Out of recipe ideas? Try this 5 ingredient instant pot mac and cheese! The best part? The pasta cooks in less than 5 minutes to make an amazing Mac and Cheese recipe with just 5 ingredients!
Making Mac and Cheese is an art. It takes patience, time, and the perfect amount of cheese to make it just right. But what if you don’t have all those things? The solution is this 5 ingredient instant pot mac and cheese recipe!
Not only does this recipe take less than 20 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot (versus 40-50 minutes for an easy stovetop mac), but it also only requires five ingredients!
This old-fashioned family favorite uses simple pantry staples, an Instant Pot, and a few minutes of your time!
This easy mac recipe will come in handy for busy nights when you need something quick or want to surprise someone with homemade comfort food without having much effort put into it.
The best mac has so much flavor compared to the blue box stuff you find in grocery stores and can be served as a main course or a side dish.
How to Make Creamy Macaroni and Cheese in your Instant Pot
Scroll down for the full list of ingredients and instructions on how to make 5 ingredient instant pot mac and cheese.
The 5-ingredient instant pot mac recipe calls for:
- 16 oz elbow noodles or a different pasta
- 4 cups water
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cups shredded cheese
- 1 tsp ground mustard, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder
Directions:
Place elbow noodles and water into the inner pot liner.
Stir and lock the lid into position.
Set the vent to sealing and press the Manual setting for 4 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot beeps, release pressure and remove the lid.
If there is water left, you can strain it carefully.
Stir in evaporated milk and butter until melted.
Slowly stir in shredded cheese until melted.
Add seasonings and salt and pepper to taste; stir.
Serve your 5 ingredient mac and cheese immediately.
The next time you are looking through instant pot recipes, keep this easy and delicious recipe for 5-ingredient mac and cheese in mind!
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I am always happy to help and answer your questions.
For a complete meal, serve your easy instant pot mac with:
A vegetable like Cauliflower or broccoli,
a side salad or something like a tomato cucumber salad
Biscuits
Meatloaf
Crispy Baked Chicken
Oven-Baked Ribs
Crumble Crispy Bacon into your Mac and Cheese
Grilled Steak, Pork Chops or Brats
For best results, use real cheese, not a cheese sauce. Use your favorite cheese or a variety of cheeses. Our favorites are: medium medium cheddar cheese or sharp cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, fontina cheese and mozzarella.
Yes, but I recommend you dilute it, using 6oz heavy cream and a half cup water, since the heavy cream has so much fat. You can also substitute the evaporated milk for regular milk or whole milk.
Reheat your on the stove top on medium high heat. Or, you can reheat portions in a small bowl in the microwave.
You can store your cheesy pasta in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
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Easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow noodles
- 4 cups water
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 16 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz shredded fontina cheese
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place elbow noodles and water into the Instant Pot liner.
- Stir and lock the lid into position.
- Set the vent to sealing and press Manual for 4 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot timer beeps, release pressure and remove the lid.
- If there is water left, you can strain it carefully.
- Stir in evaporated milk and butter until melted.
- Slowly stir in shredded cheeses until melted.
- Add seasonings and stir.
- Serve immediately.