Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
User Reviews
5
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Description
This recipe starts by pressure cooking pasta submerged in water or cold chicken broth for five minutes. Once the pasta is cooked and pressure released, a butter and flour paste is mixed with evaporated milk in the pot on a sauté setting to form a thickened sauce. Grated cheeses are gradually added and melted into the sauce, enriched with nutmeg and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
The combination of cheeses includes both easily meltable types for softness and other flavorful cheeses for depth; examples include white cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, and cream cheese. The sauce achieves a creamy, smooth consistency that coats the pasta well, balancing richness with mild spice from the nutmeg.
This mac and cheese is ideally served immediately to enjoy its creamy texture. It offers a convenient one-pot solution that reduces hands-on cooking time compared to traditional stovetop versions.
Tips include selecting cheese carefully to ensure good melting, potentially using a cup of milk to adjust sauce thickness, and combining different cheeses for both meltability and flavor complexity.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta I used cavatappi
- 4 cups water or chicken broth, cold
- 12 oz evaporated milk 1 can
- 1/4 cup butter softened, salted
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 16 oz cheese see notes below, assorted, grated
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg grated
- milk as needed
Instructions
- Place pasta and cold water (or chicken broth) into pressure cooker. Do your best to create an even layer of pasta so its all mostly submerged. Add pressure cooker lid, lock into place, seal valve and cook 5 minutes under high pressure on "Beans/Chili" mode.
- While pasta is cooking, mix butter and flour together to create a paste.
- Quick release pressure once cooking cycle has completed and remove lid. Switch to Brown/Saute function. Pour in evaporated milk and the butter/flour mixture. Continuously stir until sauce thickens.
- Sprinkle in grated cheeses, little by little, until it all has been incorporated. Add in splashes of milk as needed if macaroni and cheese gets too thick. (I probably used 1 cup total as I was stirring in the cheese.)
- Stir in nutmeg, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a blend of 12 oz meltable cheeses such as cheddar, white cheddar, gruyere, fontina, gouda, Swiss, provolone, pepper jack or cream cheese for a smooth sauce.
- Add 4 oz of more flavorful cheeses like parmesan or blue cheese for taste depth.
- Add milk in small amounts as needed to adjust sauce thickness during cheese incorporation.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 749 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 749kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 67g | 22% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 38g | 58% |
| Saturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Cholesterol | 116mg | 39% |
| Sodium | 610mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 414mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 1129IU | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 716mg | 72% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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