I think everyone needs a good, easy, go-to mac and cheese recipe. Bonus points in my book if it's an Instant Pot macaroni and cheese. So I thought I'd share my favorite one with you guys today!
My kids are macaroni and cheese nuts. They would eat macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and hot dogs for every meal if I'd let them. I usually like to keep one of two of the blue boxes in my pantry for last-minute meals, but when I can, I make a recipe that's a little bit more from scratch. It's a definite keeper if you have an Instant Pot – you can typically have this ready in under 15 minutes and it makes a ton of food!
And, as an added bonus, there is very little prep work for this. You really just dump and go for most of the recipe. This seriously requires about the same amount of work as a boxed recipe…no excuse not to make from scratch if you have the ingredients on hand and you're the lucky owner of an Instant Pot! Have I mentioned I love this appliance?!
Check out how you can make my Easy Peasy Macaroni and Cheese in a pressure cooker!

Easy Peasy Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 4 cups water
- 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 10.5 oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 2 cups colby jack cheese
Instructions
- In your instant pot, mix together noodles, salt, pepper, mustard, water, and hot sauce. Lock on your lid and set your Instant Pot to manual, 4 minutes. Once cook cycle is over, quick release the pressure.
- Once pressure is released, open the lid and add in milk, soup, and cheeses. Stir well until melted.
Enjoy, friends!
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Do the 4 cups of water go into the pot with the pasta for cooking and then do you drain it before adding all the other ingredients?
Yes, you’ll put the water in with the noodles for cooking. The noodles should absorb most of it…I didn’t drain the rest! It just thins out the sauce a bit.
Thanks! I figured the water had to go in as well just wasn’t sure if it needed to be drained afterwards.
Oh my goodness, this looks absolutely luscious! Talk about comfort food fast! thank you so much for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party, Leslie.
YUM! You had me at cheesy! #trafficjam
Looks delicious – I might have to invest in an instant pot!
The hubby bought me an Instant Pot for Christmas 🙂 and I’m so enjoying it. Can’t wait to try making some mac&cheese in it. My kids love it too. Thanks so much for the recipe