This Healthy Mac and Cheese with broccoli and white cheddar is the best weeknight dinner! Make it in the Instant Pot or on the stove.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – any other type of fat like vegan butter, margarine or ghee will work in this recipe.
- Salt – to taste.
- Macaroni spirals – also known as scoobi do noodles. Feel free to also use rigatoni, macaroni elbows or penne instead.
- Evaporated milk – you can use regular milk or even cream instead. You can try using dairy-free milk like unsweetened almond milk or soy milk, but the flavour will be different.
- White cheddar cheese – swap out for another cheese of your choice like cheddar, gouda or gruyere.
- Broccoli – add in another veggie of your choice or leave this out altogether.
How to make mac and cheese in the Instant Pot
Step 1: Cook the macaroni.
Add the oil, water, salt, pasta and butter to the Instant Pot in order. Cook on high pressure, then do a quick release of the pressure.
Step 2: Stir in the milk and cheese.
Pour in the milk and stir in the white cheddar until fully blended. Add on the lid and let the mixture sit.
Step 3: Steam broccoli.
Cook the broccoli in a bowl of water in the microwave, then drain it.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy!
Stir the broccoli into the mac and cheese, and serve!
Recipe tips & variations
Here are some tips and tricks for making this ultimate comfort food favourite:
- Add more veggies: Mix in more vegetables like corn, bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots, onions, squash, spinach and more.
- Mix in some protein: Stir in some leftover cooked chicken, bacon or turkey to up the protein content.
- Try different cheeses: White cheddar is a classic but you could also try adding in some regular cheddar, gruyere, gouda, mozzarella, Swiss and more.
- Hand-grate the cheese: Regardless of what cheese you use, make sure you hand-grate it instead of using the pre-shredded stuff for the best melt.
- Use different seasonings: Mix in some hot sauce, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and any other spices or fresh herbs of your choice.
- Top it all off: Finish off your mac and cheese with some bacon crumbles, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, sriracha, truffle oil and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to keep things simple when it comes to this recipe by using white cheddar cheese. I find that it has the best flavor and melts really nicely! That being said, feel free to swap out some or all of the white cheddar for regular cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere, mozzarella, Swiss and/or gouda.
I tested this recipe using macaroni noodles, but you could also try using rigatoni, macaroni elbows or penne. If you want to use whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta like chickpea pasta, you may need to experiment a bit with the cooking time.
Not only is Instant Pot mac and cheese super easy and convenient (one pot means only one dish to clean!) but the pressure cooker also gives the cheese sauce an amazing creamy texture that you won't really get on the stovetop. For the creamiest mac and cheese, you'll definitely want to make it in the Instant Pot!
If you want to add some protein to this dish, stir in some cooked bacon, chicken, turkey, ham or any other protein of your choice. Make sure the protein is already cooked, then stir it into the pasta at the end of the cooking time.
Yes! This mac and cheese is one of my favourite healthy pasta recipes for meal prep. You can make it up to 5 days in advance, then reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the oven in a foil-covered baking dish for 20-30 minutes at 350°F.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftovers of this Instant Pot mac and cheese in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days. That way, you’ll have a delicious kid and adult-friendly meal option ready to go in the fridge!
When you're ready to enjoy your mac and cheese, you can reheat it in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through or in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. If you're making this dish ahead of time for a potluck or party, store the leftovers in a foil-covered baking dish in the fridge, then reheat it in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes at 350°F.
Can you freeze mac and cheese?
Yes! Just make sure the dish has cooled down to room temperature before freezing this healthy mac and cheese. Store it in airtight containers or freezer-safe Ziploc bags and freeze it for up to 2 months.
When you're ready to enjoy, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. From there, you can microwave it for a couple minutes or reheat it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit.
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More healthy pasta recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 is the version I use in this recipe.
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on packing this up for lunch!
- **Get my full list of tools here**
Healthy Mac and Cheese {Instant Pot or Stovetop}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb macaroni spirals (sometimes call scoobi do)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 3 cups white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 head broccoli, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add sunflower oil, water, salt, macaroni spirals and butter to Instant Pot in that order. Set to cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Once complete, do a quick release of pressure and open the lid when safe to do so.
- Stir in milk and white cheddar until fully blended, then add broccoli florets and stir. Replace the lid and let sit 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy! For those who like their broccoli more well done, it can be cooked in a bowl of water for 5 minutes in the microwave, then drained and added to the Mac and cheese.
Stovetop instructions
- Add macaroni to a large pot of salted boiling water on the stove. Boil for 8-9 minutes until al dente, then rinse and drain.
- Add macaroni back to pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, stirring until melted. Stir in evaporated milk and cheese until creamy and well combined. Finally, stir in broccoli and continuing cooking another 3-4 minutes until broccoli is tender. Serve and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Kristin says
Doesn’t say how much butter!
Taylor Stinson says
You use oil as listed in the recipe card. You could sub 1 tbsp butter for 1 tbsp oil.
Scott Mullen says
Everything I’ve read says it’s dangerous to put a towel over the valve. What’s the purpose?
Taylor Stinson says
It’s because the starchy water that vents out after cooking the pasta can sometimes make a mess. I’ve never had an issue however upon doing more research I will be making a modification to the instructions to no longer instruct people to do this.
Jill says
Do you think frozen broccoli could be used?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes absolutely!
Becca says
Hi, could you use whole wheat spirals? Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
I believe it would turn out the same but I can’t guarantee it because I haven’t tried it myself. Please keep me updated if it works out!
Deb says
Can you make just half of this recipe in the instant pot and get the same great result?
Taylor Stinson says
I believe you could though I haven’t tried it myself.
Trena Sharp says
The best homemade mac and cheese recipe I have ever made. I only made a few alterations. I took your suggestion and heated the broccoli up in the microwave with water for 5 minutes first since we like it to be more tender. I couldn’t find white cheddar, so I used sharp cheddar cheese. Also, I can’t have milk, so I used evaporated coconut milk instead. It turned out very good and l love the broccoli in it too!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed! Good to know about the evaporated coconut milk, I’ve never seen that before!
Stephanie says
Just wondering – this recipe used to be made with 2% milk but I see you’ve changed it to a can of evaporated milk. Is there a significant difference? How much 2% milk did the original recipe call for? I LOVED it the old way!!
Taylor Stinson says
The evaporated milk provides extra creaminess and makes the sauce less liquidy. You could still use 2% milk if you’d like!