Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (2024)

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (1) Easy Recipes

By Anna Young

Jump to Recipe·Leave a Review

Mac and cheese is such a classic, well-known recipe so it goes without saying there are also tons of recipe adaptations out there. Mine however, has to do with the instant pot so keep reading if you love this nifty appliance as much as I do. This recipe is for a perfectly creamy instant pot mac and cheese that adults and kids alike will go crazy for. It ticks all the boxes of our favorite comfort food and best of all, it only takes one pot.

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (2)

Classic Style Mac and Cheese From Scratch – In Less Than 10 Minutes

Perhaps my favorite thing about owning an instant pot is how easy it makes whipping up some of my favorite dishes from scratch. That’s definitely the case with this mac and cheese recipe as you can have it ready from start to finish in less than 10 minutes.

You’ll first need to add one pound of elbow macaroni into your instant pot, along with four cups of water and just a pinch of salt. Stir everything until combined and then seal up the instant pot, setting the venting knob to ‘SEALING’.

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (3)

Next, press the ‘PRESSURE COOK’ button and double check to make sure that pressure level is reading as ‘high’. Set the timer for approximately four minutes and then give the instant pot about 10 minutes for the pressure to come down on its own.

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (4)

Open the lid of your instant pot and mix in 12 ounces of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup of cream cheese, and a single teaspoon of dry mustard (you can feel free to add more or less for your preferred taste).

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (5)

Stir everything until it’s well combined, add a bit of salt and black pepper for seasoning, and then you’ll be all set to enjoy this deliciously creamy instant pot mac and cheese!

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (6)

Can You Suggest Any Other Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipes?

Once again, when you stop to consider the fact that mac and cheese is such a classic meal, it should come as no surprise to anyone reading this that there are so many different ways to make it. That also extends to instant pot recipes, as there’s quite a few other tasty ways to make your own homemade mac and cheese. As a matter of fact, here are five more great recipes for you to try out next from some of my favorite blogs around the web:

What Other Ingredients Pair Well with Mac and Cheese?

In spite of the fact that mac and cheese is such a classic dish, sometimes it pays off to mix things up a little bit. That definitely applies to this instant pot mac and cheese – there are actually a few different suggestions I would make if you want to switch things up:

  • Add in sliced hot dogs – this is a great option for kids!
  • Add a can of tuna along with some peas for a deliciously cheesy seafood dish
  • Add in your choice of either ketchup or hot sauce to spice things up a bit
  • Add in your choice of either sliced bacon strips or bacon crumble
  • Add in different types of cheese – Parmesan cheese in particular gives this mac and cheese recipe quite a distinctive taste!

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (7)

How to Freeze Mac and Cheese

Yes, it’s definitely possible to freeze your instant pot mac and cheese to enjoy later. You can simply freeze your mac and cheese as soon as it comes out of the instant pot, reheating it whenever you’re ready to enjoy it.

Just be sure to store it in an airtight container when you put it in the freezer. So long as the mac and cheese is properly stored, you can expect it to last in the freezer for up to three months. Alternatively, you can store this instant pot mac and cheese in the fridge, following the same basic idea. In the fridge, you can expect this dish to last for 3-4 days.

Of course, this all assumes you don’t want to enjoy this mac and cheese as soon as it’s done cooking in the instant pot. However, I’m willing to bet that as soon as you try this recipe for the first time, your mac and cheese won’t last anywhere near that long.

My Mac and Cheese Is Too Soft/Mushy

Just in case your mac and cheese ends up being a little too soft/mushy, you can set the time for 3 minutes instead of 4 minutes. This way, you have a bit of a buffer with the cooking time since the Instant Pot will still need 10 minutes to release the sealed pressure.

(You may also like: Quick and Easy Make-Ahead Mac and Cheese)

Print

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (8)

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese – Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Anna - MissWish.com
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 minutes
  • Total Time: 9 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni

4 cups water

3 tbsp unsalted butter

12 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup cream cheese

1 teaspoon dry mustard (more or less to taste)

salt, black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the macaroni, butter, pinch of salt and water in the Instant pot.
  2. Stir to combine.
  3. Close and seal the Instant pot.
  4. Turn the venting knob to SEALING.
  5. Press the PRESSURE COOK button and check to make sure the pressure level shows as “High” on the display.
  6. Adjust the timer to 4 minutes. (The cooking time is half of the suggest time on the pasta box.)
  7. When finished cooking, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest of the pressure.
  8. Open the lid.
  9. Add the shredded cheese, cream cheese and dry mustard.
  10. Stir to combine.
  11. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  12. Serve warm.

Print Recipe

What do you think?

  • I love it(271)

  • It's okay(140)

  • Don't like it(301)

  • Ermahgerd(158)

  • Tears of joy(71)

0 Comments

Ask a QuestionRate this Recipe

Ask a Question/Comment

Creamy Instant Pot Mac And Cheese - Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe - Miss Wish (2024)

FAQs

How to jazz up mac and cheese? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
  5. Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.
May 21, 2022

What can I add to Kraft mac and cheese to make it better? ›

Here are a few of my favorite ways to upgrade boxed mac and cheese in three ingredients or fewer:
  1. Broccoli + Shredded Chicken. ...
  2. Bacon + Peas + Egg. ...
  3. Garlic + Pickled Jalapeños. ...
  4. Mushrooms + Thyme + Grated Gruyère. ...
  5. Pesto + Sun-Dried Tomatoes. ...
  6. Kimchi + Bacon + Chopped Scallions. ...
  7. Cherry Tomatoes + Basil + Mozzarella.

What to serve with mac and cheese? ›

  1. 1 / 25. Roasted Broccoli. Perfectly seasoned broccoli florets roasted until crisp and caramelized. ...
  2. 2 / 25. Garlic Green Beans. ...
  3. 3 / 25. Glazed Carrots. ...
  4. 4 / 25. Easy Sautéed Spinach. ...
  5. 5 / 25. Easy 10-Minute Garlic Broccolini. ...
  6. 6 / 25. 5-Ingredient Kale Caesar Salad. ...
  7. 7 / 25. Shaved Brussels Sprouts. ...
  8. 8 / 25. Spanakopita Kale Salad.

How to make mac and cheese without a drainer? ›

Instructions
  1. Place pasta in medium sauce pot or large skillet. Cover with cold water (amount called for on box).
  2. Turn stove eye onto high and cook, stirring often, for about ten minutes, or until most of water is absorbed.
  3. Add in cheeses, milk, salt, and pepper. ...
  4. Enjoy!

How do you keep mac and cheese creamy? ›

If you want a very creamy mac n' cheese, you can add Velveeta processed cheese or American cheese (from the deli) to your melted cheese base mixture. The American cheese provides the creaminess you are looking for, and when reheating the mac n' cheese add a little bit of milk.

How do you make mac and cheese creamy again? ›

The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese

"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.

Can you use sour cream instead of milk for mac and cheese? ›

I think sour cream is a great substitute! However, it may change the flavor just slightly. For sour cream, mix it in just like I outlined in the cream cheese example, but with far less or no extra liquid. Sour cream is slightly sour (duh), so this may impact the final flavor a bit.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

1. It takes two cheeses to tango with mac. For really great macaroni and cheese, you need a cheese that melts well and a cheese that packs a punch. A few cheeses do both (that's a shout out to you, cheddar, emmentaler, and your other alpine-style, fondue favorites).

What seasoning is good on mac and cheese? ›

Black Pepper: Always a must! Nutmeg: This is also optional but trust me, a dash of it goes a long way to balance the tangy cheese flavor and all the fats. Cayenne Powder: A little sprinkle makes all the difference. It does not make this spicy – it just balances the flavors.

What 2 cheeses are best for mac and cheese? ›

For a mac and cheese recipe, consider the combination of sharper cheddar cheeses and a flavorful Parmesan. This cheese adds a boost of fruity, nutty notes to your favorite macaroni recipes.

What cheese goes best in mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

What is the most popular mac and cheese? ›

Kraft Mac & Cheese Original Flavor

Cheesy, salty, buttery and, best of all, nostalgic — there is a reason why Kraft's blue box has become the gold standard of store-bought macaroni and cheese.

How to make Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

How do you thicken homemade mac and cheese? ›

4 Methods for Thickening Mac and Cheese
  1. Reduce the liquid. Simmer the cheese sauce on the stovetop on low heat. ...
  2. Add more cheese. You can thicken mac and cheese by simply adding more grated cheese to the cheese sauce. ...
  3. Use cornstarch or all-purpose flour. ...
  4. Mix in an egg yolk.
Jan 24, 2022

Can you use milk instead of water for mac and cheese? ›

you can boil it in milk but it takes much longer because if you let the milk boil it will burn and/or curdle. i would also recommend only using skim milk. Yes. In fact the instructions have you mixing the packet of cheese powder with butter and milk then toss in the macaroni pasta in the sauce.

How do you ramp up boxed mac and cheese? ›

Take boxed mac and cheese to the next level by experimenting with different combination of add-ins. Adding cold butter to the sauce and baking the mac in the oven helps with both texture and flavor. Incorporating things like real cheese, bacon, or leftover veggies can turn boxed mac and cheese into a full meal.

How do you take mac and cheese to the next level? ›

  1. Add evaporated milk. This adds a sheen and richness to the sauce, but without it tasting overly creamy.
  2. Choose the perfect pasta. For the best ratio of sauce to pasta, classic elbow macaroni is the best. ...
  3. Double up on breadcrumbs. ...
  4. Boost the flavour with Marmite. ...
  5. Extra seasoning. ...
  6. Get the right flavour balance.

What spices jazz up mac and cheese? ›

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

We always recommend shredding your own cheese for sauces: Store-bought shredded cheeses are often coated with preservatives that keep them from melting smoothly. A few spices: mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika (plus salt and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper!)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Delena Feil

Last Updated:

Views: 6416

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Delena Feil

Birthday: 1998-08-29

Address: 747 Lubowitz Run, Sidmouth, HI 90646-5543

Phone: +99513241752844

Job: Design Supervisor

Hobby: Digital arts, Lacemaking, Air sports, Running, Scouting, Shooting, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Delena Feil, I am a clean, splendid, calm, fancy, jolly, bright, faithful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.