My Instant Pot Mac and Cheese are ready to be served when I get home from work. It is absolutely amazing how easy it was to make using my trusty little Instant Pot. The instant pot has proven to be a valuable tool in my household, and has saved me time and money in many ways. If you are like me and use your Instant Pot for everything, including cooking, making drinks, cleaning the house, preparing meals, and anything else that can be done outside the kitchen, then this handy appliance should be on your kitchen shelf!
There are many different versions of instant pot mac and cheese; however, my version is one of the best. For starters, it is one of the cheapest, and has been an absolute miracle to save me money. The verdict: not only did it make the best tasting cheeses I have ever cooked in my pressure cooker, it was also so smooth, creamy, and delicious! This is far better and quicker than making boxed macaroni and cheese, which by the way, is also waaay yee too expensive for what I use to receive at the grocery store.
My favorite part of this recipe is the fact that it can be prepared with only three ingredients! I usually use a package of instant Ro-Car shredder to make the process easier, but you can also use regular kosher or sea salt if you would prefer. The shredded cheeses are best roasted until they are very tender, which takes approximately ten minutes in my opinion. However, if you do not have a roast, you can just bake the mixture in the oven. Once it is baked, it will be delicious both ways.
To begin, you will need: four cups of milk, two sticks of butter, three packages of instant Ro-Car shredders (you can find these at your local grocery store), a quarter of a cup of sharp cheddar cheese, three tablespoons of sea salt, and two teaspoons of fresh peppermints. Put all of the ingredients into your Instant Pot and set it to medium heat. Allow all of the ingredients to warm up to room temperature. While the ingredients are cooking, you can also prepare the other ingredients needed to complete your perfect homemade meal: two tablespoons of sour cream, two tablespoons of whole milk, a half a cup of sour cream, a quarter teaspoon of baking powder, a tablespoon of sugar, and approximately two tablespoons of vegetable oil.
In a separate bowl, mix together one-fourth cup of skim milk, one-fourth cup of sour cream, two-thirds cup of softened butter, one-third cup of chopped fresh parmesan cheese, a quarter teaspoon of sea salt, and two to three tablespoons of fresh peppermints. Once you have mixed the ingredients, pour them into their individual containers and place them in the Instant Pot. Cover the jars of soup and sauce with the rest of the ingredients except for the peppermints. Set the lid to medium high and allow the items to cook for approximately five minutes. After the first five minutes, remove the jars of soup and sauce from the Instant Pot and put them on a plate. Then, add in the two other items that you were going to cook separately, such as the sour cream and the cheeses.
Place half of the mixture on your baking sheet and add two teaspoons of sea salt to it. If desired, you can also put in an additional quarter of a cup of pepper. Mix the mixture together until it becomes smooth and lumpy. Now, add in the four cups of water.
Bring the Instant Pot to a boil and add in the hot sauce and mix until it becomes smooth. Cover the lid and let it cook for approximately ten minutes. Once it is done, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the drained pasta water. Allow the pasta water to become cool before using it to rinse off the peppermints and sea salt.
Once the milk begins to curdle, add in one half of a cup of sour cream and mix until the creamy texture is created. Stir in one-fourth of a cup of grated parmesan cheese. Cover the container of the Instant Pot and let it continue to simmer while you use the remaining 2 cups of milk to keep the Instant Pot boiling. Once you remove the lid, add in the pasta water and stir until the ingredients are completely blended. Cover the pot and let it sit for about ten minutes so that the flavors are infused into the Instant Pot.