Creamy Instant Pot Mac & Cheese

A one-pot luxurious macaroni and cheese dish—cheddar and Gruyère folded into tender pasta from the pressure cooker.

This recipe was made in my favorite Instant Pot — the one I use every week. If you want yours to turn out just as good, you can grab the same one here.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

Pressure cook

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 lb macaroni (4 cups)
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 Tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbs dried minced onion

After cook

• 8 oz cheddar, shredded
• 7 oz Gruyère, shredded
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Directions

1. Add all pressure cook ingredients to the Instant Pot.
2. Set high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release when cook time completes.
3. Keep the Instant Pot on Keep Warm.
4. Stir in the after cook ingredients.
5. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.

Notes

• Shred your own: Block cheddar and Gruyère you grate yourself melt smoother than pre-shredded, which is coated to resist clumping.
• Add cheese off pressure: Stir the cheddar, Gruyère, and evaporated milk in only after cooking, on Keep Warm, so the cheese stays silky.
• Quick release: Release the pressure right at 4 minutes so the macaroni stays tender rather than overcooked.
• Taste for salt: Cheeses vary in saltiness—taste at the end and adjust before serving.
• Reheat gently: Warm leftovers with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to creamy.

Why This Works

• Pressure-cooked pasta: The macaroni cooks directly in seasoned liquid, absorbing flavor and releasing starch that helps thicken the sauce.
• Off-heat melt: Folding cheese into the residual heat instead of boiling it keeps the emulsion from breaking into grease and grit.
• Evaporated milk: Its concentrated proteins make a stable, velvety sauce that won’t curdle like regular milk.
• Acidic lift: Dijon and lemon juice cut the richness so the two-cheese blend tastes balanced, not heavy.