Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Smoked Paprika

Add the macaroni, broth, salt, ground mustard, and smoked paprika to your Instant Pot. Stir it gently—you don’t want the noodles stuck to the bottom. Seal the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. That’s it. Pasta swells but doesn’t turn gummy. 21 minutes total from prep to plate.

Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

One pot. Everything happens in the Instant Pot—no draining, no separate pot boiling on the stove. Less cleanup, one bowl at the end.

The cheese stays creamy because of the arrowroot powder. You add it gradually and it melts smooth. No grainy texture. Works every time.

Comfort food that tastes like you simmered it for an hour. Takes 14 minutes of actual cooking. The broth cooks the pasta while the seasoning seeps in—ground mustard and smoked paprika give it something going on.

Ready in 21 minutes total. Weeknight dinner that doesn’t feel rushed.

What You Need for Instant Pot Macaroni with Cheddar Cheese

Two cups uncooked elbow macaroni. Not a different pasta shape—elbow matters because it holds sauce and cooks evenly in pressure. Three cups chicken or vegetable broth. Both work. Chicken tastes richer. Vegetable tastes cleaner. Kosher salt. One teaspoon. Ground mustard and smoked paprika. A teaspoon each. These aren’t optional—they’re what make it taste like something instead of plain cheese and noodles. One cup evaporated milk. Not regular milk. Evaporated milk is thicker and won’t break when you heat it. Three tablespoons unsalted butter. Goes in after the pressure releases. Half a teaspoon of sriracha or hot sauce. Just a splash. Rounds out the flavor instead of making it spicy. Three and a half cups shredded sharp cheddar. Sharp, not mild. The flavor matters. And one teaspoon arrowroot powder. Toss it with the cheese before adding—prevents clumping.

How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Dump the macaroni, broth, salt, mustard, and paprika into the Instant Pot. Stir gently so nothing sticks to the bottom. The pasta needs to move around a bit in that liquid or you’ll get a hard spot. Seal the lid and set the valve to sealing. High pressure for 5 minutes. Not longer. Trust what the pasta looks like, not what the clock says—swollen but not soft is the goal.

Quick release the steam. Use a kitchen towel or oven mitt because starchy bubbles sputter and they hurt. Don’t rush it. Let the pressure come down on its own, then carefully tilt the valve. Open the lid and stir.

How to Get Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Creamy

Pour in the evaporated milk, butter, and sriracha. Stir until the butter melts and everything loosens into something that looks almost creamy but not thick yet. That’s right. The sauce thickens in the next step.

Toss the sharp cheddar cheese with the arrowroot powder in a separate bowl first. This matters. The arrowroot keeps the cheese from clumping when it hits the heat. Add the cheese handful by handful, stirring between each addition until it melts completely before the next handful goes in. You’re looking for smooth, not grainy.

Let it sit uncovered for 3 minutes. The sauce thickens noticeably. You’ll watch it change.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Tips and Common Mistakes

Don’t skip the quick release towel. Steam burns are real and they suck. Hold it tight.

If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of hot water. If it’s too thin, you either didn’t add enough cheese or the arrowroot didn’t do its job. Happened to me once. The cheese was too warm when I tossed it with the powder. Let the cheese come to room temperature first.

Taste it before serving. It might need more salt. Or a pinch more hot sauce. The potato starch—I mean arrowroot powder—sometimes mutes the seasoning. Add what it needs.

One pot meal means you serve it straight from the Instant Pot if you want. Keep it on the warm setting. Mac and cheese holds fine for 10 minutes that way.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Smoked Paprika

By Emma

Prep:

7 min

Cook:

14 min

Total:

21 min

Servings:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon hot sauce like sriracha
• 3 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

Method

1. 1 Add macaroni, broth, salt, ground mustard, and smoked paprika to Instant Pot. Stir gently to avoid noodles sticking to bottom.
2. 2 Seal lid, set valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes—trust sight over clock here. Pasta should swell but not go gummy.
3. 3 Quick release steam cautiously. Starchy bubbles can sputter so hold kitchen towel or mitt tight. Don’t rush or steam will burn you.
4. 4 Open lid. Stir in evaporated milk, butter, and hot sauce until butter melts and sauce loosens up, slightly creamy immediately.
5. 5 In separate bowl, toss cheese with arrowroot powder to prevent clumps. Add cheese gradually, stirring between handfuls to fully melt before next addition.
6. 6 Let mac n cheese sit for 3 minutes uncovered. Sauce thickens noticeably after resting.
7. 7 Taste now. Add more salt if dull or a pinch more hot sauce for some kick. Serve warm or hold on the keep warm setting briefly.

Nutritional information

Calories

390

Protein

18g

Carbs

40g

Fat

18g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk? Not really. Regular milk breaks when you pressure cook it. Evaporated milk is designed for heat. Tried it once. Didn’t work. Stick with evaporated.

What if I don’t have arrowroot powder? Cornstarch works. Same amount. Mix it with the cheese the same way.

How do I store leftovers? Container in the fridge. Three days, maybe four. It thickens when it cools. Stir in a bit of milk when you reheat it.

Should I drain the pasta before cooking? No. It’s uncooked. Goes straight into the pot with the broth. That’s the whole point of the Instant Pot mac and cheese method.

Can I use a different type of cheddar? Sharp tastes better. Mild works but it’s flat. Aged cheddar is even better but costs more. Whatever you use, it needs to be shredded, not pre-shredded with the anti-caking stuff. That doesn’t melt right.

What if it’s too thin after it sits? Usually means you didn’t add enough cheese or the arrowroot didn’t activate right. Next time, make sure the powder is actually mixed in before you add the cheese to the pot.