Updated July 14th, 2020: This recipe has been live for over 2 years and it was in need of an update. I’ve updated it to give you the creamiest, best tasting mac and cheese your Instant Pot can give you. Plus, you can check out this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese if you want to add some spice to your noodle game!

Hippity, hoppity. Easter’s on it’s way! Do you all remember the ‘Peter Cottontail‘ song? It’s almost a guarantee that any time Easter is mentioned, my mom will start singing that song to us. Ha!

But, seriously, Easter is on it’s way. It’s just a few short weeks away. Time to start thinking about the food you’re going to make, right? Or, pin this, and think about it in 2 1/2 weeks. I won’t judge.

Today I have a perfect Easter side dish. It’s quick, it’s so easy, and it’s delicious. And it’s one of those foods we eat all year long. 

Let’s talk mac and cheese. What makes it perfect for you? For me, I like it cheesy and creamy. So many recipes start out creamy but end up dry by the time it’s all done. No thanks. This one, though. My husband  loves taking the leftovers to work for lunch, because it’s even creamy when you reheat it! It is so good.

Breadcrumbs? Sadly, not often in this house. My husband is not a panko fan (I’m working on changing that, I promise!), so I don’t typically put them on our mac and cheese unless I’m taking it somewhere.

This macaroni and cheese is perfect. A mix of sharp cheddar, colby jack, and just a little of that processed block of cheese-product beauty: Velveeta. It’s the secret to the creaminess. Don’t judge. Just eat. 

And my favorite part of all? It’s another ‘under 10 minute’ dish when you make it in the Instant Pot! Oh my goodness, I love that thing! (As always, this can be made on the stovetop as well!)

Making Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese – Tips and Tricks

Release the pressure immediately. This is not a food you want to let naturally release; if your pasta sits in the hot water too long, it will continue cooking and it will be mushy and gross. So release the pressure, drain immediately and give it a quick rinse under cold to stop it from cooking!

Use good quality cheese. Since cheese is an essential ingredient to Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese, better quality cheese will make it taste that much better.

Reheat it with a touch of milk. If you want it extra creamy when you reheat it, stir in just a tablespoon or so of milk to help it moisturize. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.