Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe takes just 18 minutes from start to finish, dirties only one pot, and tastes creamy and delicious! Plus, it’s made with all real food ingredients.
It was 5:30 p.m. and my kids were starving. I was finishing up a work project and hadn’t even given dinner a thought when I began hearing the low-grade whines from the next room. “I’m hunnngrrrreeee!” The Instant Pot to the rescue. I happened to have some whole wheat pasta in the pantry, along with the other few ingredients in this recipe.
In fact, we love the Instant Pot so much around here, that our second cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, is filled entirely with Instant Pot and slow cooker recipes! We tested 100s of recipes over the years and can confidently say that you can trust this mac and cheese recipe, along with all our other Instant Pot recipes on Thriving Home.
Ingredients Needed
Woo hoo, this recipe only requires only a handful of ingredients! That means this dinner is cheap, easy, and fast. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Whole wheat elbow pasta (I prefer whole wheat because it’s healthier but the kids will never know)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Yellow mustard (just a little bit!)
- Butter
- Milk
- Half and half
You’ll also need some salt and pepper out of the pantry and water from the tap.
How to Make Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot
How Long Does It Take to Cook Mac & Cheese in the Instant Pot?
Within 2 minutes I had dumped in my beginning ingredients and locked the lid. It took about 10 minutes to come to pressure, 2 minutes to cook, and another 2 minutes to release the pressure. I ended by stirring in the milk and cheese for another 2 minutes. Voila! An 18 minute recipe from start to finish!!!
Side Dish Ideas
Serve up one of these simple and healthy side dishes for a well-rounded dinner.
- Oven Roasted Broccoli (or steamed broccoli)
- Simple green salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
- Sweet and Savory Roasted Carrots
- Veggie sticks and Simple Blender Hummus
More Healthy Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
If you like this simple recipe, we think you’ll love these other recipes…
- Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Sliders
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- 4 Ingredient Instant Pot Spaghetti
P.S. If you’re wondering the best way to clean your pot after making this dish, follow these instructions from Clean Mama.
This super easy recipe is a perfect, no fuss weeknight meal and makes enough to serve an army. Plus, it’s a little healthier than traditional mac and leftovers make a Great Packed Lunch Idea for Kids!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese recipe takes just minutes to pull together, dirties only one pot, and tastes creamy and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole wheat elbow pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups water
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 3–4 cups shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar cheese (or Gruyere for something fancier!) (Here’s how to shred your own cheese.)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Add pasta, butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and water to the pot and stir.
- Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for half the pasta cooking time on the package, minus 1 minute. (So, if the directions say 6 minutes: Half is 3 minutes, minus 1 minute, means you’ll cook it for 2 minutes total.)
- Use a quick release of the pressure when cooking time is through. Be sure to cover the spout with a dish towel to minimize splatters.
- Stir in the milk and half and half. Then, slowly stir in the cheese 1 handful at a time. Taste and adjust salt and pepper amounts, if needed. Enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- If you shred your own block of cheese, it will melt more evenly than the pre-shredded kind from the store. Here’s how to shred your own cheese
It was creamier than most homemade recipes but it was a bit bland for my husband and I. The kids ate all of theirs. We may try some of the added ingredients listed in the comments next time.
★★★★
Absolutely delish….I couldn’t locate my instant pot, so I went old school and boiled the pasta. I used a 100% plant based protein elbow with all your ingredients and 🤩….I can’t wait for my 13 month old to try this tomorrow. Plan on freezing the rest in silicone cups. Great idea🥳
★★★★★
Wahoo! Glad it worked great for your family.
We LOVE this mac & cheese! Do you know if it would freeze well for individual portions later on? I don’t want to waste my extra half and half before it goes bad.
I think this could work, but I haven’t tested it so I’m not 100% sure. Be sure to undercook the pasta little, though. Freezing can soften pasta even more.
Looks delicious! I am using whole wheat pasta, like the recipe calls for. Your pictures look like you used regular (not whole wheat) pasta. Does the cooking time formula work the same for whole wheat pasta? I am assuming so but wanted to check since the pictures didn’t show WW pasta.
Thanks!
If you use Gluten Free elbow instead, would the cooking time be shorter? Just wondering if whole wheat pasta takes more time.
I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free pasta yet, so I’m not sure. Sorry!
I made a version of this, and it was so good! I used broth instead of water, dijon instead of regular mustard, omitted salt, and added a can of diced green chiles with the pasta water. I used sharp cheddar (half white, half yellow), grated romano, and added maybe 6oz of leftover marscapone at the end. Then I sprinkled aleppo pepper on it to serve. Creamy, spicy and interesting mac and cheese. Cheers!
★★★★★
Yum! Your changes sound delicious. Thanks for sharing, Kelly.
This was so delicious, simple, and fast. My kids just loved it. I am embarrassed to say I probably had at least 4 servings myself!
★★★★★
That’s great to hear! Thanks for the feedback, Katrina.
I made this, and it was delicious! Definitely will add to our family favorites ?
★★★★★
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for sharing, Cyra-Lea.