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

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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)

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

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

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  • 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.

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

FAQs

How to make mac and cheese Gordon Ramsay? ›

In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. Bring the milk to a simmer and cook until the pasta is tender, 8–10 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully combined.

How to fancy 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 do should I add to homemade mac and cheese for taste? ›

Additional Add-in & Toppings:
  1. Extra cheese topping – Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top before baking.
  2. Breadcrumbs– combine about 1 cup of breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons of melted butter in a bowl. Sprinkle over top of the macaroni and cheese just before baking.
  3. Bacon Bits – Cook about 4-5 slices of bacon.
Jul 20, 2022

What not to do when making mac and cheese? ›

Here's what several experts say are the biggest mistakes when it comes to making macaroni and cheese at home and how to avoid making them.
  1. Using Only Cheddar cheese. ...
  2. Not Adding Spice and Seasoning with Salt. ...
  3. Choosing the Wrong Pasta. ...
  4. Overcooking. ...
  5. Skimping on the Toppings.
May 21, 2020

How do you increase the flavor of macaroni and cheese? ›

5. Sprinkle in some spices or sauces. A little kick can go a long way. Choose your own zesty adventure by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper, dry mustard powder, garlic powder, mushroom powder, or even a dash of hot sauce.

How do you add depth of flavor to mac and cheese? ›

Browned butter is the secret ingredient to multi-dimensional flavor in both baked goods and savory dishes. It adds richness and depth of flavor to boxed mac and cheese—and all it takes is a few extra minutes on the stovetop.

What are the ingredients in Gordon's mac and cheese? ›

COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, SEMOLINA [MILLED WHEAT, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), WATER, CHEDDAR CLUB CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, SALT, ANNATTO [COLOR]), CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES ...

What recipe did Gordon Ramsay make? ›

Gordon Ramsay's best recipes include Beef Wellington, Coq au Vin, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Piccata, Rack of Lamb, Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill, Shrimp Scampi, Beef and Guinness Stew, Spaghetti Carbonara, and Beef Burgundy.

How do you cut the richness in mac and cheese? ›

I'm gonna add some ground, dried mustard powder. It's classic for macaroni and cheese. It helps to cut the richness in the cream sauce. And just a pinch of cayenne.

What cheese to use for 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.

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