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Instant Pot Mac and Cheese for the 3 qt! In the continuing “Mini Series” for the 3 quart Mini electric pressure cooker, I’m sharing this creamy and delicious Instant Pot Mini – Mac and Cheese.
Instant Pot Mini Mac and Cheese
It’s a side dish. It’s a main dish. It’s a midnight snack or an after school snack. It’s comfort food. It’s Instant Pot 3 qt Mac and Cheese! A simple recipe that makes a modest 3 1/2 cups of creamy-cheesy goodness.
Since I’m not a fan of reheated mac and cheese, this recipe for 3 qt Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is perfect! Paul and I can each have a nice sized portion, and there really aren’t any leftovers to worry about. That works well for us!
This recipe works well doubled in the larger 6 qt and 8 qt electric pressure cookers, in case you need more servings. Same cook time. Enjoy!
Cooking pasta in the pressure cooker is easy, has a quick cook time, and there is no water to drain when it is finished cooking!
How do I know how long to cook pasta for in the Instant Pot?
When you cook pasta in the Instant Pot®, the time to cook it is usually half the time the package instructions say. So if it says 10 minutes, you will pressure cook it for 5 minutes with a Quick Release of the pressure.
How do I know how much water to use when cooking pasta in the Instant Pot?
I like to use 8 oz of water per 4 oz of pasta. I think it’s important to weigh your pasta, that way you will get the best results as pasta shapes vary widely.
Pin This 3 Quart Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe
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Instant Pot Mini Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups Water or Chicken Broth
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- ¼ tsp Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- ¼ tsp Seasoned Salt
- 8 oz Small Elbow Macaroni (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- ⅔ cup Heavy Cream (or milk or evaporated milk, though sauce will be a little thinner)
Optional (for added flavor)
- 2-3 dashes Hot Sauce (add to pot before cooking)
- ½ tsp Ground Mustard (add to pot before cooking)
Instructions
- Turn on the Sauté function and pour the water/broth into the inner liner of the Mini.
- Add the butter, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt (and any optional ingredients). Stir and bring to a simmer
- Stir in macaroni and close the lid. Set the steam release knob to Sealing.
- Cancel the Sauté function.
- Press the Pressure Cook button and then the + or - to choose 4 minutes (check the package directions of the type of pasta you are using and use half the time it calls for).
- When cook cycle ends, do a controlled Quick Release of the pressure. Go a little slow at first, in small bursts, to make sure only steam comes out. Make sure no sauce is going to spew out with the steam, then open it all the way.
- When the pin in the lid drops, open it up and stir the pasta.Some pastas don't absorb as much liquid as others, so if it looks like there is too much liquid, take some out and reserve it.
- Add the cheese and stir well, letting it melt.
- Stir in the heavy cream/milk. Taste and adjust salt, if needed.
- Let it sit and cool for a few minutes, and it will thicken up. If it looks too thick, stir back in some of the reserved cooking liquid, or a little more cream/milk.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to make This Recipe and More
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Can I use this recipe to make your Cheeseburger Mac? Can I use the full pound of ground beef or should I half it. Is that all I would add?
Yes, that should work great!
I posted a comment yesterday but I’m not finding it today so I’ll ask again.
I have a box of Quick Cook elbow macaroni. The box says to cook for 3 minutes; can I use this in your recipe?
Try a 1 minute cook time. I have not tried quick cook.
I’m going to make this recipe on my YouTube channel! My viewers will love it!
I have the three court mini and love new recipes for it! Thank you so much!
Debrajoy
Great! Please provide my link to the recipe.
I make this recipe all the time and my family loves it! I add a couple cups of smoked burnt ends to the instant pot and some smoked paprika. Use condensed milk and change up the shredded cheese but usually stick with sharp cheddar. I add panko to the top when done. There are NO leftovers! Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you so much for posting recipes for the Mini! I got my 3 qt. Mini after Christmas and am slowly learning how to COOK! Yes, that’s what I said! I’m almost 77 years old and do cook enough to survive. However, never tried much from scratch or very fancy. I think the IP is changing that a little. Hope to make this Mac & Cheese soon. I read and earlier series of remarks about burning. I read, somewhere, that, with pasta, you should not mix your pasta in until after it’s all cooked. Mix your sauce, put in your pasta and, gently, push it down until it is barely covered by the sauce. This keeps it from the more intense heat at the bottom of the pot. I also like the suggestion of using the ceramic pot, but still using the same method. Well, as indicated previously, I’m not the expert so wanted to get your take on this.
Hi Kaye! I’m happy to know that you are jumping into cooking with the Instant pot! If you don’t want to stir in the pasta before pressure cooking it, you can just add it and gently press it down. Where the burn issue becomes a problem is when the incorrect ratio of water to pasta is used. I suggest following along with my instructions and you should have a successful batch of yummy mac and cheese!
Hi! Really enjoy your recipes. I have a larger instant pot and was wondering if I can make these recipes for the mini in the larger pot. Is there any adjustments to be made?
Yes you can. In the 6 qt pot you shouldn’t need to change anything, but in the 8 qt pot you might want to increase or just double the recipe. You can also double it for the 6 qt.
Thanks for letting me know! I really wanted to make it but have the big one.
So I bought the mini pot and love it. We too are downsizing which is hard when you are accustomed for cooking for a crowd. Life happens! I still use the 6 qt for many things but this 3qt is great. Also bought the ceramic nonstick pot which is great for this recipe and any cheesy, sticky recipe.
Used colby jack cheese….great melting cheese & evap milk, which I always keep on hand ( you never know when a snow is going to keep you in), a little cayenne too.
Lots leftover. What’s the best way to reheat M&C? Tried several ways but it always seems to curdle. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your reply & great recipe for the 3qt.
PattiAnn
Hi PattiAnn, I understand the whole downsizing thing. We’ve been slowly doing it, too. Reheating mac & cheese is tricky. Before you put the leftovers in the fridge, try adding some milk to help it stay creamy. If you reheat in the microwave, do so on 50% power and stir halfway through. That’s how I do it. There may be a better, slower method, but I’m impatient and want it fast!
I made this and used 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup shredded Gouda cheese. I also needed more milk, I used about 2/3 a can of evaporated milk and topped with a sprinkle of dried breadcrumbs. It was a hit! Perfect size for 3 of us plus a side of broccoli for a dinner. Thank you!
This was delicious. I followed your directions to the “T.” I added the dashes of hot sauce and ground mustard. After cooking, I added more pepper as that’s how I like things. Excellent recipe. Very easy to follow and very fast! Thanks!
We followed this recipe exactly and it was DELICIOUS! This is the best homemade mac and cheese I’ve had. We will definitely make this again (and again).
That’s awesome, Karli! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit for you!