This easy recipe for Instant Pot mac and cheese (with evaporated milk) can be made in under 15 minutes! Great recipe for potlucks or a simple weeknight dinner side dish.
Everyone needs a good, easy, go-to macaroni and cheese recipe. Bonus points in my book if it's an Instant Pot recipe. So I thought I'd share my favorite Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe with you guys today!
🧡 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and inexpensive. You can have this ready in under 15 minutes. It's inexpensive, full of flavor, and it makes a ton of food!
- Just as easy as the boxed stuff. You dump and go for most of the recipe. There's no reason not to make it from scratch if you have the ingredients on hand and you're the lucky owner of an Instant Pot!
- Tastes homemade...because it is homemade! Just without all the work. It has a creamy, dreamy cheese sauce and perfectly cooked macaroni noodles in just minutes.
🥘 Instant Pot vs. Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Why should you use the Instant Pot over making stovetop macaroni and cheese?
It's just so much simpler! Instead of having to boil noodles, add ingredients separately, and bake, you can do every step in one pot in about half the time.
The Instant Pot is perfect for meals that usually require a lot of pots & pans. With this magic device, you can make so many types of comfort food with absolute ease. Saute, pressure cook, slow cook, and even keep warm with one device.
I love making chicken and rice, this salsa chicken, fall-apart Italian Roast, and even Rotel dip in the Instant Pot. It cuts my cooking time and gives every recipe so much flavor.
🧀 Ingredients & Variations
- 24 oz elbow macaroni noodles - That's 1 ½ boxes of noodles in most stores. You can also use rotini, penne, or cavatappi pasta for this recipe.
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 2 teaspoons of pepper
- 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard - Not mustard seeds, the actual bottled yellow condiment. It's my (not so) secret ingredient!
- 1 tablespoon of hot sauce - Don't worry about this adding heat to the mac and cheese; it really just gives it a little bit of flavor.
- 4 cups of water - If you want a flavor boost, you can use chicken broth instead.
- 12 oz canned evaporated milk - Using evaporated milk helps create the cheese sauce without adding any additional heaviness to the dish (the cheese already takes care of that).
- 10.5 oz canned condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 8 oz cream cheese - It helps if this is at room temperature; it will melt into the sauce much easier.
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese - Trust me, shred your own cheese for this recipe! It will give you a creamier, smoother sauce than the pre-shredded stuff.
- 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
Recipe Additions
- Add a protein to make this a full meal. This mac & cheese is great with a couple of cups of shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked sausage.
- Give it a little crunch by transferring it to a baking dish, topping it with extra cheddar cheese, and baking at 450 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
- Try different cheeses! Gouda, pepper jack, gruyere, fontina, or Monterey jack cheese would make great additions to this mac and cheese recipe.
- Sneak in a few veggies. This is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies! Add a couple of those steam-in-the-microwave frozen veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower, or peas.
👨🍳 How to Make Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Cook macaroni. Add 24oz macaroni pasta, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons of hot sauce, and 4 cups of water or chicken broth to your Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, 4 minutes. (I have another post that goes much more into detail about how to cook perfect pasta in the Instant Pot!)
- Add cheeses, soup, and milk. Once the noodles are finished cooking and pressure is released, add 12oz evaporated milk, 10.5oz Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup, and 8oz cream cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar, and 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese. Stir until combined. The sauce will be thin at first, but should thicken after stirring well.
That's it! This easy recipe is perfect for beginner Instant Pot users. It's pretty foolproof and tastes amazing.
Alternate Method: Slow Cooker
This can be made in the slow cooker as well!
Omit the water and add all ingredients (except for macaroni noodles) to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Thirty minutes before you're ready to serve, cook noodles to al dente and stir into the cheese sauce.
Alternate Method: Stovetop
If you'd like, you can also make this on a stovetop. Add all ingredients in step 1 above to a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook noodles to al dente.
Drain the water and add ingredients from step 2. Stir gently over low heat until blended.
Learn more about your Instant Pot with this huge post of Instant Pot frequently asked questions.
🎥 Step-by-Step Recipe Video
🍽️ Great Dinner Pairings
This is the perfect side dish for so many main courses! Pair it with...
Add in another side dish, and you're set! A few suggestions...
🥡 Leftovers & Storage Tips
These leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days after cooking. Make sure the container is airtight - dishes with pasta tend to soak up any food smells easily.
Reheating: Microwave single servings of mac and cheese for about 45 seconds, stirring and adding 20-30 seconds if needed. When reheating, you might need to add a few tablespoons of milk to thin the sauce.
Can I freeze this mac and cheese? This is one of the few pasta dishes that's ok to freeze! I like to freeze 3-4 portions in a quart-sized bag for the perfect weeknight side dish. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm in the oven before serving.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
I can't wait to see what you think of this knockout recipe! If you give it a try, I'd love for you to rate it in the recipe card below. ♥️
Easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 oz elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 4 cups water (can sub chicken broth for more flavor)
- 12 oz canned evaporated milk
- 10.5 oz canned condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
Instructions
- In an Instant Pot, mix 24oz macaroni noodles, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoon yellow mustard, 4 cups water or chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce.
- Seal on the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, 4 minutes. Once the cook cycle is over, quick release the pressure.
- Once the pressure is released, open the lid. Add 12oz evaporated milk, 10.5oz cheddar cheese soup, and 8oz cream cheese, 2 cups of shredded cheddar, and 2 cups of shredded Colby jack cheese. Stir well until cheeses are melted.
Notes
- The sauce might be thin at first, but should thicken quickly by stirring well.
- I recommend shredding your own Colby jack and cheddar cheeses, as opposed to using pre-shredded cheese. The pre-shredded stuff uses anti-caking agents that can affect your cheese sauce.
- Change the recipe up by adding steamed veggies, chicken, sausage, bacon, or extra seasonings.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days after cooking. The dish can also be frozen; add 3-4 portions to a quart-sized freezer bag and freeze flat.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
