Pressure Cooer Mac and Cheese is my go-to Macaroni and Cheese technique. I make it in my Instant pot for weeknight dinners, and as a side dish for potlucks. 4 minutes at high pressure cooks the noodles, then it's time to stir in the cheese. That's right, homemade mac and cheese that didn't come from a packet in a blue box, ready in about a half an hour.
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For years I made the mac and cheese from Pam Anderson's The Perfect Recipe. Then I read Ideas in Food; their recipe was similar to Pam's, stripped down to the basics.
Both recipes use evaporated milk as their secret weapon. Evaporated milk replaces the flour and milk béchamel sauce, and all the whisking that entails. I mashed the two recipes together, and that's what I've been using ever since.
Now, even with the evaporated milk shortcut, this was a stretch to make on a weeknight. Especially if I want a toasted bread crumb topping. And if I'm making macaroni and cheese, it must have a bread crumb topping.
That's why I jumped when I saw the pressure cooker macaroni and cheese in Pressure Cooker Perfection. They pressure cook the pasta and spices in a small amount of water, treating it like a risotto. This trick really speeds up the recipe - no waiting for a pot of water to boil, no draining, and one (pressure cooker) pot to clean. Weeknight macaroni and cheese is now within my reach. 1
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 16 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
How to Make Pressure Cooker Mac and Cheese
Pressure cook the pasta for 4 minutes with a quick release
Stir the macaroni, butter, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt, and 4 cups water in the pressure cooker pot. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes in an electric PC or stovetop PC. (For an Instant Pot, use Manual or Pressure Cook mode, and set the time to 4 minutes.) When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
Stir in the evaporated milk and cheese
Turn the heat under the pot down to low (or turn the electric pressure cooker to sauté-low or keep warm mode), and stir in the evaporated milk. Test a piece of pasta by taking a bite - it should be al dente, but cooked through. If the pasta is still tough in the middle, simmer it for a few minutes, until it is tender. Stir in the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the current handful to melt before adding the next handful.
Top with breadcrumbs and broil
Optional step, if you like a toasted bread crumb topping: Pour the macaroni into a 3 quart broiler-safe dish, patting it down to level out the surface. Sprinkle the panko over the macaroni and cheese in an even layer. Broil the macaroni and cheese on high until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes. Check the bread crumbs often - they go from pale brown to burnt in a flash.
Quick Tips
Ratio of 1 cup of water to 4 ounces of pasta
4 cups of water is just enough to cook 1 pound (16 ounces) of pasta. No draining is necessary; the water will be absorbed by the pasta. If you have a smaller box of pasta - 12 ounces and 13.25 ounces are common sizes of whole wheat pasta - cut the water back to 3 cups. (Everything else can stay the same.)
Serve with a bottle of hot sauce at the table.
I like Frank's Red Hot, or the smoky flavor of chipotle hot sauce.
Watch the bread crumbs under the broiler
I have burned a lot of bread crumbs in my day. I set a timer for 1 minute intervals while I'm broiling, in case I get distracted. (By a homework meltdown…just to pick a hypothetical example). I have the timer to remind me - "Oh no! The breadcrumbs!"
Storage & Reheating
I save leftover mac and cheese in 2-cup containers. It will last in the refrigerator for a few days, or in the freezer for months. (Mac and cheese freezes well). I reheat 2-cup containers of mac and cheese in the microwave - it takes about 2 minutes to reheat from the refrigerator, or 6 minutes from frozen. (Your microwaving time may be different, depending on how powerful your microwave is.)
Print
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker mac and cheese - quick, easy, and better than the dreaded blue box.
Adapted from: America's Test Kitchen Pressure Cooker Perfection
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 16 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces shredded Parmigiano cheese
Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Pressure cook the pasta for 4 minutes with a quick release: Stir the macaroni, butter, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt, and 4 cups water in the pressure cooker pot. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes in an electric PC or stovetop PC. (For an Instant Pot, use Manual or Pressure Cook mode, and set the time to 4 minutes.) When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
- Stir in the evaporated milk and cheese: Turn the heat under the pot down to low (or turn the electric pressure cooker to sauté-low or keep warm mode), and stir in the evaporated milk. Test a piece of pasta by taking a bite - it should be al dente, but cooked through. If the pasta is still tough in the middle, simmer it for a few minutes, until it is tender. Stir in the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the current handful to melt before adding the next handful.
- Top with breadcrumbs and broil: Optional step, if you like a toasted bread crumb topping: Pour the macaroni into a 3 quart broiler-safe dish, patting it down to level out the surface. Sprinkle the panko over the macaroni and cheese in an even layer. Broil the macaroni and cheese on high until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes. Check the bread crumbs often - they go from pale brown to burnt in a flash.
Equipment
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 Cups of Mac and Cheese
- Calories: 660
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1499.1 mg
- Fat: 30.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.3 g
- Protein: 33.5 g
- Cholesterol: 79.2 mg
Video: How to make Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese (5:13)
Video: Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [YouTube.com]
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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Click here for my other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker recipes
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S says
Best Macaroni and Cheese, and super easy. My conventional recipe is very good but this one beats it. I usually double up the recipe and it did perfectly in my 6 quart Indtant Pot. I finish it with extra cheese on top and panko, broil in the oven for a few minutes. Told many friends about this recipe
Alex mum says
Mike, this is the best ever recipe for mac'n'cheese in our Instant Pot! We don't like 'heat' so I use 1/2 tsp of Tabasco, chicken broth instead of water, and it is always a big hit. Thanks!
Karen says
It's really good! Easy, fast, yum!
I doubled it, but in retrospect I don't think I would double it again. It's a nightmare to quick release.
Becky says
This mac and cheese recipe was the 2nd thing I've cooked in my new 3qt mini IP. My particular cheese mix was Vermont sharp cheddar and gouda, since I had those on hand. I skipped the hot sauce for a little Worcestershire.
It turned out fantastic! I feel like I really can cook beyond boiling water!
Thanks!
Kamble says
If made a day ahead, where do I stop—after putting in the baking dish ? Any tips on reheating in the oven?
Patty says
My kids said it was the best mac they ever had, felt like a rock star. Thanks
barbara gardner says
I sliced a couple of slices of bread into tiny cubes and toasted in a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. I used this on individual servings. Absolutely delicious !
Angela says
This was the first dish I made with the instant pot. I doubled the recipe and used cavatappi instead of macaroni and 6oz cream cheese instead of Parmesan. But I might have messed something up because it was so, so cheesy with just half the cheese (I didn’t double the cheese.) Anyways, it was so, so good! I took the Mac for an office lunch and everybody raves about it!
Thanks so much!
Lizzie O says
Wow! I just got an Instant Pot and wanted to try your recipe first. It was simple and delicious! The only thing I did was add 1 lb of diced ham to it. Incredible. I will be looking for some more great recipes from you!
Margaret says
Another keeper from your blog! The entire family gobbled it up. I followed the recipe exactly except for adjusting salt (cut in half). I can't believe how fast it was to prepare. Thanks for the recipe!
Paige says
Yum!! I want to try adding lobster and maybe bacon sometime!
Anna says
First time making macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot! Delicious! Will be making again! Can't wait to try your other recipes!!
Patty says
My favorite Mac & cheese recipe!! I love how flavor is cooked into the noodles even before any of the cheese comes into play. This is also very versatile. I wasn't fond of the slight yellow mustard taste in the noodles after making it as written, so I drop the mustard to 1/2 a 3/4 tbsp and all food has to have garlic in my book, so I put @1/2 tbsp of garlic in with the noodles. I also don't like evaporated milk so I use @1 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream. Then the cheese...you can get as wild or as mild as you like. I've ended up with a different mixture every time I've made it (based on what's in the refrigerator) and it's been good every time.
Maria says
I made this today, and it turned out better than any homemade mac & cheese I've ever made! Thank you!
I'd like to make this for a party this weekend, and I was wondering if I'd be able to double the recipe in a 6 qt instant pot. Thanks so much!
Elise says
This was my first pasta, and third instant pot use... every time I touch it I am more amazed. Four minutes and it was perfectly al dente!!!! Heck with the bread crumbs, I ate it just like that! One mini cube velveeta and some Colby Jack.... this recipe rocks my noodle-lovin world!!!!