Creamy White Cheddar Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

This creamy Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe is so delicious! Your family will love this easy dish!

Creamy White Cheddar Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

When I set out to create a macaroni and cheese recipe for my family, I wanted to make it a delicious and creamy dish that my kids would love.

The challenge I had was to create a recipe that has clean ingredients. So while I knew I wanted to make an Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe that is creamy and delicious, I had to create a recipe that did not have ingredients such as Velveeta or condensed milk.

After some trial and error I knew I had come up with the perfect Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe when my oldest child enthusiastically declared “This is the best macaroni and cheese ever!”

So what is the secret ingredient that creates such a delicious and creamy macaroni and cheese?

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese with Cream Cheese

That is right! The key ingredient to this delicious Instant Pot macaroni and cheese is cream cheese. Adding cream cheese to the recipe was what finally sealed the deal and made my oldest child so happy.

This simple ingredient adds a phenomenal amount of flavor and creates such a lovely, creamy texture.

What type of cheese is good for mac and cheese?

While I prefer white cheddar because it adds a nice bit of sharp flavor without overwhelming the dish, the truth is you can use whatever type of cheese you prefer.

The key is to select cheeses that are good melting cheeses. Other cheeses that make good cheese for macaroni and cheese include:

-regular Cheddar

-Swiss

-Gruyere

-Monterey Jack

-Gouda

Another type of cheese that you could potentially use is Mozzarella, however, in my personal experience, Mozzarella created a stringy texture, so I tend to avoid it in my macaroni and cheese.

Gluten Free Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

There are a lot of great gluten free pastas that would make a good substitution if you need to make gluten free macaroni and cheese. My favorite brand is Jovial, which you can find here (Azure Standard) and here.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

I know there is a debate as to whether macaroni and cheese is a main dish or a side dish. In my family we eat it as a main dish, but I also know plenty of people who eat it as a side dish.

If you eat it as a main dish, you could pair it with a simple salad (my Blue Cheese Wedge Salad would be a great option!).

If you prefer to eat macaroni as a side dish, it would pair well with a BBQ themed meal. My Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe would be a great option. Or you could serve it with Sloppy Joes or Loose Meat Sandwiches.

Creamy White Cheddar Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz elbow noodles, dry

4 cups chicken stock

3 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded (or cheese of choice)

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Method:

Place noodles, chicken stock, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in Instant Pot.

Place lid on Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

When cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick release.

Remove lid and add the cubed cream cheese. Stir well, until the cream cheese is fully melted.

Add the cheddar cheese and stir until it is melted.

Add the milk and stir until the the mixture is creamy. Add an additional splash of milk if necessary to achieve desired creaminess.