Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

During busy weeks, Instant Pot meals are a dinner lifesaver. The sky is the limit when it comes to what your Instant Pot can whip up, but our go-to has to be this creamy, cheesy classic. This recipe makes mac and cheese, a comfort food staple, even easier — simply toss all your ingredients in the pot, and let it do all the work for you! In no time you'll have the cheesiest mac and cheese on your hands, perfect for satisfying weeknight dinner or as an easy, last-minute BBQ side.

Why cook macaroni and cheese in an Instant Pot? 

Homemade mac and cheese is usually a lengthy process. You need to shred a ton of cheese, make a roux, make the cheese sauce, cook the pasta, then bake it with bread crumbs (if you want a crispy topping). Using the Instant Pot, this recipe seriously cuts down on the process. Everything — pasta and sauce — cooks together in the pot. 

Why evaporated milk?  

It's much more concentrated than regular milk because about 60 percent of its water has been removed (in other words, it's way creamier). It also won't get weird and curdled when you pressure cook it; we use evaporated milk in our Slow-Cooker Mac & Cheese too! 

What type of cheese should I use? 

Pretty much any melting variety will work beautifully in this. We love the slight funkiness that fontina brings to the table (along with Parm and cheddar), but Gruyère and Monterey Jack work well here, too. 

Looking for more mac inspo? Check out our Lobster Mac and Cheese for a decadent date night dinner, or our Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese to get into the fall spirit. 

Have you made this recipe? Comment below and don't forget to rate it! We love hearing from you.