Woo hoo! It's Creamy Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot!

What’s all the buzz about the kitchen appliance, the Instant Pot?  What’s with that?  It’s like a cult following, an obsession.  Is it worth getting one?  It took me a while to buy one, but I caved in and bought one.

The Instant Pot is a small appliance with a digital control panel that is programmable for multiple uses ~ it’s a slow cooker, a steamer, a rice cooker or porridge maker, a sauté pan, a yogurt maker and a keep-warm serving pot, all in one convenient pot. It speeds up cooking time, cooking quickly without having to stand over the food.

It’s the most advanced pressure cooker available today, it’s safe to use, easy to clean, quiet and doesn’t heat up the surrounding area ~ a great thing for summertime usage.  Since it’s a multi-cooker, the Instant Pot can replace a number of small appliances around the kitchen.

The first thing I cooked in it was hard-boiled eggs, perfectly, I might add. They cooked quickly in 7 minutes, and were a gem to peal ~ no more hard-boiled eggs looking like craters on the moon and no more nasty green rings around the yolk!

Then I moved on to America’s favorite, mac and cheese.  I loved cooking it this way!  No draining pasta, no second pot for the sauce!  

To put it simply ~ add the ingredients to the pot - let it cook - add milk and cheese - melt the cheese - eat - it is delicious!

If you’ve just acquired an Instant Pot or are considering purchasing one for your kitchen, this is the perfect recipe to start with.  It’s easy, and it makes mealtime a breeze!  

I just hope you have an easier time than I did in setting the lid on and locking it in place.  A little tricky!

The mac and cheese turns out perfectly delicious!  I’m impressed with the recipe and even more impressed with the Instant Pot and everything it can do.  


Instant Pot Creamy Mac and Cheese
Slightly adapted from Center Cut Cook

Ingredients:

1 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups water
1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup evaporated milk
16 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or combo of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses)
½ cup Parmesan cheese

Method:

Add macaroni, butter, water, mustard, salt and pepper to Instant Pot.
Secure lid, select Manual, and High Pressure for 4 minutes.  
Once complete, use a quick release.  
Open lid and check that the pasta is cooked completely.
If not, select Sauté, and cook for another 2 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Add in evaporated milk and the cheeses. 
Continue to mix and stir until creamy.
Add any extra salt to taste.
Serve hot!
6-8 servings
Printable recipe


Happy cooking!