NOODLES / April 26, 2020

INSTANT POT CHEDDAR MAC & CHEESE

Name: INSTANT POT CHEDDAR MAC & CHEESE
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 4 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: 1 POUND UNCOOKED PASTA, ORRECHIETTE OR ELBOWS; 4 CUPS WATER; 1 TEASPOON SALT; 3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED SWEET CREAM BUTTER, CUT INTO 6 PIECES; 3 CUPS SHREDDED YELLOW SHARP CHEDDAR; 1/2 CUP SHREDDED WHITE SHARP CHEDDAR; 3 TABLESPOONS MILK, NONFAT; GARLIC SALT & FRESH CRACKED PEPPER TO START

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I know you’re thinking another INSTANT POT CHEDDAR MAC & CHEESE?! But you’re totally wrong, this is not just ANOTHER Mac & Cheese.

This one has less ingredients, is *healthier* without using heavy cream but milk instead. It is FASTER and just as delicious as all the other recipes.

And honestly, can you really ever have too many Mac & Cheese recipes?

The answer is no, absolutely not.

And why not have multiples to choose from depending on what you’re craving?

Let’s walk through the differences with the existing recipes:

INSTANT POT MAC & CHEESE – sharp white cheddar with heavy cream & bone or chicken broth.

THE BEST COMFORT MAC & CHEESE – a flour butter based roux with milk, sharp cheddar & swiss!

WHITE CHEDDAR MAC & CHEESE – Panera copycat with a traditional flour butter roux, heavy cream and lots of shredded white cheddar.

PIMIENTO MAC & CHEESE – Grandma Antonelli’s recipe with cheddar AND monterey jack cheese, pimientos and then baked in the oven!

And the NEW ONE today is obviously Instant Pot (love) made with the simplest list of ingredients ever:

pasta noodles
water
butter
salt
sharp cheddar
milk

And really salt and water don’t even count.

But what makes this great, is the ingredients are basic and most likely already stored in your pantry and fridge. So it’s almost as if you don’t NEED to shop for these ingredients and you can whip this together every night.

And right now, it’s also most likely your grocery trips are limited to the “essentials” and much less frequent than normal.

But if we’re all being honest with ourselves, Instant Pot Cheddar Mac & Cheese IS essential.

Most importantly this recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes. The actual cooking time in the Instant Pot is just 4 minutes and no release time at all. This quick release pressure option keeps the noodles cooked without getting soggy or too soft!

Then it’s just add in some butter, lots of shredded cheese, and a splash of milk!

What makes this recipe so special is that you top the mac & cheese with a sprinkle of garlic salt (original recipe and idea from Pinch of Yum) and some fresh black pepper.

M A C & C H E E S E P E R F E C T I O N !