Instant 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
For all my recipes I use the 8-Quart Instant Pot Ultra, its larger than the standard models (which are 6 quart) so I have extra room to meal prep and batch cook more meals for the week. The Ultra model also has some great extra settings like cake baking and yogurt making which are really neat. 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 – whether it’s prepping for the week, or just making a box of mac and cheese.
What’s In This Instant Pot Box Mac and Cheese Recipe?
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
Is There a difference in US & Canadian Kraft Mac and Cheese?
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!
One of the BEST Pantry Staple Macaroni Recipes
This pressure cooker Kraft mac and cheese recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your pantry or fridge – most of which you probably have on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious and healthy meals using a few staples you can rotate. I made a list of my Top 125 Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients in my Amazon shop here. By stocking up on easy whole ingredients you can cook simple and quick recipes without a trip to the store!
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!
Instant Pot Honey Garlic Noodles Recipe (Vegetarian)
Instant Pot Noodles with Peanut Sauce (Vegetarian)
Pressure Cooker Pantry Pasta Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free, Pantry Staple)
Instant Pot Tortellini Soup Recipe (Vegetarian, High Protein)
Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe (Vegetarian)
Get the Same Ingredients for this Instant Pot Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
As always, if you make this pressure cooker Kraft macaroni and cheese recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!
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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
Notes
Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell produce & pantry staples (even wine!) at a super discounted price. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! Give Misfits Market a look if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it!Nutrition
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