Instant Pot Hamburger Mac and Cheese

This easy Instant Pot hamburger mac and cheese is total comfort food that’s ready in only 30 minutes! No draining of the macaroni is needed, and it’s all made right in your electric pressure cooker.

This beefy mac and cheese is one of those one pot meals that you’ll have on repeat if you like this sorta thing. 😉 This is a slightly more grown-up version of Hamburger Helper, but I can pretty much guarantee that any mac ‘n cheese lover out there will want seconds.

This recipe is for the real cheese lovers out there. I used sharp cheddar as the primary cheese in here, and Gouda adds an extra layer of flavor and melty goodness.

My simple spice blend of smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder works in harmony with the Worcestershire sauce to make this dish a little more flavorful than just plain mac and cheese, but it’s certainly not overpowering. These additions make the ground beef taste more interesting, and, as a result, your taste buds will be very happy.

How to make Instant Pot macaroni and cheese with ground beef

This beef macaroni and cheese recipe is cooked right in your Instant Pot, no draining required. Sauté the ground beef with the spice blend until browned and the liquid is reduced. Add in the macaroni and water. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, grate your cheeses. Once the cooking time is up, do a manual pressure release. Stir in the cheeses and enjoy!

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this can be made on the stove as well. I put a few tips in the recipe card on how to do it.

This cheeseburger macaroni recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, rainy days, winter nights, summer days, or anything in between.

Maybe not when you’re trying to fit into a teeny tiny swimsuit, though. 😛

I hope you’ll give this beef ‘n mac recipe a try! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions.

5 from 2 votes

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Instant Pot Hamburger Mac and Cheese

This easy Instant Pot hamburger mac and cheese is total comfort food that's ready in only 30 minutes! No draining of the macaroni is needed, and it's all made right in your electric pressure cooker. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword beefy mac, Instant Pot hamburger mac and cheese

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Inactive time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound uncooked macaroni elbows
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups grated sharp cheddar
• 2 cups grated Gouda (or Havarti or Provolone or other melty white cheese)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Sauté the beef along with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, ground cumin, and Worcestershire sauce in your Instant Pot for 5-7 minutes. Stir and break the beef up with your spoon as you go along. Most of the liquid should be evaporated before you move onto the next step. 
2. Add the macaroni and water to the Instant Pot. Give it a good stir. Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to "sealing". Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes (it'll take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure). 
3. Meanwhile, grate your cheeses. 
4. Once the countdown has finished, carefully do a manual pressure release. 
5. Stir in the cheeses (a large wooden spoon works well for this). I like to stir in about a third of the cheese at a time until it's nice and creamy, and then repeat until all the cheese has been used. 
6. Season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately. 

Recipe Notes

• Stove top cooking tips: You can make this on the stove too. I suggest browning the beef in a large pot and cooking the macaroni as normal. Once the macaroni is cooked, drain it and then add it to the pot with the beef. Stir in the cheeses as directed. 
• I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.

Love easy electric pressure cooker recipes? You may also like my Instant Pot beef taco soup or my Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup.