Pressure Cooer Mac and Cheese is my go-to Macaroni and Cheese technique. I make it in my Instant pot for weeknight dinners, and as a side dish for potlucks. 4 minutes at high pressure cooks the noodles, then it's time to stir in the cheese. That’s right, homemade mac and cheese that didn't come from a packet in a blue box, ready in about a half an hour.
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For years I made the mac and cheese from Pam Anderson’s The Perfect Recipe. Then I read Ideas in Food; their recipe was similar to Pam’s, stripped down to the basics.
Both recipes use evaporated milk as their secret weapon. Evaporated milk replaces the flour and milk béchamel sauce, and all the whisking that entails. I mashed the two recipes together, and that’s what I’ve been using ever since.
Now, even with the evaporated milk shortcut, this was a stretch to make on a weeknight. Especially if I want a toasted bread crumb topping. And if I’m making macaroni and cheese, it must have a bread crumb topping.
That’s why I jumped when I saw the pressure cooker macaroni and cheese in Pressure Cooker Perfection. They pressure cook the pasta and spices in a small amount of water, treating it like a risotto. This trick really speeds up the recipe - no waiting for a pot of water to boil, no draining, and one (pressure cooker) pot to clean. Weeknight macaroni and cheese is now within my reach. 1
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 16 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces shredded parmesan cheese
Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
How to Make Pressure Cooker Mac and Cheese
Pressure cook the pasta for 4 minutes with a quick release
Stir the macaroni, butter, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt, and 4 cups water in the pressure cooker pot. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes in an electric PC or stovetop PC. (For an Instant Pot, use Manual or Pressure Cook mode, and set the time to 4 minutes.) When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
Stir in the evaporated milk and cheese
Turn the heat under the pot down to low (or turn the electric pressure cooker to sauté-low or keep warm mode), and stir in the evaporated milk. Test a piece of pasta by taking a bite - it should be al dente, but cooked through. If the pasta is still tough in the middle, simmer it for a few minutes, until it is tender. Stir in the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the current handful to melt before adding the next handful.
Top with breadcrumbs and broil
Optional step, if you like a toasted bread crumb topping: Pour the macaroni into a 3 quart broiler-safe dish, patting it down to level out the surface. Sprinkle the panko over the macaroni and cheese in an even layer. Broil the macaroni and cheese on high until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes. Check the bread crumbs often - they go from pale brown to burnt in a flash.
Quick Tips
Ratio of 1 cup of water to 4 ounces of pasta
4 cups of water is just enough to cook 1 pound (16 ounces) of pasta. No draining is necessary; the water will be absorbed by the pasta. If you have a smaller box of pasta - 12 ounces and 13.25 ounces are common sizes of whole wheat pasta - cut the water back to 3 cups. (Everything else can stay the same.)
Serve with a bottle of hot sauce at the table.
I like Frank’s Red Hot, or the smoky flavor of chipotle hot sauce.
Watch the bread crumbs under the broiler
I have burned a lot of bread crumbs in my day. I set a timer for 1 minute intervals while I’m broiling, in case I get distracted. (By a homework meltdown…just to pick a hypothetical example). I have the timer to remind me - “Oh no! The breadcrumbs!”
Storage & Reheating
I save leftover mac and cheese in 2-cup containers. It will last in the refrigerator for a few days, or in the freezer for months. (Mac and cheese freezes well). I reheat 2-cup containers of mac and cheese in the microwave - it takes about 2 minutes to reheat from the refrigerator, or 6 minutes from frozen. (Your microwaving time may be different, depending on how powerful your microwave is.)
Print
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Pressure Cooker mac and cheese - quick, easy, and better than the dreaded blue box.
Adapted from: America’s Test Kitchen Pressure Cooker Perfection
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons table salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- 16 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 ounces shredded Parmigiano cheese
Bread Crumb Topping (optional)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Pressure cook the pasta for 4 minutes with a quick release: Stir the macaroni, butter, mustard, hot pepper sauce, salt, and 4 cups water in the pressure cooker pot. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes in an electric PC or stovetop PC. (For an Instant Pot, use Manual or Pressure Cook mode, and set the time to 4 minutes.) When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
- Stir in the evaporated milk and cheese: Turn the heat under the pot down to low (or turn the electric pressure cooker to sauté-low or keep warm mode), and stir in the evaporated milk. Test a piece of pasta by taking a bite - it should be al dente, but cooked through. If the pasta is still tough in the middle, simmer it for a few minutes, until it is tender. Stir in the cheese one handful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the current handful to melt before adding the next handful.
- Top with breadcrumbs and broil: Optional step, if you like a toasted bread crumb topping: Pour the macaroni into a 3 quart broiler-safe dish, patting it down to level out the surface. Sprinkle the panko over the macaroni and cheese in an even layer. Broil the macaroni and cheese on high until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes. Check the bread crumbs often - they go from pale brown to burnt in a flash.
Equipment
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Video: How to make Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese (5:13)
Video: Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese [YouTube.com]
What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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Click here for my other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker recipes
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Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Thank you!
Rhonda-n-TX says
After decades of making this staple dish, I am here to tell you, this is the best recipe everrrrrrr! My substitutions: boiled pasta in chicken stock(use less salt); used Cholula4pepper sauce; &added crumbled 🥓 bacon2make it a one-dish meal. TYTYTYTYTY
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome!
Sam says
Thanks for this, made it today for my teenagers,a hit where all previous attempts have been misses. Not sure what hot sauce is (Australia), so I left it out.
Also shared via link with Facebook pressure cooking page too.
Sam
Alice says
I used siracha, and that worked fine. Lousiana Hot Sauce or Tabasco would work too.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You're welcome - glad you enjoyed it!
Instantpot-obsessed says
This is awesome! I've been looking everywhere for pasta recipes for the instantpot. I'm really excited to try this macaroni and cheese - I would love to cook pasta without the hassle. Thank you.
Rita says
Mike, you nailed the Mac & Cheese! I tried it your way and realized why, although we liked the extra-creamy version of the book's for a change, it was really too creamy for us. Dropping that extra milk did the trick and it more resembled our standard favorite roux-based baked macaroni that my Mom used to make. Leftovers were also very good, although just a tad drier. One adult did not have the freshly made version but had 3 helpings of the leftovers! Thanks for sharing!
Somehow "Ideas in Food" escaped my notice. I like what I see and it's on my wish list and can't wait to dive into it. I envy you your copy of "Modernist."
saramcinky says
Rita, when serving leftover pasta you get best results by adding a bit of moisture. For mac & cheese I usually add 1-2 tbsp milk per cup. As the pasta warms up and you stir, it will absorb the liquid. Creamy texture returned.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
That's from the Ideas in Food recipe, and I liked the results with one can. (I guess I like a thicker Mac and cheese.)
Rita says
Mike, I see that you've doubled the book's recipe but only used 1 can (instead of 2) of evaporated milk. The first time I made this recipe (from the book) I thought the sauce was a little too thin but found that by the time I crumbed it and served it, it had thickened pretty well. Any special reason for halving the evaporated milk? Flavor?
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You're welcome. Glad you liked it- and, of course, Bacon.
Ross A says
Holy cow, Mike, this recipe is AWESOME! I just made it for my family with my new pressure cooker (first one). I added some crispy bacon - because...bacon...but it would have been top notch without it. As a working Dad and the sole cook in the family I'm glad that I came across your blog recently while looking for pressure cooker recipes. Thanks again - keep it up!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Leslie,
That's an estimate of the total cooking time, start to finish. Roughly: * Ten minutes to get the pot up to pressure
* 4 minutes under pressure
* 5 minutes to stir in the cheese, waiting for it to melt
* 5 minutes to get it in the pan and broil
So, that's about 24 minutes. I rounded up to 30 just in case. 🙂
Marie says
THANK YOU for including the "getting to pressure time," so many recipes don't do that and the time is a little misleading - trying this tonight. For those who might not like the full on taste of sharp cheddar, when I've made my homemade mac&chs, I use half sharp cheddar and half monterey jack.
Leslie says
Just bought a PC - not yet used it. Hope to try this soon - but I have a question. The recipe says cooking time 30 minutes. I only see 4 mins on high, and perhaps a little simmering if the noodles aren't al dente. Where is the other time coming from?
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Great! Glad you enjoyed it. Have fun with your pressure cooker.
Sherrene says
I just bought my first pressure cooker and used your mac and cheese recipe to break it in. I had to modify it a bit as I didn't have evaporated milk on hand, but I am in love...with both the PC and your recipe! I'm scouring your site for more recipes to use. Thanks!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Adding sodium citrate can't hurt, from what I've read in Modernist Cuisine. But it's already pretty smooth with the evaporated milk.
I like the flavor of sharp cheddar, but another way to get things a little smoother is to use a cheese that melts easier. Like a colby-jack mix. Or, if you want to really cheat, use a cheese that's designed for melting - velveeta. (Yes, velveeta. It's the secret of tex-mex combo plates everywhere.)
nitengaleo says
I use velveeta perfect all the time
Jamie Jarvis says
I have read that is important to grate your own cheese for a smooth sauce. Using pre-grated cheese from the store has an anti caking agent that will not make a smooth sauce.
Mike Vrobel says
That hasn't been my experience. I almost always use pre-grated cheese, and it melts just fine for me.
Matt Hanson says
Do you think there might be any value in adding a little bit of sodium citrate to make the cheese sauce smoother, or is it already plenty smooth with the evaporated milk? In either case, I definitely like the idea of making m&c w/o roux.