This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is creamy, cheesy, and oh so comforting. It is quick to make and can go from your pantry to the table in less than 20 minutes!
Instant pot recipes are huge right now. Mac and cheese that is ready in under 10 minutes? Honestly besides a gift basket of puppies what is better than that?! Your family will devour this and beg for more!
I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again. Pasta is the best comfort food,and it can be made in so many different ways. My instant pot mac and cheese recipe will have you scraping the pot for every last bite.
Craving more comfort food?
How To Make Mac and Cheese In the Instant Pot
This the recipe is one that I use when I need to get dinner on the table quickly. It’s so fast and easy that you’ll look for excuses to make it. It is also super kid friendly.
First, put your macaroni, butter, water and mustard powder in the instant pot. Stir it together, close the lid, and seal the valve on your instant pot. Set it to high pressure for four minutes on manual mode.
Can it get any easier? After that,do a quick release of the pressure and put the instant pot on the keep warm mode. Finally , add in the milk and cheese and stir until it forms a creamy sauce. The only way this recipe could get easier is if it made itself. I mean we have robots that sweep the floor, get on this engineers!
History/Origin
There are many versions of mac and cheese. It’s hard to pinpoint one person who invented it. Alton Brown from the Food Network shared the urban legend that Thomas Jefferson invented it. However, while our third President may have been a huge fan he did not invent it.
In fact, there are recipes for macaroni and cheese like dishes as far back as the 14th century from both Italy and England. In my opinion,the most likely candidate who invented mac and cheese is a mother or grandmother who needed something she could feed her brood. She probably threw a few favorites together ,and now we have the famous dish.
While that story may not be the truth either, it helps to illustrate how impossible it is to credit anyone with the recipe. I’m just glad someone did invent it.
Serve With
One of my favorites is pork chops. Kids will clean a plate with pork chops and mac and cheese faster than I can make it! Add in a vegetable and you’ve got an entire meal.
You could also do fried or baked chicken. If you’d like something lighter, you could pair it with a salad, corn ,or broccoli as well.
How to Reheat
This can be tricky. When you reheat mac and cheese, it can dry out or get greasy. If you add about a tablespoon of milk per serving when warming it up in the microwave it should help it taste as good as the day you made it.
Also, try covering your plate with plastic wrap, and leaving the corner up to vent the steam. You could also put a plate over the top when warming it up in the microwave, if you don’t want to use plastic wrap.
How Long Does It Last?
First, be sure to store your leftovers in a tightly sealed container. It will last up to 3-4 days. Also, you can freeze it for up to 2 months.
What To Do With Leftovers
Oh, you’re looking for an option besides gorging yourself on it while watching Intervention at 11 PM?! I’ll give you a few quick ideas of what you can do with your leftovers.
Fry it! Yes, fried food is good food and fried mac and cheese is no different.
You could also make it into a grilled cheese. Put it as a filling into your grilled cheese and add some sliced American. Also, you could add bacon. We all know bacon is culinary gold.
One of my family’s favorites is to add diced or stewed tomatoes. Tomato and ground beef make it a hardier dish too.
Mac and cheese is so popular because we’ve all grown up with it. Who doesn’t have memories of this classic comfort food? It’s funny how a food can transport you back in time and bring you comfort.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Box Elbow Macaroni
- 4 Cups Water
- 2 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
- 1 Cup Evaporated Milk
- 2 Cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- 2 Cups Colby Jack Cheese Shredded
Instructions
- Combine macaroni, water, butter, and mustard powder in the instant pot. Stir until well combined.
- Seal lid, and cook on manual mode (high pressure) for 4 minutes. Then immediately release pressure.
- Set Instant Pot to keep warm function.
- Stir in milk, cheddar cheese, and colby jack cheese until cheese is melted and creamy.
Nutrition
Craving more?
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
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