I love finding ways to sneak vegetables into my family’s favorite comfort food, and this mac ‘n’ cheese fits the bill. When you cook the cauliflower, sauce, and pasta together at the same time in your Instant Pot, the cauliflower becomes so tender that it completely dissolves into the sauce when you give it a stir--no additional equipment needed. I’ve added extra seasonings here so you can use less cheese than traditional recipes call for, but be sure to use an extra-sharp Cheddar to maximize the cheesy flavor.
Omit the whole-wheat pasta and use gluten-free pasta instead. Because gluten-free pasta is prone to foaming when cooked under pressure, I use only 3 cups water and cook on high pressure for 0 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 8 minutes before removing the lid, which should reduce your chances of having foam spurt from the release vent. Continue as directed above.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pour the pasta into the Instant Pot and add the water, soy sauce, mustard, and salt. Stir well to combine, then add the cauliflower on top without stirring, making sure that the cauliflower layer completely covers the pasta for even cooking. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Manual/ Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. While the pot is coming to pressure, shred the Cheddar (you should have about 1 cup, tightly packed).
Step 2
When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
Step 3
When the floating valve drops, remove the lid and stir the pasta well, using a spatula to break up any pasta that has stuck together or stuck to the bottom of the pot. (A little sticking is to be expected, but it will loosen up when you stir.) Use the spatula to mash any intact cauliflower florets against the side of the pot to help them dissolve into the pasta sauce.
Step 4
Add the Cheddar and parmesan and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed and serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
Recipe notes
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