Instant Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Instant Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is creamy, comforting, and made in a few minutes. Parmesan adds extra cheesy flavor and cream cheese makes it deliciously creamy. Chicken broth gives it richness. It’s a must-make side dish for dinner!

overhead view of white cheddar mac and cheese in a serving dish


White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Instant Pot Recipe

This creamy Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe will become your family’s favorite comfort food. And, you can make it very easily in your Instant Pot and have homemade macaroni and cheese on the table in about twelve minutes.

Cooking with an Instant Pot is very easy and time-saving. It does away with many of the in-between steps when making simple recipes like this Instant Pot mac and cheese with cream cheese. The macaroni cooks in just enough liquid, so there’s no need to babysit the pasta or even drain it.

This is one of my favorite Instant Pot pasta recipes and it just may become yours too!

How to Make the Best Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

  • Using chicken broth as part of your cooking liquid gives you the best flavor. If you are concerned about salt, go for low sodium chicken broth. If you don’t go with low sodium, you may want to leave out adding extra salt – eaters can always salt to their preferences.
  • A combination of cheeses will give you the best taste. This Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe uses a mixture of mild white cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, and cream cheese. When you add the cheeses, make sure to stir continuously so that it all melts in really well and you aren’t left with any clumps.
  • Other cheeses that melt well into mac and cheese are fontina, gouda, gruyere, havarti, monterey jack, and provolone.
  • You will get a super creamy Instant Pot mac and cheese by using heavy cream.
  • If you want, you could add extra seasonings such as Cajun or ranch seasoning for a different twist.

How to Serve Mac and Cheese

This Instant Pot mac and cheese with cream cheese works well as a main dish with a side salad for dinner. Also, provide some crusty bread so not a lick of sauce gets left behind! Your kids can take a thermos full to school for lunch. If there’s any leftover, you can use it as a side dish later in the week. Here are some ideas to change up this macaroni and cheese recipe:

  • Protein – Add in some shredded chicken, pulled pork, crispy bacon, or sausage.
  • Veggies Stir in some steamed broccoli or cauliflower. This is a good way to disguise veggies, so your kids will eat them.
  • Toppings Transfer your cooked cheesy and creamy mac to a baking dish and top with some additional cheese, buttered and crushed Ritz crackers, or buttered panko breadcrumbs. Broil for a few minutes until the topping is crispy.

How to Store Mac and Cheese

You can keep your cooked macaroni and cheese in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Let it cool, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes beforehand. You can safely freeze mac and cheese for about two months. Spoon it into freezer bags in meal-sized portions.

How to Reheat Mac and Cheese

When you have mac and cheese leftovers, the starches in the pasta will suck up some of the moisture in the dish. The longer your mac and cheese sits, the dryer it will become.

When you reheat mac and cheese, it’s a good idea to add a splash of milk or cream (about 1 tbs per cup of mac and cheese) before popping it in the microwave. Give is a good stir halfway through the reheating process.

Instant Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • White cheddar cheese block (not pre-shredded)
  • Parmesan cheese block (not pre-shredded)
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Dry macaroni pasta
  • Chicken broth 
  • Water 
  • Heavy cream 
  • Cream cheese
  • Butter
  • Salt 
  • Ground black pepper
Instant Pot white cheddar mac and cheese ingredients

How to Make White Cheddar Mac and Cheese in an Instant Pot

  1. Grate the cheddar and parmesan cheese.
    shredded white cheddar cheese and a grater
  2. Place the macaroni into the Instant pot container.
    dry macaroni pasta in an Instant Pot
  3. Pour the chicken broth and water into the instant pot container. Do not stir.
    macaroni, water, and chicken broth in an Instant Pot
  4. Add salt.
    a teaspoon of salt
  5. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
    setting Instant Pot on high pressure mode
  6. After cooking is complete, do a quick release and immediately open the lid. 
  7. Turn the instant pot on low sauté mode for 1 minute.
    setting Instant Pot on low sauté mode
  8. Add the cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and black pepper.
    adding cheeses and seasoning to macaroni in an Instant Pot
  9. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated and the cheeses have melted.
    white cheddar mac and cheese in an Instant Pot
  10. Serve immediately.
Instant Pot white cheddar macaroni and cheese in a serving dish on a braided mat

Love mac and cheese? Try these copycat recipes!

Favorite Instant Pot Recipes

Check out more of my easy side dish recipes and the best Instant Pot recipes here on CopyKat!

overhead view of white cheddar mac and cheese in a serving dish

Instant Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

This creamy white Cheddar will become your new go-to macaroni and cheese
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Insatnt Pot White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
12 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 520kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups dry macaroni pasta
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups mild white Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Grate the cheddar and parmesan cheeses and set aside. (It's better to grate these cheeses fresh as store-bought pre-grated cheese is coated in either cornflour or cellulose, which will make your mac and cheese thick and gloopy.)
  • Pour the macaroni pasta into the Instant Pot.Add the chicken broth and water (do not stir as this will also make your macand cheese gloopy and thick due to starches being released).
  • Spoon in the required amount of salt.
  • Close the lid and set the instant pot to pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
  • After 4 minutes, do a quick-release on the Instant Pot and immediately open the lid (or it will continue cooking).
  • Turn the Instant Pot on low, sauté mode for 1 minute and add all of the cheeses, heavy cream, butter, and black pepper. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1151IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 345mg | Iron: 1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Comments

  1. C

    Hi Stephanie, thank you for all the recipes you share. I wanted to ask if this one will come out the same without using an Instant Pot. We do not have one at this time but would like to try the recipe.

    Also, is it possible to request recipes for Honey Mustard from Steak and Shake as well as Whataburger. Not sure which one we like better, but would very much like to have both!

    Thank you so much for your time, I hope to hear from you when you get a chance to reply.

    • Stephanie Manley

      So you could make this recipe in a pot on the stove, just boil your pasta like you normally would, or you could boil it in the chicken broth as mentioned, then pick up the recipe at the sauce point on the stove top.

      I will keep the honey mustards in mind.

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