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    Recipes » Recipes

    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Oct 12, 2018 · Modified: Feb 15, 2021 by Dee

    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni is homemade hamburger helper made with ground beef and pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Quick, easy and kid friendly!

    Jump to Recipe -

    instant pot cheeseburger macaroni in white bowls

    Raise your hand if your grew up eating Hamburger Helper cheeseburger mac? This was actually one of my favorite dinners, so I decided to make a healthier homemade Hamburger Helper for my own family. This Instant Pot cheeseburger macaroni is quick, easy and even better than the cheeseburger mac you grew up with!

    I'm always trying out new quick and easy Instant Pot recipes, and I whipped up this easy cheeseburger macaroni for the kids' lunch today. I have a lot of Instant Pot ground beef recipes on the blog, but I didn't have one for cheeseburger macaroni -- until today!

    The beautiful thing about this Instant Pot cheeseburger mac or even skillet cheeseburger mac is that you probably have everything you need to make it -- nothing complicated about this recipe! I even had some ground beef in the fridge. So if you're looking for a quick and easy Instant Pot dinner recipe that's also kid approved, this one's for you!

    How to make Instant Pot cheeseburger macaroni (homemade Hamburger  Helper)

    Cheeseburger macaroni is practically a dump and go recipe, only you do have to brown the ground beef first. To cut down on prep and make this dinner even easier, I use dried minced onions along with a few other spices. I use lean ground beef so that I don't have to drain the fat, but you can drain it before adding your seasonings if you need to.

    brown ground beef for cheeseburger macaroni in instant pot

    Next, add the macaroni, beef broth and then, add some butter. You need 4 cups of beef broth to cover the macaroni, so you can add a little water if you don't have exactly 4 cups of broth. You can also use all water instead of broth if you want, but the broth gives this beefy mac an extra flavor boost!

    layer ingredients for cheeseburger macaroni in instant pot

    After the pasta cooks, stir in some cream and shredded cheese -- that's it! I used a mixture of colby jack cheese and cheddar cheese, but you can definitely use you r favorite cheese here. Heck, if you want to make cheeseburger macaroni with Velveeta, go for it!

    instant pot cheeseburger macaroni on spoon

    Guys, this Instant Pot cheeseburger macaroni is so good! It's absolutely perfect when you need a quick and easy, kid-approved dinner!

    instant pot cheeseburger macaroni in white bowl with parsley

    Looking for more Instant Pot ground beef and pasta recipes?

    • Instant Pot Macaroni Beef Casserole
    • Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef
    • Instant Pot Creamy Taco Pasta
    • Instant Pot BBQ Macaroni and Beef
    • Instant Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff 

    Recipe for Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni (Homemade Hamburger Helper)

    instant pot cheeseburger macaroni in white bowls

    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni

    Published by Dee
    Instant Pot cheeseburger macaroni is homemade Hamburger Helper made with ground beef and pasta in a creamy cheese sauce. This quick and easy dinner is super kid friendly!
    5 from 35 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    pressure time 10 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 350 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
    • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
    • 1 1 pound box macaroni noodles, uncooked
    • 4 cups low sodium beef broth or water
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • 2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
    • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Press SAUTE on the Instant Pot and when it reads Hot, add olive oil and ground beef. Break up beef with a spatula, and cook until no longer pink
    • Stir in the sea salt, garlic powder, onions and pepper, then hit CANCEL 
    • Layer the uncooked macaroni on the beef, pour the beef broth over and around the macaroni, and top with the butter
    • Place lid on pressure cooker, turn vent to Sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes. Pot will take a few minutes to pressurize, then cook for 4 minutes and beep when done
    • Turn vent to Venting for a quick release, and when pin drops, remove lid, and stir. Stir in the cream, and gradually stir in the cheese, about 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each cup is added

    Video

    Notes

    Recipe can be made in either the 6 quart or 8-quart Instant Pot electric pressure cooker without changing ingredient amounts or cooking time.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 350kcal
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    Pin this recipe to save it! 

    Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni, or homemade Hamburger Helper with ground beef and pasta in a creamy cheese sauce

    My family loved this easy Instant Pot cheeseburger macaroni. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. BrandeeH says

      January 06, 2023 at 8:44 am

      Tasty and easy paired with a salad for a quick weeknight meal. Kids heartily approved so it’s going into the rotation. Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        January 06, 2023 at 3:58 pm

        Thank you so much, Brandee. I'm glad everyone enjoyed the recipe!

    2. Nina Lipowicz says

      November 03, 2022 at 6:43 am

      Quick, easy, and delicious. Will be adding this recipe to our go-to dinners! Thank you for sharing!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        November 03, 2022 at 12:15 pm

        So glad you like it! Thank you for the wonderful review.

    3. Donna C says

      October 18, 2022 at 3:25 pm

      It was good. Next time I make it I'll do minutes pressure. 4 minutes my pasta is just over done, little mushy.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 18, 2022 at 10:17 pm

        Hmmm. I have never had that happen with 4 minutes. Do you have a newer pressure cooker?

    4. Pamela Frederick says

      February 01, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      This looks great. What would be the best way to make this without an instant pot - just stove top? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 01, 2022 at 1:24 pm

        Hi Pamela, You can do it in a Dutch oven or large pot on the stove.

    5. Chloe says

      July 06, 2021 at 8:09 pm

      This was so easy and so good! I used a real chopped onion instead of the dried, & added just a little cayenne, because I like some subtle spice and it was super yummy. Will definitely make again!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Sam says

      May 05, 2021 at 5:09 pm

      This one is now a staple- thank you! So much flavor! Reminds me of childhood5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 06, 2021 at 11:00 am

        Thank you so much, Sam! I'm glad you liked the cheesy mac!

    7. Jodi says

      April 28, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      This was so delicious! Will definitely make again when wanting some comfort food. I used cheddar and Asiago because that’s what I had. I don’t think you can wrong here with any cheese combo!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 29, 2021 at 11:00 am

        So glad you liked the cheeseburger mac! Thank you for the wonderful review!

    8. Ashley says

      April 03, 2021 at 2:19 pm

      My family loved it! I will definitely make again.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 05, 2021 at 4:00 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it, Ashley. Thank you!

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