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Do you ever struggle to find a weeknight meal option that’s not only quick and easy to make but also something your whole family will enjoy? I think that’s something we all go through but even more so now with spending more time at home. How do you keep the meals exciting? How do you add variety to your weekly menu? It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and eat the same old meals week after week, and COVID hasn’t helped!
The occasional takeout meal is fine, but I’ve definitely been getting good use out of my kitchen appliances. Some of which I rarely use, but it’s been fun to find recipes to make in them and familiarize myself with the appliance so I can use it more often.
My most recent recipe is for Simple Instant Pot Mac & Cheese. Like the recipe name says, it’s simple 🙂 And it’s a one-pot dish. The ingredients cook in the Instant Pot for 4 minutes, plus the time it takes to preheat, so let’s say this is a 15-minute meal. It’s incredibly easy to make on a busy weeknight or if you’re in a pinch!
I use shredded cheddar cheese to get the ooey gooey goodness of mac & cheese, but you can use whichever cheese you prefer to match your taste. Since it’s such a simple recipe, I suggest playing around with different cheese combinations to change the flavor. That’ll give you plenty of easy meals in a row and you might end up with some combinations you never thought would taste good together!
The recipe can be found here.
Start by adding the uncooked elbow macaroni, 4 cups of water, and salt to the bowl of the Instant Pot. The water should mostly cover the noodles. Close the lid and make sure the valve is in the “sealed” position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 4 minutes.
Feel free to use other noodle shapes if you prefer but make sure to keep them approximately the same size as elbow macaroni for consistent cooking, or you’ll have to adjust the pressure-cooking time.
Quick release the steam until the pin drops. Be careful to not burn yourself! Remove the lid and stir the noodles.
Add in the evaporated milk, butter, and another ¼ cup of water. Stir to combine and melt the butter.
Add the cheddar cheese (or another kind of cheese), about 1 cup at a time, and stir until completely melted and combined. I use between 3-4 cups of cheese but you can use more or less, depending on how cheesy you want the noodles.
If the cheese isn’t melting, turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and continue to stir until the cheese has melted. The additional heat might be helpful in this case but make sure to not leave the Instant Pot on for too long, so you don’t burn the noodles!
Serve hot, right out of the Instant Pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. You can also add a few dashes of hot sauce for some heat. Or try adding some (pre-cooked) sliced brats for a more grown-up mac & cheese. Enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Happy Cooking!
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