Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Name: Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 29 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces elbow macaroni; 4 cups chicken broth; 4 Tablespoons butter; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 cup whipping cream; 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded); ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese; ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese; ½ teaspoon garlic salt; ½ teaspoon parsley; ½ teaspoon dry mustard

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108 Comments

4.62 from 13 votes

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This Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese will be your go-to recipe for cheesy pasta. It's so easy to make - you'll never want the boxed stuff again!

Instant Pot Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

In our house, we love Instant Pot macaroni and cheese! All of the different kinds. Even the box kind if my husband is making it. 😉

When we came up with this amazingly simple Instant Pot idea for creamy macaroni and cheese, I fell in love! It’s so great that I can just pour the noodles in, set the timer and no draining is required.

By making the macaroni in the Instant Pot, you cut down on not only the amount of time, but also the dishes to make mac and cheese. Both are wins in my book!

The best instant pot mac is all about how the pasta cooks and what kind of cheese sauce you use. You can always add extra flavor to create your perfect mac. I like to spice it up with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and a little bit of hot sauce. You can also use a combination of different cheeses to create the best flavor for your homemade macaroni. After all, the ultimate comfort food is a delicious mac for the whole family! If you want to spice it up even more, top it with Monterey jack and black pepper. This recipe is perfect for the picky eater in your family! Store in an airtight container for delicious leftovers.

I grew up with macaroni as a side dish but it is also a great option as a main dish. The best macaroni I ever had was made with extra sharp cheddar cheese, elbow macaroni pasta, and created a creamy instant pot macaroni. This recipe is on the recipe card below.

If you want to try out some more awesome macaroni recipes take a look at our Ground Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup recipe, or our super delicious Cheeseburger Macaroni (my kid’s favorite meal!) recipe, and another favorite, our Cheesy Macaroni Casserole recipe.

Looking for more side dishes? Here are 60 of our favorite Christmas Dinner Sides to eat with Beef Tenderloin!

Here is everything that you will need for this easy creamy macaroni and cheese recipe!

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese ingredients:

Elbow macaroni noodles
Chicken broth
Butter
Salt
Whipping cream
Sharp cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Garlic salt
Parsley
Dry Mustard

Related recipe: Don’t have an instant pot? Try our Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese!

Don’t put dairy ingredients in an Instant Pot!

When cooking dairy ingredients in the Instant Pot, it is a lot different than cooking them on the stove top, oven, microwave or in a slow cooker.

If a recipe calls for dairy ingredients, make sure to add them once you have cooked your food and depressurized your Instant Pot. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy and milk ingredients to scorch or to turn clumpy. No one likes clumpy food.

So for this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese make sure you add your milk AFTER your noodles have already cooked!

If you are new to the Instant Pot, read our list of 9 Instant Pot Don’ts HERE!

You will also need these items for this Instant Pot macaroni and cheese:

Instant Pot
Wooden spoon
Knife

Related Article: Do you have picky kids too? Check out these 20 Recipes for Picky Eaters!

Looking for an Instant Pot? What Instant Pot Should You Get?

I have the Instant Pot LUX 6 Quart 6-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker. It’s basically 6 appliances in 1 – pressure cooker, rice cooker, saute, steamer, cake maker, and warmer. It is awesome!

I know there are so many different versions and sizes of the Instant Pot now that it can make it hard to choose “the right one”.

If you are cooking for 1-2 people I would suggest the 3 Quart Instant Pot. If you are cooking for more, I would suggest the 6 quart or 8 quart.
This is the Instant Pot I have. I have a family of six and the 6 quart feeds us just fine! It is even the cheaper one and I love it! Find it HERE
If you want to make big meals or big cheesecakes, etc. I would highly suggest getting the 8 quart!

bowl of cooked mac and cheese on six sisters (horizontal pic)

Let’s begin making this popular Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe below!

Begin by having your Instant Pot on the counter and plugged in. Pour in the whole 16 oz box of macaroni noodles and then pour in the chicken broth over top.

TIP #1: If you do not have chicken broth, you can use water, it just won’t have quite as much flavor.

Then, take the butter and cut it into small pieces and place it in the Instant Pot with the pasta and broth.

Pasta, butter, and water in bottom of instant pot.

Now add in the salt with everything else in the Instant Pot.

Once you’re finished with that, place the top on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to the “SEALING” position.

Next, press the “MANUAL” button and set the timer for 4 minutes and let the Instant Pot do it’s thing.

When the timer runs out, let the Instant Pot sit for another 5-minute natural release of the pressure. After that 5 minute mark, move the valve to the “VENTING” position to release the remaining pressure from the inner pot.

TIP #2: There might be some foam that comes out of the top. Just place a paper towel over top and wipe it off when it’s done.

Now, remove the lid and add in the whipping cream, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.

Then add in the garlic salt, parsley, and dry mustard and then mix everything together! Keep mixing until the cheese is melted and smooth.

Now just serve up this creamy mac and cheese, and enjoy!

Tasty toppings for your instant pot macaroni and cheese

You can always add some protein to the macaroni and cheese. Here are a few suggestions:

Chopped bacon
Sliced up hotdogs
Cooked sausage

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All of the macaroni recipes you’ll need:

This post was included in our 10 Fall Instant Pot Recipes video – for more inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, click here to check it out!

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If you made our recipe be sure to tag us on Instagram so we can see your hard work using #sixsistersstuff.

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Questions & Reviews

Stephanie says:

This recipe sounds delish!! What kind of milk are you suggesting we use: evaporated, whole, skim? Can't wait to try it!!
Melissa says:

I made this today for lunch with my kids. We all enjoyed it very much. Next time, I'll probably do 6 minutes instead of 5, as I felt like there was a bit more moisture than I wanted when I opened it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Heather says:

Thanks for this recipe! I made it last night for my son and husband because I was going out (I am gluten and dairy free so this was a treat for them to get the real stuff haha), and not only was it super easy, it was really delicious. I did follow the suggestion above and let it cook for 6 minutes and found that was a good idea. Thanks for the easy Monday night dinner - will definitely make again (and might even try a gluten free/dairy free version one day ;)
Heather says:

I ended up having to use cashew milk because it's all we had! I don't think it really matters what kind you use. I also only ended up using about a 1/4 cup.
Renee says:

Is that about 4 cups uncooked macaroni ?
Cyd says:

Yes. We buy the package and it is 16 ounces.
Cathleen h says:

So easy - added Fontina cheese to chedddar - nice and creamy.Will pass on to friends and family.
Emmy S. says:

Would this work in a Cuisinart pressure cooker too?
Cyd says:

I'm sure it would. You will need to check on the cooking time and temp and compare the instant pot to the pressure cooker.
Cari says:

If I half this recipe is it still the same amount of cooking time?
Cindi says:

I needed to use 6 1/4 cups of broth to cover the noodles. I used 16 oz of elbow macaroni though. ?? I hope it all turns out.
Edith says:

Do you not drain the noodles? You keep the liquid it was cooked in?
Ckall says:

Not great... had to add a lot more water to cover noodles, and drain water after. The noodles were over cooked. I think it needs something to help the cheese stick to the noodles.
Mary says:

I did this with bow tie pasta. Used more broth than called for to get the pasta covered, maybe if I used elbows it wouldn't have taken so much broth. Also, I used 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk. I did not drain the pasta. This was so good! Very creamy but not gobs of sauce. Served with a scoop of bbq pork over the Mac n cheese. Yummy! I'm not saying these changes were necessary, just how I happened to make it.
Kellie says:

I made this today in my IP and boy was it tasty! There is plenty leftover for a quick snack.
Kim says:

I should have stuck to the recipe and set my Instant Pot for 5 min. Six minutes was too long.
Judy says:

This was the first thing I made in my IP. Delicious! I used left over cheese from a cheese plate. Thanks!
Kristy D. says:

This. Stuff. Was. Awesome! I cooked the pasta for 5 minutes on HP then quick release. I used 3c sodium-free chicken stock; the noodles were just covered. (I like sodium-free stocks so I'm able to control the salt.) The elbow noodles were perfectly cooked! Closer to al dente...definitely NOT overcooked. I do take pasta and rice dishes out of the cooking insert to limit the cook over time as they will get soft. The only extra thing I added was 1/4 c of low-fat sour cream which I just like to add to my mac and cheese. :) Winner for sure...the fam is already asking when I'll make it again.
Meegan says:

Hey. I used 16 Oz of pasta - by weight - not volume- bad idea. I’d love it if you could specify weight or volume in the future for those of us who don’t buy pasta in 16 Oz Boxes. Thanks
Jay Jay says:

She did specify...the recipe doesn't state fluid ounces. This is literally common sense.
Dawn says:

So you know if I double the recipe would I need to add more time? I am new to using an instant pot and have a potluck to go to and would love to bring this.
Kristy D. says:

I'm not feeling well tonight (Thank you elementary school! LOL) and was going to just order pizza until I realized I'd have this on the table long before pizza would be delivered. I think tonight is the 4th time I've made this mac and cheese in the past 3 weeks. :) It's a fast, yummy meal each time. To add a protein, I just put some organic nuggets or some type of marinated chicken breasts in the oven before I start the IP. By time the IP reaches pressure, noodles cook, I set the table and mix in the cheese and stuff, the chicken is cooked and ready to serve at the same time. (I have it down to a science now. LOL) At 5 mins. HP then quick release, the noodles are perfectly cooked; I've not had any problems with them being mushy or having to drain.
Cyd says:

The whole meal sounds amazing! Nothing better than homemade mac n cheese. Hope you are feeling better. It's crazy flu season everywhere! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment on the instant pot Mac and Cheese! Have a great weekend!
Kelly says:

Tip: use small noodles, not bow tie pasta. My noodles weren't quite covered in broth so they were a little too al dente for my son who had wisdom tooth extraction yesterday. Tasty though!
Jessica says:

I just made this and it’s super liquidy, the cheese melted into the milk and made a runny cheese sauce, and nothing sticks to the pasta ? One person asked if 16oz was 4 cups of uncooked pasta but 16oz is 2 cups
Beth says:

So, it's 2 cups of dry pasta then?
Kelli says:

Made this in an 8qt IP with roughly half of a 32oz.box macaroni noodles, 1block of sharp cheese, and about 3 cups of broth. So good! I added a little more milk and a sprinkle of salt. Will definitely make this again!!
jpf says:

I'm confused, I this post you tell us not to put dairy before the food is cooked and that matches the recipe however, in the video, you double the amount of the butter and put it in with the water, salt and pasta. Also, should the mustard go in at the beginning with the uncooked pasta or after with the milk. Thanks in advance
Kari says:

I’ve only had my instant pot for about 3 weeks. I followed the recipe exactly as described and it came out absolutely perfect. Thank you!
Jill Worlton says:

Hmmmm....The youtube video and the recipe are two different things. That is confusing and misleading. In the video they use water. In the recipe, they call for chicken broth. In the video, she uses parsley and in the recipe, they use dijon mustard? I am probably going to be one of those people who missed an obvious detail in the post that would help me understand....If so feel free to correct me nicely. I am not intentionally trying to be an idiot. :)
Marie says:

That is what I thought - I watched the video so I just printed the recipe but it was totally different. Not sure which one is correct?
Jenny says:

The video is a different recipe. It's the creamy mac n cheese recipe.
Jenny says:

The video is a different recipe. It's the creamy mac n cheese. She specifies this in the very beginning of her post. It is easy to miss.
Danielle says:

Not asking to be negative - I'm really curious. Is there an advantage to doing mac and cheese in an instant pot? It seems like it would take less time to boil the noodles on the stovetop, then add in all the ingredients as usual, versus waiting for the instant pot to build pressure, cook the noodles, then depressurize. Is there an advantage to using the instant pot instead? Again, legitimately curious!
Taylor says:

Made this tonight, 2 cups of cheese wasn’t nearly enough, all I could taste was the mustard, needs more cheese. Other than that it seems like a good texture.
Sally says:

Yes. You can set it and forget it, and do other things. Plus the broth taste gets inside the noodles.
Sally says:

I made this, left out the mustard and hot sauce, and substituted half of the chicken broth with lobster broth (from Better Bouillon) and made lobster mac and cheese. it was great!
Paula says:

I have always used ground mustard in my mac and cheese. I still did this with this recipe instead of the dijon mustard and it turned out great! I may have added extra cheese too. I didn't really measure but one can never have too much cheese. Just thought I would share in case you wanted to try again with ground mustard instead.
Stephanie says:

If I want to double this, do I keep the times the same?
Bev says:

1 pound or 16 oz is 4 cups of elbow macaroni.
Bev says:

16 oz is 4 cups dry, 2 cups dry is only 8 oz.
monica johnson says:

I made this and my boys loved it! My box mac n cheese enthusiast told me that "it barely tastes like homemade". Of course, I had to leave out the hot sauce and mustard for my picky eaters. Also, I drained the pasta before adding the rest of the ingredients. I am going to try it again with just enough broth to cover the pasta. Thank you for a much healthier alternative to the boxed stuff!
Bernie Pulliam says:

I have used this recipe three times with great success. The last time I added a can of evaporated milk after the dish was done I also omitted the hot sauce and mustard. Everybody had two helpings and enjoyed the meal. Looking forward to the next time and another variation. I have made other recipes from Six Sisters and all have come out great. Tomorrow is Orange Chicken!
Brooke says:

Your recipes contradict themselves. In your written one you say chicken broth and water but your video says heavy whipping cream and water two different things ??
Joanne Purdie says:

The starch in the pasta water helps bind the sauce to the pasta.. it's always a good idea to reserve *some* pasta water, in any pasta and sauce dish :)
Joanne Purdie says:

She mentions in the write up that the video is for the 'creamy' m&c version, and is not the same as the printed recipe :)
Michael says:

Little confused as the video I originally watched on your Youtube channel say 4 minutes, water and here in the print it says chicken broth and 5 minutes. I'm making it now as per the video. Next time I'll try it with the broth. I gather the broth gives it a better taste? I'm a newbie to cooking and the Instant Pot. Thanks
Cyd says:

That's because they are 2 different instant pot mac and cheese recipes.
Sarah W says:

Thank you for the tip about not pressuring milk in the instant pot! That would explain why my cheesy broccoli potato soup always gives me the burn warning. I will try making it with just the chicken broth and stir in milk at the end. About this macaroni recipe, would it work the same with a good gluten free macaroni like Tinkyada fusilli? Or would the pasta need to be cooked longer?
Patti HARRELL says:

Super fast, easy, and tasty!
Dawn says:

Fluid ounces, 16 oz is 2 cups of "liquid", not 4 cups.
Wendy says:

Could you use water instead of chicken broth??
Cyd says:

Yes, but it will not be as flavorful.
Sarah says:

This is a disaster. Turned into soupy noodles with some melted cheese. So disappointed. And now I've wasted a whole box of noodles. I followed the recipe to a T
Sarah says:

Ok, after stirring for 10 minutes straight, it was no longer soupy (using the saute setting on and off), but the cheese was stringy, and didn't really make a sauce. It was ok. But I'll stick to your crock pot version, that tastes better and is easier.
Cyd says:

We are so sorry this did not work for you. We make it all the time with no problems.
Marilyn says:

CAN I USE 1/2 N 1/2 UNSTEAD OF WH. CREAM? Marilyn
Ellen says:

I just made this for the first time...it is awesome! I used up the leftover cheeses we had from a cheese board and it is really yummy!!
Danielle says:

Ahhhh... did this recipe get changed? I always make this but I don’t have it memorized, sadly. My family loves the version with the hot sauce. This is the same web page with the same comments and everything, but a different recipe. Where is the old recipe?
Cyd says:

This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese has hot sauce - https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/instant-pot-lobster-mac-and-cheese/ Did it have lobster in it? Maybe you could just leave it out if it didn't.
Jennifer Coppersmith says:

I have the same problem as my family loves the original as well! I even searched the YouTube channel. Six Sisters can you repost as the Original Instant Pot Mac and Cheese please?
Jennifer Coppersmith says:

Scratch that previous comment. I just found it on the YouTube channel under Extremely Easy and Affordable Macaroni and Cheese!😀💖
Cyd says:

We have a couple of Instant Pot Mac and cheese videos on Youtube. Here are some of them: https://youtu.be/Fv6NnSrqZLI https://youtu.be/fm778n0QYvQ
Kitty says:

💕Best Mac-n-cheese ever! 💕
Jamie Lowe says:

I am having a problem with the recipe. I have made it twice now, and the first time I used the liquid that it called for. I got the burn notice. The pasta was done but scorched on bottom. The second time, I added an extra 1/2 cup of water. I got the burn notice and it scorched on bottom. What am I doing wrong? TIA
Amanda Jones says:

We LOVED this Mac and cheese! We had leftovers of it and I made it into baked Mac and cheese the next day. It was amazing! Thank you for the simple delicious recipe!
Nadia says:

It smelt and looked great but unfortunately the cheesy sauce had a weird texture to it. Almost like there was powder mixed in to it. Anyone else experience this? I followed the recipe exactly as stated.
Dawn Nary says:

My family really enjoyed this Mac and cheese. It was so easy to make. Since I don’t usually keep fresh cream on hand and since the recipe also calls for Parmesan I substituted half a jar of Alfredo sauce for the fresh cream. It worked great!
Colleen Anderson says:

In my house lives my husband & I, but sometimes our whole family (8) gets together for dinners. Can I double reciepes & make in the 6qt.pot or should I get the 8qt. one? Also can crock pot cooking bags be used in these pots?
Jennifer Jenkins says:

What would the instructions be if cooking on stovetop?
Momma Cyd says:

You will want to use another pot if doubling, or get a bigger pot (8 quart). Slow Cooker liners will not work in the instant pot.
Laurie says:

Do you think that would have been the parm cheese? Did you use grated? That's what I'm planning on doing in my inaugural use of my IP, so I hope it turns out,..
Penney says:

Why is the Duo your favorite?
Momma Cyd says:

We just love the Duo the best.
Kathy West-Rhodes says:

Can I use gluten free macaroni in this recipe?
Bonnie Belliston says:

Do you drain the noodles before adding the cheeses?
Momma Cyd says:

No need to drain the noodles. There is not that much liquid left after the pasta is cooked.
Eileen says:

My turned out soupy
Deb Cerkas says:

Any suggestions on how to make this with sliced potatoes instead of noodles?
Learning the instant pot KC says:

My cheese did not melt into creamy. It seized up. What went wrong? Plus, I added to much liquid and didn't drain some out. I had to boil some off.
Shelly says:

This was great! It's the first time I've ever made Mac and Cheese not from a box! My husband said it was the best Mac and Cheese he's ever had. I followed the recipe with no changes at all, since I'm new to insta pot. I graded my own cheese instead of using packaged cheese, since freshly grated cheese melts faster. It came out so good. My husband said I could make it anytime! My picky teenage kids even liked it.
Karen Henderson says:

This was the best homemade Mac & Cheese ever!!!I will never eat the box stuff again! Thanks for your great recipes
María Estrada says:

There was a lot of liquid at the end . I wish it was more creamy
Pam L says:

I made this yesterday for Easter dinner and was really good when it was done cooking but we reheated shortly in the oven and it was more greasy than creamy. And idea why or suggestions? Maybe need to reheat in the microwave oven?
Pixie says:

It would be really helpful to be able to portion these recipes for a household of 2 people; I hate wasting so much so I end up not making certain recipes like this one. But this sounds mouth watering and I LOVE mac and cheese!
Kaylee says:

My family loves this recipe so much! But I am curious if doubling so I keep the times the same?
Lori Jean says:

This recipe is a huge hit with my family, and I have made it many times. Lately I have been thinning it with a little milk, which makes it less "stringy" and more "saucy" which my family has loved. Such a great recipe!
SRL says:

I'm back on this website to get this recipe again.. Even though I should have it memorized by now. We eat this every week. My family loves it.
Christina says:

So easy, cheesy and so good! Could I add broccoli to this somehow?
Momma Cyd says:

Yes, I would stir in cooked broccoli after this mac and cheese is all done cooking in the instant pot.
Becca says:

Oh man, I can’t believe I didn’t make this sooner!! This is amazing! Thank you!
GMello says:

This recipe is so good. My husband and I are vegan so I did make a few adjustments. I used garlic broth stock (better than bouillon), almond milk in place of whipping cream, nutritional yeast to replace parmesan/mozzarella cheeses, added smoked paprika to taste, then homemade chopped sundried tomatoes and spinach. Thank you for the easy and quick instant pot recipe! It's a keeper for our house.
Natacha D says:

I followed the recipe and it's way too liquid. Looks more like a soup than Mac and cheese. So disappointed!
Katrina Jones says:

My family loves this so much! I've only messed up it once when I forgot to change my IP to sealing (so it never pressurized). I usually use 1 cup of Italian cheese instead of 1/2 mozzarella and 1/2 parmesan.
Katrina Jones says:

It typically does look a little soupy, but when you let it sit, it is thicker. Definitely more creamy than the box mac and cheese. I would check your measurements.
Melissa says:

Made this for lunch and added in cooked steamed broccoli and cooked ground beef. It was so good, little effort and time to make. Thanks for sharing.
Sherol-Ann says:

I love Mac & Cheese and this recipe is the best homemade version I have ever had. I will never buy a cheap imitation of the real thing again.
Aline says:

I made this tonight using half and half. It was super!
MKB says:

I just made this as written (except the hot sauce and using garlic powder instead of garlic salt) and it came out perfectly - a much better flavor and creaminess than I z expecting. I’m new to the IP world. So far, everything has worked very well.
Holly T says:

I was able to substitute gluten free chickpea noodles for elbow macaroni. It was just as fantastic!
Kimberly says:

Can this bd doubled in the IP?
Momma Cyd says:

I wouldn't double it unless you have the biggest Instant Pot. If your IP is smaller, make 2 separate batches and then keep it warm in the IP.
Jen B says:

This recipe is the best!!! I make it all the time and if I take it somewhere people always ask for the recipe!
Bobbi says:

If doubling the recipe, would that change the time?
Bailey says:

What is considered a serving size for this recipie? 1 cup? How many grams? Etc.
Bobbi @ Six Sisters says:

The serving size is approximately 1 cup - we just divided the recipe into 8. We haven't calculated exact grams for this - it's approximate,. You can enter your specific ingredients/brands by weight into an app like My Fitness Pal to get specific grams per serving, if you have a kitchen scale.
Bobbi @ Six Sisters says:

No need to change the cook time when doubling this recipe. It will take longer to come to pressure, but the cook time listed in the recipe will still work great when doubled.
Diane says:

Very good flavor. I added a pinch of Nutmeg. I used half and half cream. Very good flavor. I used just aged cheese. Used half and half cream. Could use less cream, had to thicken it a bit with a slurry of flour and water