Instant Pot Mac And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese, popularly known as mac and cheese is a famous pasta dish made with elbow macaroni and cheddar cheese.

It is a kid favorite and adults enjoy it too. Mac and cheese is very easy to make and can be easily made in the instant pot in just about 30 minutes.

Ingredients for mac and cheese

The main and very popular ingredient for mac and cheese is elbow macaroni pasta however, other types of macaroni like shells work well too.

Cheddar cheese, either medium or sharp, or a combination of both works well. It is best to use block cheese and grate it using a hand grater or a food processor shredding disc.

I love to use Cabot and Tillamook brand cheese as they have vegetarian cheese that does not use animal rennet.

This is a no egg, no evaporated milk recipe. Adding some milk and heavy cream gives it the right creamy consistency. You can also use half and half instead.

Why you should be cooking pasta in an Instant Pot?

Since I have owned the instant pot, I have stopped making pasta the traditional way. There are a lot of benefits to cooking pasta in the instant pot.

• It needs less water
• No need to boil water
• No need to drain hot water
• No need to monitor
• You can plan ahead and use the delay timer

How much liquid do you cook pasta in instant Pot?

Cooking pasta in the instant pot requires very little water compared to the traditional way of boiling it. Usually, for any type of pasta, the ratio of 1 cup pasta to 1 cup water works perfect.

How to cook macaroni in instant pot?

In the instant pot liner, put the elbow macaroni and water. For a 1 lb. pack of macaroni, add 4 cups of water. You must ensure that all the macaroni is under the water.

Cook the macaroni on high pressure mode for 0 (zero) minutes and with the "keep warm" setting on. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure manually.

Cooking pasta for 0 minutes and then allowing the pressure to release naturally helps with the spurting issue with quick release method. You don't have to deal with the mess of all the starch coming out from the knob.

How to make mac and cheese without eggs?

Once macaroni is cooked, add the butter, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix everything well and then add the milk and heavy cream.

Adjust the amount of cheese,milk, and cream to adapt to the consistency you prefer. Although the instant pot mac and cheese might look runny at first, but once you mix everything well, it will have a perfect creamy consistency.

What to serve with mac and cheese?

Vegetarian dishes like roasted broccoli, roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes go well as sides with mac and cheese.

If you want to serve something light, you can serve sliced beets, cubed sweet potatoes, or a salad.

You can also serve it with some French bread, or cheesy garlic pull apart rolls.

How do you store leftover mac and cheese?

Leftover mac and cheese can be stored in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen. You can also plan and make it ahead of time and reheat when you are ready to serve.

How to freeze mac and cheese?

Allow the mac and cheese to completely cool down. Portion it into serving size and then freeze it in a freezer safe container or freezer safe ziploc bags.

How to reheat mac and cheese?

To defrost the frozen mac and cheese, simply leave the container in the fridge for 4-6 hours or overnight. If you are short of time you can thaw it in the microwave.

To reheat mac and cheese, simply heat it in the microwave, stovetop, or in the instant pot. You can also add some milk, cream, or cheese to regain its creamy consistency.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like

• Baked broccoli pasta
• Instant pot lo mein
• Vegan pasta soup
• Mixed vegetable casserole
• Stuffed pasta shells

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