Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese

Name: Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 6 min
Ingredients: 1 cup water (($0.00)); 1 box Kraft Mac and Cheese (with cheese packet) (($1.00)); 2 Tbsp butter, sliced (($0.16)); 1/4 cup milk (($0.05))

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If you're looking for perfectly cooked boxed mac and cheese, this recipe is for you. These are cheesy al dente noodles that cook in just 4 minutes!

Now I know I sound crazy when I say this but cooking your boxed macaroni in the instant pot has got to be the best way to do it.

There's ZERO water spilling over the edges of the pot as look away during the boiling process.

There's no over cooked mushy noodles.

There's no pouring boiling hot water into a colander in the sink and fogging up your glasses (or steaming your face for those with better vision).

Seriously, I've never made boxed noodles this well in the pot and now I only ask myself why I didn't run to my Instant Pot sooner! Instant Pot boxed mac and cheese is life changing and you only need water and the regular Kraft macaroni and cheese ingredients to do it.

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🥘 Ingredients
🍽 Equipment Needed
🔪 Instructions
🍴 Recipe Tips
💭 FAQs
📖 Recipe

up close view of white bowl filled with kraft mac

🥘 Ingredients

Water
Milk
Butter
Boxed Kraft Mac

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

🍽 Equipment Needed

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🔪 Instructions

Check out how to make Instant Pot Kraft mac and cheese with these simple step-by-step instructions:

Add your sliced butter, water, and dry pasta into the Instant Pot.

kraft mac noodles and pads of butter in an instant pot

Close the lid and seal it shut. Set it to High Pressure for 4 minutes and then do a Quick Pressure Release.

cooked kraft mac noodles in an instant pot

Open the Instant Pot and with a sturdy wooden spoon, break up the noodle clump and stir in the milk and cheese.

cooked kraft mac noodles in an instant pot with kraft powdered cheese on top

The noodles will clump as you stir.

Serve warm.

🍴 Recipe Tips

As you may already know there are several different varies of Kraft mac out there. This recipe is for the original elbow noodle looking ones shown in the pictures. You can try it with different varieties or even off-brand but your results will vary.

I have made this Kraft mac and cheese in Instant Pot with some store brands and with the name brand itself and have had success each time, but your results may vary.

To make this dish, we aren't using anything crazy or unusual. We are using the exact items requested on the back of your boxed mac, plus 1 cup of water instead of a large pot full) to cook the noodles.

If you would like your noodles softer, you can cook for 1 additional minute, but the difference is pretty huge and the noodles are MUCH more tender.

💭 FAQs

Can I double the recipe?

Absolutely! In fact, I double this pressure cooked macaroni and cheese almost every time I make it so that there's enough for leftovers. Just make sure to double all of the ingredients, including the water, and not add to the cooking time.

up close view of kraft mac in a white bowl

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5 from 1 vote