recipe calculator. Comes out to around 483 calories, 44 carbs, 25g fat, 22g protein, 404g sodium, 4g sugar per serving. Give or take, anyway!
Robin says
I made this the other night and, not only was it by far the easiest mac & cheese I’ve ever made, but it was one of the best tasting, too! I did have to make one substitution, only because I didn’t have any evaporated milk on hand, so I used half & half instead. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
Stephanie Agnew says
I made this today – Oh. My. Goodness!! It is delicious!!!! How long do I cook the noodles for a double batch?
Ambreen says
Can we use whole milk or 2%
Corey says
Yes, either of those should work.
Laura says
I seen a question ” does this freeze well” but I did not see and answer.
Laura Manning says
Yes, it freezes very well. It is now a staple in our freezer.
Carol says
Sorry. I don’t get how much water to use to cook the pasta.
Dan says
This should be illegal, it was so cheesy and delicious, we even fried up some beer brats and cut them up into it, best Mac ever!
Corey says
Haha. So happy you loved it Dan.
Tiffany says
I don’t have a pressure cooker so I was wondering on how to make this without one? My kids have been asking for home made Mac n cheese and I ?family fresh meals so I’m hoping to make this tonight. Thanks, Tiffany
Stephanie says
If you don’t have an instant pot, this is similar to stovetop Mac and cheese. Just cook and drain the pasta, then return to the stove on low heat and add the other ingredients plus a beaten egg and stir until the cheese is melted and smooth. Good luck!
Heather says
Looking for a reply I hope. I would love to make this.. but I do not use pressure cookers. How can I make this without one? Boil the pasta and mix the milk with the cheeses? Please help. Thanks!
S says
The Instant Pot (electric pressure cooker) is just used to cook the pasta mixed with seasoning. The milk and cheese addition does not require pressure cooking so I’m sure you can cook the pasta on cooktop and follow the recipe from Step 3 adding in the spiced after draining the pasta.
Kelly says
Made this for supper tonight and it was a hit with my whole family. The only problem I had was when I did the quick release cooking liquid sprayed out along with the steam. I think maybe next time I’ll let it naturally release some of the steam before I do the quick release. Made a bit of a mess in my kitchen, but it tasted great!
Leanne says
I wouldn’t do a NPR as it might overcook the pasta. I would just place a kitchen towel over the valve when you release the pressure – that should catch any extra messes!
Steph says
Please don’t ever cover your valve with a dish towel. That is very dangerous and is stated by Instant Pot themselves. Best thing is to do a controlled release, slowly moving the vent bit by bit until you are sure no mess is going to come out.
Katrina Stirn says
what size instant pot did you use in original recipe? I just got a 2 quart one from QVC, and have never used one, am not a cook by any means but want to try this recipe!
Corey says
Mine is a 6qt
Michele says
Put a towel or pot holder over the release valve after you open it to prevent the water or steam from shooting all over. I use my instapot a couple times a week so I don’t want to kill my cabinets.
I made this with a local vidallia onion cheese & 3yr old Gouda mix and it was simply insane! This is my new recipe for sure:)
Michele says
Why would it only let me give only 4 stars?!?! I couldn’t get that stupid 5 th star to light up??
Corey says
I am so happy you loved it! That is strange about the ranking. I’ll look into that 🙂 Thanks Michelle!
Robyn says
This was good! I prefer a more mild cheese as my main cheese, but it balanced perfectly when I added some baked chicken with BBQ sauce. This is so versatile, though, that I know I can use any cheeses to get the taste I want.
For those who have extra water, mine looks like that any time I do a pasta or grain. Just give it a stir and all the water seeps into the pasta. Not sure why it doesn’t all absorb while cooking, but I’ve noticed that with any grain.
Jan says
It does not specify in the directions to drain off the water after the pasta has cooked and pressure is released. I’m assuming that the remainder of the 4 cups of water should be drained off before adding the cheeses, etc. Can you let me know if that is correct? Thanks, Jan
Sharlene says
Hello,
I made this and did not drain the extra water it helps with moisture when adding the cheese.
Katie says
What cooking time would you recommend for gluten free pasts? Thanks.
Brenda Lall says
I’d like to know this answer as well.
Marisa says
Made this tonight. I used a medium cheddar, Edam, mozzarella blend, as well as Parmesan. I also used lactose free skim milk. It was great. No gritty texture! Definitely a keeper.
Sharlene says
This recipe is fantastic! I made it for the first time in my Instant Pot. I used 3 cups freshly shredded Cabot sharp cheddar and 1 1/4 cups Monterey Jack and Colby cheese blend. I also added about one extra ounce of evaporated milk. I will definitely make this again.
Carol says
I just made this and it is so good! Super easy, so creamy and cheesy! It really only took 10 minutes and my teenage son loved it. I will be making a double batch for my next pot luck!
dini says
I have no idea what I did wrong but I followed the instructions to the dime. First time using the instant pot (after a proper dry run). Too much water for the amount of pasta. I had to drain. Way too liquidy with a can of milk too. What did I do wrong?
Jackie says
Perhaps you didn’t use enough pasta? The recipe calls for 16oz of pasta and my bags of pasta were only 12 oz. So, I had to use 4 oz out of another bag (thank goodness I happened to buy two)!
Kristen Lindner says
Just made this and it was amazing. Will be making again…And often.
Only my second time using my Instant Pot. When I released the pressure, it was great until it started shooting out starchy white liquid. What did I do wrong?
Katie says
You didn’t do anything wrong. The instant pot shoots out steam on a quick release and if there are things like milk and butter, that taints the steam. Put a kitchen towel over it next time. Problem solved 🙂
Aaron says
I was a bit skeptical because of how easy this recipe looks. It was easy, it was quick, and it was really freakin’ good.
erin says
Wow! This was amazing! Not only delicious but fast and super easy! Kids LOVED it! I used lactose-free cheese and used lactose-free half & half instead of evaporated milk (as someone suggested in the comments) and it worked perfectly! Never making the boxed versions again – this took same time as boxed!
Jackie says
I just made this and it is fantastic!! For part of the sharp cheddar, I used Tillamook vintage extra sharp cheddar cheese. It was sooooo good! My family loved it, everyone had seconds. Sadly there was maybe a cup of leftovers…..lol. It makes a good sized pot of macaroni and cheese. It was super easy. If you are trying to make a hearty meal in a hurry, this is it. I served it with a bag of chopped salad and salmon patties. Delish!!!!!!
Jackie says
Yum!!!
Arlene says
I’m not sure why all the 5 star reviews. The pasta was not cooked at 4 minutes and watery. Added the milk and cheese and it was just watery and stringy. Wouldn’t make again…baked macaroni and cheese is so much better.
Corey says
Hi Arlene! Sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe. I would love to try to help and trouble shoot what went wrong. What type of pasta did you use? What pressure was your IP set on? Did you use reduced fat or pre-shredded cheese?
Kristie says
If you use reduced fat or pre shredded cheese it will be stringy because of the coatings used to keep the shreds from sticking together. Also, if you are at altitude and don’t have the Ultra with the altitude adjustment you will always need more cooking time.
Sheryl says
The timing depends on the pasta used. Usually half the cooking time on the box. I thought it was fine. I am going to try to add onion the next time I make it. I even passed some out to the neighborhood kids and they gave it a thumbs up!
Corey says
I do love thumbs up from the kiddos!
Molly says
What size pot did you use? 4 cups of water didn’t cover my 16oz of pasta but I went with it because I didn’t want to screw anything up. Unfortunately that meant the top of my pasta wasn’t done at all….. ?
Johanne says
So I was distracted (thank my son for that) and I put all of the ingredients in at once. Do you think it will turn out? I don’t want to waste all of the cheese. ???
Martha says
Curious to know how yours turned out because I, too, just dumped everything in. 🙁
Ctaci says
Tonight will be my 4th time making it. It’s become a weekly meal for us. Rich enough that we only eat one serving and have plenty leftover and it reheats in the microwave amazingly well. Last week I put a portion of it in a ceramic pie plate, covered it with buttered Ritz crackers and broiled them to brown. Amazing. I’ve only ever made it as written, tonight tho I have to use whole milk since my husband bought SWEETENED condensed milk, wish me luck!
Oh, and thanks so much for this recipe – we love it!
Joann says
I made this tonight with 2 Cups of macaroni, and it came out too runny/watery. I figured 8 oz = 1Cup, so 16 oz. = 2 Cups. Did I interpret the recipe wrong? Could you clarify how many cups of pasta should be used? I think other commenters with watery pasta may be having the same issue as me. Is 16 oz supposed to be weight instead? Thank you.
Corey says
Yes, it is weight. It is hard to give cup measurements with the different sized noodles. If you check the package of your pasta, it should say how many oz are in the box/bag.
Bracken says
Absolutely wonderful!!!!
Karan says
This recipe was fantastic!! It was my first time using the Instant pot and this mac and cheese dish was not only easy but quick and delicious! Thank you!
Niki says
I’m not sure about all the 5* reviews, but this recipe calls for WAAAAYYYY too much cheese. I love cheese, and this was just too much. Super stringy, with no flavor. I tried putting some sour cream in it to thin it out but there’s no saving it. There has to be better recipes for Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
Corey says
I am so sorry you didn’t like the recipe Niki. Did you shred your own cheese or use pre shredded bagged cheese? I find that if I use the pre shredded stuff, it just doesn’t melt or taste the same. You can always add in some sharper cheese if you feel like it was lacking flavor. I hope that helps!
Chinh says
Made it today and my family loves it!!! This recipe is approved by my 2.5 yr. old and my 1.5 yr. old. Thanks
Alicia says
I loved how simple & quick this recipe was, but I agree with other reviewers that it was just too much cheese (too stringy & not creamy enough for what I wanted, and yes, I shredded the cheese myself). It definitely wasn’t bad, but I don’t think it’s the “perfect instant pot Mac & cheese” recipe I’ve been searching for.
Anna S says
LOVE THIS RECIPE! I’ve made it twice now slightly differently each time, first time with only extra sharp cheddar and added a dash of hot sauce, and second time with mostly extra sharp cheddar, some bleu cheese crumbles, and a tad bit of shredded mexican blend I had on hand. I didn’t use mustard either time, because mustard is gross LOL. But OMG, as long as you are following the directions with the cooking times and temperature (MAKE SURE IT’S ON HIGH PRESSURE!) it’s turned out perfectly!
Also – the little bit of extra water at the end of the pressure cooking is PERFECT for a creamy cheese sauce!!! No need to strain!!!
Michelle says
I really wanted to like this recipe. The photos looked SO DREAMY! And there were so many positive reviews. The few negative reviews did bring up some of the issues I knew I’d have (like the amount of water being too much and the cheese seizing) so I thought I could be smart and follow the advice of other raters and the OP. Unfortunately, this recipe just didn’t work out.
1. Putting butter in a pressure cooker is a no-no. (Maybe for an Instant Pot it’s allowed but for those of you adapting this to a non-name-brand pressure cooker, stay away from butter.) That’s what’s clogging up your release valve and causing so much of a mess in your kitchens! Try using a little olive oil instead – you should always use a little oil every time you use your pressure cooker to keep the valve from getting clogged. My manual specifically states this. You can then add the butter after cooking.
2. This recipe calls for WAAYYY too much water. Even after draining the water and adding more butter to make up for the loss in the draining process, it was still way too watery. The pasta didn’t soak up any of the water, either. Adding the evap milk just made it even more soupy. There was no way I could have added less water though, because the pasta wouldn’t have been covered.
3. My pasta did not cook all the way in 4 minutes. I purchased Rotini because it looked the most similar to what was in the photo. It was still pretty tough, and again, it didn’t soak up any of the water. I ended up putting my cooker on the Brown/Sear setting to re-boil the water to continue cooking the pasta.
4. My cheese seized up. I used the same exact cheeses the recipe called for. I grated the cheese myself even though I usually only buy the shredded stuff. I used 1/4 of the cheese at a time and it still seized and became a sticky, congealed mess. None of it would stick to the pasta.
Nothing about this recipe worked for me. Maybe it’s because I don’t own an actual Instant Pot, but I usually use Instant Pot recipes for everything and just adapt them to my pressure cooker and my tastes and have never had this much trouble. It was frustrating wasting all of those ingredients. I spent, in total, approximately 40 minutes trying to make this mac-and-cheese work before chucking the whole thing. Next time I’ll just do it on the stove-top like usual.
Corey says
HI Michelle,
I am so sorry you didn’t like the recipe. This recipe is intended for an Instant Pot, so I cannot say if the troubles were caused by using a different type of pressure cooker. I recommend next time if pasta is undercooked, to re-seal your pressure cooker, and cook for a minute or 2 longer instead of using the saute. Does your cheese seize up with you put it in a pot with noodle on the stovetop? I do believe, as others have mentioned in the comments, the little bit of extra water does help create the cheesy sauce you were desiring. After you stir it all together, and let it sit for a couple mins, everything comes together nicely.
Donna says
Doubled the recipe with a few tweaks. Substituted garlic powder for garlic salt and kept at 1/2 teaspoon. Doubled the other ingredients, except used an entire 12 oz can of evaporated milk. After it was made I put it in a casserole dish, sprinkled Italian style breadcrumbs on top and baked at 350F for about 15 minutes to get a nice crust on top. Delish. Everyone back for seconds and thirds.
Jolene says
Has anyone tried using gluten free pasta for this recipe? I saw that someone had asked the question, but no response was posted. Just wondering if following the same directions works, or if you need to alter anything-such as amount of water, cooking time, etc.
Sandy says
Could you please tell me how many people this serves?
Thanks
Nicoletta Fiona Phillips says
This is HANDS DOWN the best Mac & Cheese…From prep to table it takes about 10 min…Bye Bye boxed Mac & Cheese. Thanks, Corey for this fabulous recipe. I am going to double this weekend…fingers crossed.
Sarah Sakas says
I made this tonight. I was out of dry mustard so I put in plain old regular yellow mustard. I also added some leftover gouda that needed to be used up. This was the easiest mac and cheese I have ever made. My son is a mac and cheese expert and he loved it! Delicious!
Corey says
Oh! I love gouda!
Amy says
This will be my second time making this! Could I half the recipe by simply halving all the ingrediants? I’d like to do half a box of pasta, two cups water and half everything else. Would the cook time be the same?
Angela says
Test run for thanksgiving! I halved the recipe and it seemed fine. Teenage son was not a fan but I really liked the flavor! Wondering if there is a way to make it more creamy? Sauce seems to have a bit of a texture to it.