Instant Pot Mac & Cheese

Instant pot mac & cheese will make you want to slap your  grandmammy and throw away the 96 boxes of macaroni and cheese in your pantry. It only takes 4 minutes. 4 minutes! You know it takes you more than 4 minutes to cook that boxed stuff.

The boxed stuff is cheaper and I get that. But this is just better – that’s all, it’s just better.  It’s cheesier, it’s creamier, and it’s free of preservatives and lord knows what.

Oh and 4 minutes! Did I mention that? Um, yea, but it bears repeating.

I’ve heard lots of chatter about people not getting great pasta out of their pressure cooker. I’ve heard chatter about being pasta snobs and they only want al dente, not mush. I’ve heard…well it’s the internet man, I’ve heard it all.

But do not fear. This is not mush. This is great for snobs. I’ve been making this for almost 10 years. I’ve fed it to everyone I can think of. I even fed it to my mother, who happened to make the best homemade mac & cheese in the world. Never ever a complaint.

Oh, and if you “that kid”. You know the kid I’m talking about. Uh huh, that one that won’t eat it if it’s not (using my whiny kid voice) ooorraannnggeee. Don’t even stress. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric to the water when you put in the pasta. No one will taste it, but it will give an orangey tint to the pasta.

5 from 1 vote

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PRESSURE COOKER MACARONI & CHEESE

4 minutes to cheesy, creamy goodness!

Ingredients

• 1 pound of macaroni
• 1 teaspoon mustard of choice, omit if you don’t like mustard
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce totally optional
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 4 cups water
• 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 ounces any other cheese of you choice
• 6 ounces less of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese depends on how cheesy you like it
• Optional – 1 cup or less of panko bread crumbs or crackers

Instructions

1. Add the first 6 ingredients to the pressure cooker and give it a stir about. Pressure on high for four minutes, using the quick release method. (don’t let the pressure come down naturally)

   Set to the keep warm setting.

2. Don’t strain, the pasta should be just perfect. Add the evaporated milk, then stir in the cheeses a little at a time until combined and melted cheesy goodness emerges.
3. This is completely optional, but I like to do this sometimes: Place the mac and cheese in an oven proof vessel and top with panko crumbs, or even better crushed Ritz crackers. I use my kitchen blow torch, but if you don’t have one you can put it under your broiler. Don’t turn away though or the next thing you know, you’ve got burnt topping.

4. As this sits, it will get thicker.  I find this tastes better fresh rather than as leftovers, but I find that to be true with any mac and cheese.  Even my mom’s.