My daughter loves pasta, and this pasta is so cheesy, yummy, and easy to make in under 15 minutes. Do try this recipe and write in your comments. Explore more American recipes for inspiration for your next family dinner. I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.
What cheese to use for Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
I have used a combo of sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese for this recipe. Sharp cheddar is always the best cheese to start with for macaroni and cheese. But you can use just cheddar alone, or feel free to use your family’s favorite cheese combination. Use good cheese. Mac and Cheese are more creamy and melt smoothly if you buy a cheese block and shred it yourself than using an already packaged, shredded cheese.
Also check my Kids Lunch Box Series Posts
Mac & Cheese + Mint Makhana + Red Grapes
Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients
How to Make Mac and Cheese in Instant Pot
Add pasta to the Instant Pot. Add water/broth, butter, salt stir well to combine. Close the instant pot lid and turn the valve to the SEALING position. Set on MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) for 4 minutes (or half the time on the macaroni cooking directions). When time is up, do a QUICK RELEASE. Add the milk, cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly until the cheese is melted and everything is combined. Serve creamy instant pot pressure cooker mac and cheese immediately. ***If mac and cheese hasn’t thickened completely, turn the pot to saute mode and cook for a few minutes while stirring. This should thicken up any remaining liquid, OR if you want it to be more creamy, add more milk or cream.
Variations
Use a combination of cheeses for the best taste. I used a mixture of sharp cheddar, and mozzarella. I used regular whole milk. But if you are not too worried about calories, then you can also use 12 oz of evaporated milk (1.5 cups) or 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, or ½ cup of whole milk and ½ cup of cream. You can also add small chunks of pineapple to make Hawaiian-style pineapple mac and cheese. You can also have some broccoli to make it more healthy.
Tips
The time to cook macaroni and cheese in an Instant Pot is usually half of the suggested time on the pasta box. Always stir in milk or cream, cheese, etc, after the pressure cooking cycle. You’ll need 4 cups of water for this recipe. For the best flavor, you can use vegetable broth.
More Instant Pot Pasta Recipes
Creamy Tomato Pasta Avocado Pasta Butternut Squash Pasta Creamy Spinach Pasta Alfredo Pasta
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