Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese Recipe
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Jump to Recipe Watch VideoInstant Pot Kraft mac and cheese is a simple delicious cheesy way to cook boxed macaroni in your pressure cooker. Creamy, cheesy, and just as fast as classic stove top mac – with all the same flavor.
Pressure cooking your mac and cheese doesn’t require a strainer – the pasta and water cook together under pressure and make their own sauce with the milk and cheese mixture. This is a great kitchen hack for your Instant Pot, and a quick way to make your next box of Kraft Dinner!
I love my Instant Pot so much, especially for cooking pantry staples like mac and cheese. Classic Kraft mac and cheese is our go-to, we keep a few boxes stocked at all times – different shapes and sizes for when the mood strikes.
Let’s face it, it’s pretty darn easy to make mac on the stove top – however Instant Pot kraft mac and cheese is just as easy. It’s a quick one-pot recipe that doesn’t need to be strained so there is one less dish to clean at the end of the recipe.
This Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese Recipe Is:
- Easy
- Creamy
- Cheesy
- A One-Pot Dinner
- Flavorful
- Simple
- Vegetarian
Use Your Pressure Cooker For the Easiest Boxed Mac and Cheese
If you don’t have access to a stove top to make mac and cheese, don’t worry, you can pressure cook it!
Of all my kitchen appliances, and I mean ALL of them, my Instant Pot pressure cooker is my most-used! I cook everything in it from beans and legumes, to soups and pasta dishes.
You can get Instant Pots in many sizes, but I like my 8-quart model, which is ideal for batch cooking and meal prep. It also has a quicker pressure-release feature which saves me even more cooking time.
I love that everything can cook in one pot, which makes for way less dishes and hands-off cooking. The Instant Pot is hands-down my favorite kitchen appliance, and actually makes my life so much easier.
What’s In This Instant Pot Box Mac and Cheese Recipe?
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
I’ll defer to the traditional ingredients and amounts listed on the Kraft box. Do I like a saucier mac, and always double the milk? Yes. But for the record here, I won’t mess with the classic amounts.
- Kraft Macaroni and Cheese – there are so many varieties of boxed mac, but classic Kraft has my heart. For this recipe I tested it out with the classic standard US version which is 7.25(206g) ounces per box. See notes below about Canadian Kraft mac!
- Butter – Kraft recommends 4 tablespoons of butter. I like to use unsalted butter to reduce the amount of sodium in my cooking.
- Milk – use whatever kind you normally drink, Kraft recommends 1/4 cup of milk on the box.
- Water – Use any kind you’d cook with
Yes, a few differences, especially in the preparation of the mac and cheese!
Name – In America the box is labeled as “Kraft Macaroni and Cheese” however, that will soon be switched to Kraft Mac and Cheese. Canada is “KD” for Kraft Dinner.
Size – in the classic versions, the Canadian box has slightly more food. US version has 7.25 ounces (206g) and the Canadian version has 225g.
Milk & Butter Ratio – this is the biggest difference between the two boxes. US preparation has 4 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup milk. Canadian Kraft has 1 tablespoon margarine and 1/3 cup milk.
Servings – the US box has 3 servings per box, while the Canadian KD has 4 servings per box.
Both taste great, even with the differences in milk & butter preparation. As we are a dual American/Canadian household, we had both versions available, so I felt it was my duty as a food blogger to point those out. And yes, we always bring Canadian KD back with us across the border.
How Do I Make Kraft Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot?
- In your Instant Pot insert, add the dried macaroni noodles, butter, and 1 1/4 cup water.
- Seal lid, and set to ‘Pressure Cook’ (or High/Manual mode, depending on your Instant Pot model) for 4 minutes.
- Once the noodles have finished cooking, carefully quick release the pressure. Remove lid, and stir the noodles well with a wooden spoon, scraping any that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the cheese and the milk, and mix well. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Noodles Recipe
- Instant Pot Noodles with Peanut Sauce
- Pressure Cooker Pantry Pasta Recipe
- Instant Pot Tortellini Soup Recipe
- Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe
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Instant Pot Kraft Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 7.25 ounce box Kraft Macaroni and Cheese classic
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- In your Instant Pot insert, add the dried macaroni noodles, butter, and 1 1/4 cup water.
- Seal lid, and set to ‘Pressure Cook’ (or High/Manual mode, depending on your Instant Pot model) for 4 minutes.
- Once the noodles have finished cooking, carefully quick release the pressure. Remove lid, and stir the noodles well with a wooden spoon, scraping any that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the cheese and the milk, and mix well. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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