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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Published: Dec 31, 2020 Modified: May 2, 2023 by Nicole This post may contain affiliate links.

    Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    promotional graphic for Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese
    promotional graphic for Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese

    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!

    bowls of mac and cheese in front of an instant pot

    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 you look away during the boiling process.

    There are no overcooked 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.

    For more mac and cheese recipes, be sure to check out my Mac and Cheese Quesadilla, 5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese, and Mac and Cheese Tuna Casserole.

    Why This Recipe Works

    1. It's easy to make. Just add stuff to your Instant Pot, cook, and mix in the rest. Your noodles turn out perfectly cooked every time.
    2. It's great for any occasion. Too hot to cook? Use the Instant Pot. Don't have a working stove? Use the Instant Pot. Too many dishes in the sink to strain your noodles? Use the Instant Pot, and maybe wash a few dishes as it cooks.
    3. It's fast. Depending on your stove, you can sometimes be waiting up to 15 minutes for the water to boil before even starting the pasta. Even with the time needed to come up to pressure, this recipe is fairly quick.
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    labeled ingredients needed to make mac and cheese

    🥘 Ingredients

    Water- You will need some water to help cook the pasta in the instant pot, but you will not need as much as if you were to boil the noodles on the stove.

    Milk- Adding milk to the noodles will make them creamier.

    Butter- For added richness.

    Boxed Kraft Mac- Use your favorite box of mac and cheese or some Kraft brand. I have tried this recipe with different varieties and had success every time.

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

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    • 6qt Instant Pot
    • Measuring Cups
    • Wooden Spoon

    🔪 Instructions

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

    dry pasta noodles water and butter in an instant pot

    Add your sliced butter, water, and dry pasta into the Instant Pot. Make sure that the butter is on top.

    cooked pasta noodles 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 noodles in an instant pot with milk and cheese powder

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

    kraft mac and cheese in an instant pot

    The noodles will clump as you stir. This is okay. Just keep stirring to break them up.

    Serve warm. Enjoy!

    close up view of mac and cheese in a bowl with more in the background

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    As you may already know there are several different varieties 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.

    a heaping bowl of mac nad cheese in front of a plant and empty bowls

    More great Instant Pot recipes to try

    • Instant Pot Green Beans
    • Instant Pot Zucchini Taco Boats
    • Instant Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole
    • Instant Pot Zucchini

    📖 Recipe

    a close up of a bowl of kraft mac and cheese with more in the background in front of an instant pot
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese

    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!
    Prep Time 2 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 minutes mins
    Total Time 6 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 134kcal
    Cost Recipe $1.21 / Serving $0.30
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 6qt Instant Pot
    • Measuring Cups
    • Wooden Spoon

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Water ($0.00)
    • 1 box Kraft Mac and Cheese (with cheese packet) ($1.00)
    • 2 Tablespoons Butter, sliced ($0.16)
    • ¼ cup Milk ($0.05)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Add your sliced butter, water, and dry pasta into the Instant Pot. Make sure that the butter is on top.
    • Close the lid and seal it shut. Set it to High Pressure for 4 minutes and then do a Quick Pressure Release.
    • Open the Instant Pot and with a sturdy wooden spoon, break up the noodle clump and stir in the milk and cheese.
    • The noodles will clump as you stir. This is okay. Just keep stirring to break them up.
    • Serve warm. Enjoy!

    Notes

    *Note: This recipe can be doubled or even tripled, simply increase the measurements by that amount, so for 2 boxes you'd need 2 cups of water, etc. Cook time won't change.
    As you may already know there are several different varies of Kraft mac out there.  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.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.7g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 8.1g | Saturated Fat: 4.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.7g | Cholesterol: 19.4mg | Sodium: 224.6mg | Potassium: 63.4mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 1.5g | Vitamin A: 59.3IU | Calcium: 60.5mg | Iron: 0.6mg
    Author NicoleDurham
    Course lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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    I'm Nicole and I am the owner and recipe developer here at Beeyond Cereal. I love saving money and one of the best places to trim expenses is in the kitchen. With this site, we are serving up tasty and frugal homemade dishes that the whole family will enjoy.

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