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Cheap 'n Easy Mac 'n Cheese with the InstantPot

Previously we experimented with steaming rice in the InstantPot for just 1 minute and letting the residual heat and pressure cook the rice. It turns out, you can do the same with pasta! And then make it mac 'n cheese by adding cheese at the end.
  1. Put your pasta in a bowl with just enough water to cover the pasta.
  2. Add water to the InstantPot, then sit the bowl in this water bath.
  3. Use Steam setting for 1 minute.
  4. As soon as the float valve has popped up you can turn off the power.
    • This of course indicates there is dangerously hot pressured steam in the InstantPot.
    • You don't actually need to wait for the 1 minute Steam program to run.
  5. Wait 10 minutes then release the pressure.
    • Or, just wait for the pressure to naturally release. If you didn't use an excessive amount of water, it's fine to leave it in the InstantPot for a long time because there won't be a lot of water left over to absorb and become soggy, and the steam in the InstantPot will ensure it doesn't dry out.
  6. Add cheese on top then cover the InstantPot again. Wait a couple of minutes for the steam to melt the cheese.
  7. Take out your bowl of pasta and mix well.
The pasta may look a bit dry on top and water pooled at the bottom of the bowl will make the pasta there wetter. But overall the firmness should be okay -- just be sure to stir well before eating.


You can add the cheese right at the start (slide 2), onto the raw pasta and water. But I found that the cheese tended to cake onto the top (slide 3) and didn't mix as well into the pasta when you try to stir it.

SPECIAL CAUTION: The bowl you used will be really hot for a long time! Be careful handling it!

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