Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Smooth white cheddar and creamy gouda cheeses enhance the silky sauce in this one-pot meal.  Instant Pot Macaroni and cheese is a dream to eat without all the pots and stirring.

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Some days it seems that there is nothing kids love more than Macaroni and Cheese.  Baked Macaroni and Cheese is delicious, but it takes several pans and more than an hour to make.  Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese dirties only one pot and the results are smooth and creamy. My kids sometimes sit and stare at the IP, “Is it mac and cheese yet?”  When it finally beeps the squeal choir goes off letting me know that dinner is ready.  

Not only is this a one-pot meal, but it also requires very little of your actual attention.   The combination of cheeses in the sauce give this dish a more interesting flavor profile to appeal to adult palates as well.  

There are a few safety issues we should discuss.  1. Never open your IP while it is under pressure. You can tell by the pressure indicator next to the vent.  2. Only vent the pot manually when a recipe calls for it. Some foods will clog your vent if manually released. 3. Do not overfill your Instant Pot.  Always follow the recipe directions for quantity.

This recipe is written for a 3qt IP.  If you have a 6qt, then yes you can double it.  No, the recipe doesn’t fill the pot when it’s done.  That is because you need extra room for the pressure in the pot.  

Things you’ll Need: Instant Pot (#sponsored)

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 8 ounces Elbow Pasta
• 2-½ Cups Milk
• ¾ Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper
• 4 ounces White Cheddar, shredded
• 4 ounces Gouda, shredded
• ¼ Cups Heavy Cream

Instructions: 

1. Turn your Instant Pot to Saute mode.  Melt the Butter inside the pot, then press Cancel to turn off the IP.
2. Now, add the Pasta, Milk, Heavy Cream, Ground Mustard Powder, Kosher Salt, White Pepper and Cayenne Pepper.  Stir Well.
3. Seal the lid of your pot by turning it until it clicks.  Now turn the vent on the top of the lid to the “Sealing” position.  Set your pot to High Pressure and use the arrows to set the time for 7 minutes.  
4. The pot will first come to pressure, then countdown 7 minutes, lastly it will notify you it is done.  At that point it goes into ‘keep warm’ mode. It will show the time with an L on the display, counting up the minutes it’s been keeping warm.  
5. Wait until your pot is at L0:05 and then manually release the pressure.  To do this, turn the vent from ‘Sealing’ to ‘Venting’. Steam will immediately flow from the top, so be sure that no part of you is over the pot.  
6. When the pressure indicator drops, turn the pot open and stir in the White Cheddar, Gouda, and Heavy Cream.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  
7. Now stir and serve!  The pot will continue to keep the food warm if you wish to leave it in the pot for a bit.  If it gets a little dry from waiting you can add a splash of milk and stir again.

📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Kosher, Pescatarian, Vegetarian

Keyword: 9 days, Dairy, Egg-free, Indulgent, Kid-friendly, Make-ahead, Milchig, Nut-free, Shavuot, Super Simple, Weeknight Dinner

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 763kcal

Smooth white cheddar and creamy gouda cheeses enhance the silky sauce in this one-pot meal. Instant Pot Macaroni and cheese is a dream to eat without all the pots and stirring.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 8 ounces Elbow Pasta
• 2-½ Cups Milk
• ¾ Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper
• 4 ounces White Cheddar shredded
• 4 ounces Gouda shredded
• ¼ Cups Heavy Cream

Instructions

• Turn your Instant Pot to Saute mode. Melt the Butter inside the pot, then press Cancel to turn off the IP.
• Now, add the Pasta, Milk, Heavy Cream, Ground Mustard Powder, Kosher Salt, White Pepper and Cayenne Pepper. Stir Well.
• Seal the lid of your pot by turning it until it clicks. Now turn the vent on the top of the lid to the “Sealing” position. Set your pot to High Pressure and use the arrows to set the time for 7 minutes.
• The pot will first come to pressure, then countdown 7 minutes, lastly it will notify you it is done. At that point it goes into keep warm mode. It will show the time with an L on the display, counting up the minutes it’s been keeping warm.
• Wait until your pot is at L0:05 and then manually release the pressure. To do this, turn the vent from “Sealing” to “Venting”. Steam will immediately flow from the top, so be sure that no part of you is over the pot.
• When the pressure indicator drops, turn the pot open and stir in the White Cheddar, Gouda, and Heavy Cream. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Now stir and serve! The pot will continue to keep the food warm if you wish to leave it in the pot for a bit. If it gets a little dry from waiting you can add a splash of milk and stir again.

Video

Nutrition

Sodium: 1115mg | Sugar: 11.8g | Cholesterol: 150.2mg | Calories: 763kcal | Fat: 47.4g | Protein: 28g | Carbohydrates: 56.1g