Making Boxed Macaroni in the Instant Pot - Easy Peasy
Try this recipe for making boxed macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot. It's an easy and quick way to prepare this classic comfort food.
Try this recipe for making boxed macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot. It's an easy and quick way to prepare this classic comfort food.
- Carbohydrate 0.13632 g
- Cholesterol 488.48 mg
- Fat 184.28192 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 1.9312 g
- Saturated Fat 116.708096 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (525g)
- Sodium 1322.892 mg
- Sugar 0.13632 g
- Trans Fat 12.900416 g
- Calories 1629 calories
Step-by-step
- Add the water and milk into the Instant Pot
- Then add in the pasta, cheese packet, and butter and stir.
- Place the lid on your IP and set to seal (the vent)
- Select manual high pressure for 2 minutes.
- Let it naturally release. At the 2 minute LO2, let the pressure out, (be careful, the steam will escape so place a towel over the vent)
- Open the lid, mix well,
- Plate to serve, enjoy!
Boxed pasta packages rarely account for the starch release that occurs inside a sealed pressure vessel. Starch molecules hydrate rapidly at temperatures above 212 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a gummy boundary layer if the liquid ratio is incorrect. Water volume must be strictly controlled to prevent the noodles from disintegrating before the timer finishes.
- Use exactly 1.5 cups of liquid to hydrate 7 ounces of dry macaroni without leaving excess standing water in the stainless steel insert.
- Set the manual high pressure cycle to exactly 2 minutes to prevent the pasta from turning to mush.
- Perform a natural release for 2 minutes before manually venting the remaining steam through a towel to avoid scalding.
- Freezing cooked pasta in dairy-based sauces alters the emulsion. The fat will separate upon thawing, leaving a grainy texture when reheated.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and add 1 tablespoon of milk before reheating on 50 percent power to restore moisture.
Temperature control dictates the final viscosity of the cheese sauce. Cooling the mixture too quickly causes the fats to solidify unevenly around the starch granules.
