Quick Weeknight Macaroni and Cheese
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Until the end of this school year, I will be focusing on ultra-quick weeknight dinners for our family. We have been so busy with end of the school year festivities, and the rest of the month is booked as well. In an effort to find quick weeknight dinners, I have referred back to the 101 Things to Do With… cookbook series. I introduced the series when writing about the Sheet Pan Fajitas (click here to read) that I made a few weeks ago, and they were delicious. This time, I decided to explore 101 Things to Do With an Instant Pot (Check it out on Amazon).
A quick weeknight meal is code for throwing ingredients into a pot and pressing the start button. I love my multi-cooker because it genuinely helps me cook dinner. Another thing I love is macaroni and cheese. Combining the multi-cooker and macaroni and cheese is a win-win in my book.
Macaroni and cheese is one of those side dishes that can taste differently depending on who cooks it or what region of the United States you are in. I usually categorize the dish as southern mac and cheese, northern mac and cheese, white mac and cheese, and boxed mac and cheese. I love all four types equally. Southern macaroni and cheese is more of a casserole, and usually contains American cheese and an egg.
Northern mac and cheese, which I learned about when I married Sean, is cheddar based and usually consists of making a roux and then baking it after the roux and cheese are mixed with the noodles. Sean’s mom is from New York, and she has a delicious macaroni and cheese recipe that I will share in the future. When we traveled north a few years ago, we visited Sean’s aunt who had a very similar version of the dish. It’s now ingrained in my mind that cheddar-based macaroni and cheese is “northern” because I had never had it before I met Sean.
White mac and cheese consists of a smoother blend of cheeses. Typical cheeses for white mac and cheese include white cheddar, gruyere, white American, and sometimes cream cheese.
Then there is the good ol’ mac and cheese in a box. I can’t say enough for Kraft and their cheap elbows and shells. That fake cheese powder is happiness on a fork. I try not to make it as often as I would like, so when I came across this recipe for Instant Pot macaroni and cheese, I thought I would give it a shot since it combines both quick and homemade.
This macaroni and cheese recipe turned out fantastic. It only took two minutes to assemble, and then with delight, I pressed start, and the multicooker began its magic. After the noodles completed boiling, it took another two minutes, and I was finished preparing the dish.
This 101 Things To Do… series is written by Donna Kelly, and I want to give her full credit for the recipe that I am sharing with you.
Weeknight Mac and Cheese
16 ounces of uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons of butter
4 cups of water (I used 5 cups because my multi-cooker takes a little more water)
1 teaspoon of salt
12 ounces of evaporated milk
8 ounces of grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste
Add the macaroni, butter, water, and salt into your Instant Pot.
Lock the lid and cook the noodles on high pressure for 4 minutes.
Use the quick pressure value to release the steam once the 4 minutes have passed. Stir the milk into the macaroni and then mix in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.
Place the lid back on the pot, this time while the machine is off, and let the mixture rest for 1-2 minutes. Remove the lid and stir until the cheeses are completely melted and combined with the noodles. Add pepper to your liking. This recipe makes 4-6 servings.
Sean grilled a few steaks that went perfectly with the macaroni and cheese for a quick and easy dinner. I would say that this is the cheesiest macaroni and cheese that I have ever tasted, and maybe this recipe should be renamed cheese lover’s mac and cheese. And as far as my classification, I would say this tastes like a northern white version of such a beloved dish!
What is your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe? We would love to hear from you! Please drop us a line in the comment section below.
