Easy Instant Pot Mac & Cheese

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Keep reading for a fast, easy and so tasty weeknight mac & cheese recipe for your Instant Pot.

If your weekday nights look anything like ours, you find yourself scrambling to get dinner on the table when your kids constantly keep asking, “What’s for dinner?”

But you’re tired of the same old thing. (And so are they.) Those dino chicken nuggets and canned green beans just aren’t cutting it anymore.

Enter THE INSTANT POT and homemade mac & cheese. This magical contraption that cooks at the speed of light. And you make some fancy macaroni and cheese that your kids think you got from a restaurant. Forget about that blue box with the powdered cheese for once. This stuff is so easy. And so tasty. And so ooey gooey creamy cheesy. They will be asking for seconds, I promise!

Here’s what you need:

Instant pot

1 box of uncooked elbow macaroni

3 cups of water

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

salt & pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons butter

3 oz cream cheese, (we use reduced fat)

3/4 cup milk

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, (grated or shredded)

DIRECTIONS:

Pour uncooked noodles and 3 cups water into instant pot. Add onion powder, dry mustard, salt & pepper, and butter on top. You don’t even need to stir!

Set timer for 6 minutes on high pressure, make sure valve is up.

Once complete, release pressure. It will smell like cooked noodles. Do not drain any water at bottom of pot if you have some, it’s ok.

Stir in cream cheese until melted.

Slowly add milk and stir.

Add cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese until melted and blended. It should be ooey gooey at this point! If it’s too sticky, add another tablespoon of butter. Keep instant pot on warm if serving for dinner so it doesn’t start drying inside Immediately transfer to serving bowl and clean your instant pot or you will regret it later!

You can sprinkle bacon bits on top for some added flavor. Eat as a meal or serve as a side, this mac & cheese will sure be a hit! My kids request this at least once a month, and for family get togethers, it’s a great side as it serves several.

Enjoy!

Total time, 30 minutes

Cook Time, 6 minutes

Print Recipe

Easy Instant Pot Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 box of uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated or shredded

Get ingredients with

Instructions

• Pour uncooked noodles and 3 cups water into instant pot. Add onion powder, dry mustard, salt & pepper, and butter on top. You don’t even need to stir!
• Set timer for 6 minutes on high pressure, make sure valve is up.
• Once complete, release pressure. It will smell like cooked noodles. Do not drain any water at bottom of pot if you have some, it’s ok.
• Stir in cream cheese until melted.
• Slowly add milk and stir.
• Add cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese until melted and blended. It should be ooey gooey at this point! If it’s too sticky, add another tablespoon of butter. Keep instant pot on warm if serving for dinner so it doesn’t start drying inside Immediately transfer to serving bowl and clean your instant pot or you will regret it later.
• Enjoy!