This Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese recipe is a copycat for Chick-fil-A's macaroni and cheese that is made with Parmesan and Romano cheeses.
This delicious copycat recipe can be eaten right out of the Instant Pot or can be transferred to a casserole dish to give a nice crunch to the top of your macaroni and cheese.
For another delicious Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe, check out this Instant Pot Irish Mac and Cheese, it is made with delicious Dublin cheese and bacon.
Give this Panera Mac and Cheese recipe a try, it's made with a velvety white cheddar cheese sauce.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make: With straightforward instructions and the ease of the use of the Instant Pot, this Chick-fil-A mac and cheese copycat is you'll make time and time again.
Kid-Friendly: Kids typically love mac and cheese, and not only is this recipe easy but it's great for picky eaters.
Great copycat recipe: This Chick-fil-A inspired mac and cheese can be enjoyed anytime without going to the restaurant.
Instant Pot Pasta
Making pasta in a pressure cooker is simple and easy. To make elbow macaroni, it only takes 4 cups of water or broth with 16 oz of elbow pasta. Making Instant Pot macaroni and cheese is not only quick but super easy!
How to use quick release on an Instant Pot
When it comes to the quick release of pressure, it's important to slowly and intermittently release the pressure. This prevents the vent from spewing and foaming, however, if it does begin to spew liquid, stop releasing pressure and wait a few seconds. Once a few seconds have passed, go ahead and continue releasing pressure.
For this Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe, there is a small amount of water left in the pot after pressure cooking, no worries, and no need to drain. Stir the pasta in the pot and add the macaroni and cheese ingredients.
Macaroni and Cheese
The key to creating creamy and smooth macaroni and cheese is to avoid using the shredded variety. Shredded cheeses have starches in them to prevent the cheese from sticking together in the packages.
Stick to block or sliced cheese when making homemade macaroni and cheese if you want your mac and cheese to be creamy.
How to Reheat Macaroni and Cheese
To produce the same cheesy and creamy results that freshly made macaroni and cheese provide, adding a little cream or milk before reheating will help recreate the freshly made texture and flavor.
Ingredients in Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Dry elbow pasta
- Salt
- Sliced American cheese
- Parmesan and Romano cheese blend
- Colby Jack cheese, cubed
- Heavy cream
- Water
How to Make Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Making mac and cheese in the Instant Pot is so incredibly easy.
Add the pasta and water- Add the dry elbow pasta to the inner liner and pour the water over the top of the pasta. Make sure that the pasta is fully submerged.
Pressure cook the pasta- Close the lid and vent and pressure cook for 4 minutes.
Release the pressure- Carefully and intermittently release the pressure from the pot. *Refer to your pressure cooker's manual for how to safely perform its functions.
Stir in the remaining ingredients- There may be a little bit of water left in the pot. This is okay! The extra water will help the cheese melt and become smooth thanks to the starch left over in the water.
Stir in the sliced and cubed cheeses as well as the heavy cream and salt. Stir until the cheeses are all melted and the mixture is smooth.
Broil the pasta- If desired, place the mac and cheese in an oven-safe dish and broil for about 3 minutes to give the mac and cheese a nice crust.
Copycat Instant Pot Recipes
It's possible to make restaurant favorites at home using a pressure cooker. This copycat Chick-fil-A Instant Pot macaroni and cheese has all the wonderful flavors that you find in the famous chain's recipe. With flavors of Parmesan, Romano, and American cheeses, this recipe is a great comparison.
The only differences between the restaurant and this recipe are that you can make enough to feed the entire family and it's quick and easy to make from home!
Soups are perfect to make using a pressure cooker and this Olive Garden copycat for Minestrone Soup comes together in a matter of minutes!
A personal favorite of mine from Olive Garden is Chicken and Gnocchi Soup. This instant pot version is not only quick to make but it tastes just like the original version - maybe even better!
Another tasty copycat recipe you can make in the Instant Pot is this Panda Express Orange Chicken.
Outback Steakhouse's Potato Soup is a restaurant favorite and it's possible to make that same delicious soup at home.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese (Chick fil A Copycat)
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow pasta
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 8 oz american cheese - sliced
- 3 tablespoon Parmesan and Romano cheese blend
- 4 oz Colby Jack cheese - cubed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour the pasta into the instant pot and add in the water. Make sure to submerge the pasta.
- Close the lid and set the pressure cooker to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes.
- After the 4 minutes is up, carefully and intermittently release the pressure.
- If there is a small amount of water left in the pot after pressure cooking, it's okay.
- Stir the pasta.
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and add the salt, heavy cream, and cheeses.
- Stir until the cheeses are melted.
- If desired, place the macaroni and cheese in the oven on the broil setting for about 3 minutes.
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONSCook the pasta according to directions on the box.- Drain and add back to the pot.
- Set the stovetop to medium-low and add the salt, heavy cream, and cheeses.
- Stir and allow to melt.
- If desired, place the macaroni and cheese in the oven on the broil setting for about 3 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Can this be portioned out and frozen? My toddler would love this and it would be a quick and better alternative to going out all the time! Thank you!
Hi Dayna!
I haven't personally frozen this recipe but if you decide to, allow it cool completely before portioning out and freezing.
Another tip, allow it to thaw before reheating so that the macaroni doesn't dry out. If needed, add a touch more of milk and stir when heating to also help from drying out. Hope that helps!
While I don’t think this tasted at all like Chick fil A, it is still however delicious! I was really surprised how super easy it was to make. Everyone loved it! I loved that it didn’t require butter and flour. I loved how there’s no draining and all done in the instant pot. This recipe is really good, fast and easy cleanup too! Thanks for sharing!
Also, I’d like to add that I used half and half because that’s all I had on hand as well as cheddar in place of Colby. Worked well, still tasted great!
Sliced american cheese…like the kind that comes individually packaged per slice?
You can use that kind or the kind you get sliced at the deli. Both work well!
Love that this recipe can be made in the Instant Pot! What a time saver!
This was very good but we found it to be a little rich for a main dish. As a side, it would be great! I'll definitely make it again. I did add a little Lawrey's seasoned salt at the end for a little more flavor.
For me this was WAY too salty with 1/2 tbsp of salt. I'll likely try again without that much salt added.
If I wanted to double this batch how long should I cook it for?
Pressure cook time stays the same 🙂
Tastes like the real thing, and cheaper too!
I follow recipe to the directions. Depending on how you like consistency you can add a bit more heavy cream….i do dabble a little franks red hot sauce in there maybe 2 tsp per 1 lb of pasta and I like to throw a little garlic powder in as well. This is a crowd favorite and EVERYONE is constantly asking me to make it for events!