Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese is everyone’s favorite comfort food pasta recipe. Cheesy and creamy, it’s the best Mac and Cheese around.
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese with Crispy Bacon Topping
Everybody loves Macaroni and Cheese. From young to old, from far and wide and from East and West. Okay, you get the drift, we all love Mac & Cheese.
You will be amazed at how easy and delicious it is to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese in your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker. If you want to take it up another notice, my Crispy Bacon Garlic Breadcrumb Topping is fantastic.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
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Ingredients for Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Macaroni – I love using Cavatappia, because the cheese oozes in each bite. Elbow macaroni does the same thing, so try one of those two types of pasta.
- Cheese – Use a combination. Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar and a melting cheese like Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, Gruyère or Gouda. This evens out the cheese to make it creamy, without being gummy or stringy.
- Hot Sauce – don’t panic, this does not add heat. It adds amazing flavor without adding any spice.
- Dry Mustard or Dijon Mustard – again, like the hot sauce, another lever of flavor is added without tasting any heat.
- Heavy Cream
Homemade Greek Yogurt and Heavy Cream work well, but days when there is no Heavy Cream in the fridge, the canned milk will suffice.
Add Dry Macaroni
How cute is Cavatappi pasta? I love the curly whirly of this pasta and I love that the cheese gets stuck inside and when you take a bite, you get a little squirt of cheese sauce in your mouth.
I can’t always find it in my area, so I order in bulk from Amazon.
Add Butter and Seasonings
Two minutes for Cavatappi pasta is perfect. If you use a heavier/thicker pasta (rule of thumb is Pressure Cook 1/2 the lesser time is says on the box of pasta and subtract 2 minutes), you might need an extra minute.
Perfection, perfectly cooked pasta in just three minutes! So cute! The Cavatappi are so inviting and make you feel like a kid again.
Slowly Mix in Cheese
I like to buy blocks of cheese and shred/grate them myself. I use this little microplane ribbon grater and shred it myself. It is so easy.
Shred Your Own Cheese
- Cheese that comes already shredded has a powdery cornstarch coating. This makes it hard to melt and can be gritty.
- Grating your own cheese from a block of cheese is much better and fresher tasting.
- Those fillers/cornstarch keep the cheese from sticking together and you don’t want that in your mac and cheese. Just shred the cheese yourself and enjoy a fresher tasting macaroni and cheese.
Pro Tip: If you use bagged cheese, there is more than a good chance the texture of the cheese will be gritty and not as smooth and stretchy.
You will notice that the pasta will be soupy at first, but don’t fret. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid, so don’t heat the pot and try to let the liquid to evaporate. A bit soupy is good. 🙂
![Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [Instant Pot]](https://thisoldgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160320_162116-e1458526229807.jpg "Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [Instant Pot]")
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [Instant Pot]
You can use my breadcrumb topping on top of my Pressure Cooker Southern Style Green Beans recipe too.
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Crispy Bacon Topping
The beauty of this Bacon Garlic Breadcrumb Topping is that you can prepare it while your mac and cheese is in the Pressure Cooker and then just put on the topping when you are ready to serve.
For a Mexican twist, try my Creamy Mexican Mac & Cheese or for an “adult” Mac & Cheese, you may enjoy my Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese, which is so creamy and delicious!
A terrific side dish is my Pan de Yucca in the Air Fryer (or in the oven) which made with Oaxaca cheese, so if you get a big block, you can use the Oaxaca in this recipe as well as the pan de yucca!
Use CrispLid to Brown the Topping
Some people like to transfer their macaroni and cheese to the oven (with or without topping) and allow it to brown.
Pro Tip: Or do yourself a favor and get a Mealthy Crisplid and brown the topping right in the pot!
- Instant Pot Crisping Lid (buy from Instant Pot) / Instant Pot Crisping Lid (buy from Amazon)
More Instant Pot Macaroni Recipes to Make:
- Pressure Cooker Jalapeño Macaroni Ham and Cheese
- Instant Pot Beef and Macaroni {Bolognese}
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Pressure Cooker Lokshen Mit Kaese {Noodles & Cheese}
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Cilio Olivewood Spatula
- Alton Brown Salt Box
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Microplane Artisan Ribbon Grater
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If you share a picture of something you make from our blog, tag it with #thisoldgalcooks so we can see it. We might feature it on Instagram! It makes my day when I see you’ve made one of our recipes!
Here’s the handy printable recipe.
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese, Fully Loaded [Instant Pot]
Print Pin Save RateIngredients
Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 pound Cavatappi (or Elbows)
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Dry/Ground Mustard Seed or Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
- 1 clove Fresh Garlic smashed well (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt (or 1-1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt)
- 1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 3.5 cups Fresh Water Chicken Broth (or 3.5 cups water + 1 TBL Better than Bouillon Chicken Base)
- 1 cup Heavy Cream divided (or 6 oz Evaporated Milk)
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese (or Cheddar Jack), shredded
- 1 cup Oaxaca Cheese (or Monterey Jack or Mozzarella), shredded
- 1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
Optional Topping
Recommended Products
Instructions
- Add pasta, butter, smashed garlic, mustard, hot pepper sauce, 1/2 cup heavy cream, salt, pepper and water (or chicken broth) to pressure cooker cooking pot.
- Lock on lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook at High Pressure (most machines default to high) for 2 minutes.
- When Beep is heard, wait 5 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- Give the pasta a good stir.
- Add the rest of the heavy cream and mix in. The macaroni will continue to absorb and adding half the milk after pressure cooking will help distribute the cheese better.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of pasta in three parts, allowing the cheese to begin to melt before mixing it through the macaroni. Mix cheese through and then repeat twice more.
- If a softer macaroni is desired, turn pot to saute and simmer until done.
- Top with Crispy Bacon Topping, if desired.
Notes
Type of Cheese
- Gruyère, Smoked Gouda, or combination of melting cheese is great to use too.
- Allow cheese to melt on top of pasta for a minute, before stirring it in. This will prevent the cheese from accumulating at the bottom of the pot and clumping.
- Amount of cheese is a personal preference, so start with the lower amount and add more, until desired amount is achieved.
- Use any of your favorite kinds of cheese and be creative.
Milk
- If heavy cream is not available, replace with 1 cup whole milk + 2 Tablespoons butter.
- If using evaporated milk instead of cream, reduce butter to 1/2 stick.
- If using anything other than heavy cream, add it in AFTER pressure release, as opposed to adding it in with the dry pasta and reduce cook time by 1 minute.
This Old Gal's Pasta Rule of Thumb
- Any type of pasta or semolina noodle is fine to use in this recipe.
- Look at package of pasta and find the variable cook time. Choose the lesser time given and then subtract 2 minutes. For example, if your package of pasta says "cook for 8 - 11 minutes," take that 8 minute number and cut it in half, which is 4. Then subtract 2 minutes from the 4 minutes and you will end up with the proper cook time. In this case the cook time will be 2 minutes.
- If the variable cook time on your package of pasta is 11 - 16 minutes, err on the lesser side. In this instance, the cook time would be 3 minutes. It is better to end up with overly firm pasta rather than mushy because you can continue to cook the pasta, but if it is mushy, there is nothing you can do to correct.
- After the two minute pressure cook time is up, wait 5 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- f the pasta is too firm or al dente for your taste, simply put the lid back on the pot and let the pasta sit in the hot pot. The residual heat will continue to cook the pasta. Check after a few minutes to see if the pasta has reached the perfect firmness for your liking. If not give it a stir and let sit some more.
Nutrition
PIN this Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese, Fully Loaded!
![Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [Instant Pot]](https://thisoldgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/instant-pot-macaroni-and-cheese-2.jpg)
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [Instant Pot]
I have heard about this recipe for years, hubby and I are picky about pasta, so I doubted this would be something we would enjoy. I finally decided to give this recipe a try last evening. Let me tell you, the perfectly cooked pasta was a hit! I definitely will be making this over and over again. If any one is doubting this recipe, give it a try. You won’t be sorry.
Excellent recipe. I used medium cheddar, monterey jack, swiss and jarlsberg. A new family favourite for lazy weekends.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jim. Thanks. Jill
Hello!!
As always, your recipes are wonderful!! I am just wondering though, did you really mean 1 Tablespoon of Kosher salt? I followed the directions and used that and also used chicken broth. It came out saltier than usual….. though still delicious!! : D A family favorite!
Hi Leslie. Kosher salt is about 1/2 less salty than sea salt, so if using sea salt, then use half. Jill
Hi! I love this Mac and cheese! I plan on making a lot of it for a party this weekend. Can I double this recipe in a 6qt? If so, do any adjustments need to be made? Thank you for such a great recipe!
I don’t know that two pounds will cook up nicely in a 6 quart. Can you make two batches? JIll
I made this recipe today and it was easy and delicious! Thank you.
Thanks, Stephanie! I am glad you enjoyed my recipe. Jill
I can’t imagine adding cream and THEN pressure cooking. The cream will curdle.
No it won’t. The cream might separate a bit, but nothing to worry about. Jill
Hello,
I am planning on making this earlier in the day and then serving at dinner. I am thinking about after cooking in the instant pot putting it in a foil pan and refrigerating. When it is time to eat, popping the foil pan in the oven at 350 for about 10 min. Do you see any issues with this?
As it is such a simple recipe, why not add in all the ingredients, except the pasta and cheese and then set the pot 15 minutes before you are ready to eat? Jill
Your recipes have never steered me wrong.
One question: After grating the cheese, do I pack it in the one cup measure? Loosely or really pack it in?
Thanks.
Don’t pack it in. Use the amount that you like. Jill
You mentioned Greek yogurt. Would this replace all of the heavy cream?
Yes. Jill
My husband said it was likely the best mac n cheese he had ever eaten. I would agree. Especially with the crumb toping, it adds such a nice crunch.
HI Helen. Thank you so much! Jill
Our go to Mac & Cheese.
Thank you, Cherrill. Jill
What size pressure cooker do you make this in? If i have a 8 qt can i double it?
Another hit, Jill! I love your recipes! I just got a Go Wise Air Fryer at your recommendation. Haven’t tried too much but I look forward to learning! Thanks for your recipes–the best out there.
Thank you so much, Kathleen. I appreciate the kind words. Try the honey garlic chicken wings in the air fryer. You will love them. Jill
You forgot when to add the broth or water?
It was not forgotten and is noted with the rest of the ingredients and instructions. Jill
This is the easiest macaroni and cheese recipe, ever! I used smoked Gouda with bacon and cheddar cheese. This gets a two thumbs up for both ease and taste. Thanks for posting this recipe. It’s definitely a keeper!
Thank you, Pam. Jill
Evaporated milk or heavy cream? I noticed the recipe has been changed? the directions above the recipe say evaporated milk; the actual recipe has heavy cream.
Heavy cream is best, but evaporated is good for when you don’t have cream. Jill
Ooooook. This? Is fantastic. I’ve just subscribed to your emails and am on my way to check out your book. I see you mentioned all the time on FB and now I know why! Can’t wait for the weekend to get here so I can explore your site. Thanks for dinner!!
Hi Juliee. Thank you so much. Jill
Is it 537kcal for the whole meal, or per serving?
I made this as written – absolutely outstanding! I used mild cheddar and mozzarella and it was wonderful. Thank-you so much for this recipe.
Hi Nancy. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Jill
tried this recipe tonight and was pleased. my kids love the boxed stuff, so trying to get them to try and like real mac and cheese is a battle. This was really good, we had to add milk at the end as it was too thick for our likings and my son kept asking why it was spicy. I liked the bite the Siracha gave it, but guess next time it will have to be a bit less.
Thank you for the recipe. My youngest daughter is very picky about her mac and cheese, and she approved. I do have a question, though. I took this to a potluck dinner and kept it on warm. The cheese started clumping instead of the creamy texture right after cooking it. Should I have taken it off the heat?
I was so apprehensive about making Mac n Cheese in my pressure cooker. It would only be my 2nd time ever using one. I have a love affair/ slight addiction to this cheesy pasta dish!!! Any Hoo– it turned out amazing.. creamy cheesy perfectly cooked noodles !!! Yum yum !
Love your recipe .. it’s a keeper for me ! ❤️
Hi Deb~
I am so glad you enjoyed the Macaroni and Cheese. It is amazing how easy it is to make! Jill
I made this for my family tonight with medium pasta shells (2 mins cook time, 5 min NPR) and the pasta was perfect and the taste was good. I used cheddar and chihuahua cheeses.
Terri, did you use Extra Sharp Cheddar? That has a tendency to be grainy if not mixed with a melting cheese. Jill
I like the idea of adding spinach, but wonder, did it turn the mac n cheese green? I’m not sure the kids would go for that.
I’m known for having awesome Mac n cheese. Since I’ve been doing the whole30 I haven’t made it. Tonight was a perfect night to try this recipe in my ‘received for Christmas IP’. My son didn’t want to share with my husband and my husband just said he knew what he was having for breakfast! We add nutmeg to our Mac n cheese so we added that and my son used his special hot sauce. Thank you for sharing. Looks like this will be a keeper.
Hi Chris~
What a nice note, thank you. I am very happy that you enjoyed your meal!
Jill
I have made homemade mac n cheese for years. Now have instant pot and got brave enough to try this recipe. I had low expectations. All I can say is Yum! I used lactaid 2% milk and cooked it down a bit on saute portion to make it evaporated. For us it was too salty but then again I used a stick of aged sharp cracker barrel cheddar and about 1/4 of a block of parmesan. Sooooo creamy and rich. Baked off with bread crumbs in oven after. Will definitely make again!
Hi Mary~
Your choice of cheese sound wonderful. Thank you for sharing your experience with me.
Jill
This recipe is SO yummy!! It is also easy and quick!! Thank you!
Hi Nancy~
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed your meal.
Jill
Delicious and creamy. Love how easy.
Hello, I don;t have milk or evap, milk..I was going to use half and half mixed with water- Do you think that will be ok?
Allison, that is fine!
Jill
When do I add yogurt or heavy cream?
Mary, after pressure is released.
Jill
Jill- This recipe and a couple of others mention using Oaxaca cheese. I love Oaxaca cheese but the 2 of us can’t eat the whole thing in just a couple of days. I’ve tried every way I can think of to keep it from molding so fast but so far nothing works. Can you please share any tips you have found to keep it from molding? Looking forward to trying this recipe soon!
Side note… Just got my first IP and used your directions for easy hard boiled eggs. It was PERFECT and so easy. This alone justified the purchase price as I try to avoid recipes with hard boiled eggs as it always took so much time to peel the eggs. Never again!
Thanks
CC
Hi CC~
I know what you mean about the eggs. I do a dozen at a time without worry.
We cut up the Oaxaca cheese and freeze into portions. It freezes nicely.
Jill
This recipe is the best Mac and cheese and I’ve tried so many.
If I don’t have evaporated milk, can I substitute more yogurt or milk instead? I can’t wait to try this out!
Wow, I made this recipe tonight with the crispy topping. It was fast and delicious and the directions were easy to follow. Thank you Jill, I want to try more of your recipes!!
Hi Suzanne. So glad you liked this recipe. Thanks for the compliments. Jill
So I doubled the recipe. I have never experienced that “mess” people have mentioned with QR and starches, but this time I did. But I was prepared since I knew it would be full to the top, so I held a paper towel over the vent and let it catch the starchy steam. When it was too saturated, I threw it away and got second one, but I only used two. Really, it wasn’t bad at all. Very quickly the steam became clear. Then I made the recipe exactly as is except that at the end I added a bag of frozen corn and 16 oz. of green chile. (It was for a potluck and I live in New Mexico…everything has green chile.) It was popular.
So the answer is that it can quite easily be doubled, but be prepared to “catch” the starchy steam the first couple of minutes of venting. I would post a picture but I don’t see a way to do that.
Hi Beth~
Thanks for sharing your story. I usually toss a kitchen towel over the vent when I do a quick release. You additions sound wonderful. 🙂
Jill
Just made this for dinner. Very yummy. Thanks Jill.
Can I freeze? Then thaw and heat in oven?
Hi Lynette~
You can freeze the macaroni and cheese. I would suggest cooking it for one minute less, so that when you reheat, it will still be al dente.
Jill
Thanks!
This is so yummy!!!! And I haven’t even finished making the topping yet to add. Just eating out of the pot! Thank you for a keeper recipe!!
Hi Enid~
Glad you are enjoying the Macaroni and Cheese. 🙂 You are most welcome.
Jill
I haven’t tried this yet. So many on the Facebook IP group are saying what a mess it makes doing the QR, and I am just not up for that.
Do you think if you reduced the cooking time to 2 minutrs, then did a 2 minute NPR before the QR, it would help with that?
PS. Your Pork Chops w/ Mushroom Gravy is to die for!
Hi Kathleen~
I’ve never had a problem with a mess. Just slowly, turn the pressure valve back and forth to let a little pressure out at a time. I often will throw a towel over the valve to collect the steam during a quick release. Just a light towel, not a heavy one as you don’t want to block anything, just catch the steam.
Thanks re the pork chops. 🙂
Jill
This was really good! I halved the recipe and used whole milk. Adding the Siracha really did kick the flavor up a notch!
Hi Jennifer~
Thank you so much for visiting. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. Whole milk works great!
Jill
Soooo good! I used 1.5 c mild white cheddar and 6 sliced of Trader Joe’s organic American Cheese. While tit was in the “thickening” phase I added in some chopped fresh spinach to add at least a little healthy aspect to it. Started it 30 minutes ago and am eating for lunch as we speak. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jen~
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe. The spinach is a great addition.
Jill
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I LOVE that you can make it without processed cheese and that it is so creamy and not gritty in the slightest! I really appreciate that you explained WHY from-scratch cheese sauces and macaroni ‘n cheese often are gritty. I consider myself a very experienced cook, but I did not know that it has to do with the hardness of the cheese and how cheddar will cause more grit the sharper it is. That is really good to know! I used some sharp cheddar, and some mozarella and mild gauda and it was superb!! I was afraid to use so much mustard powder, so I used 1 tsp and that seemed perfect. My whole family loved it! Thanks so much, 5 STARS!!
Hi Terese~
Thank you so much for the lovely compliments. Glad you liked my ramblings. 🙂 I do tend to go on and on. Hehehehehe. I am very glad your family loved this recipe.
Jill
Oh not at all Jill, there was no “on and on” that I could detect, only very useful information! Well done! And I like your pictures, too!
How does doubling this affect the recipe?
Hi Kim~
With this recipe, you can double everything, without a problem, no adjustments.
Jill
Thanks! Do you know if the 6quart will do ok with 8 cups water and all the other ingredients? I appreciate the recipes AND the help!!
I was just going to ask! Thank you!! 🙂
Terese, you are welcome!
Jill
I made your mac and cheese recipe which is great. If I want to double the recipe, is the coking time still 3 min. and 5 NPR?