I’m now fully immersed in the world of Instant Pot cooking. I wonder how I ever survived making weeknight dinners without the speed and ease of the pressure cooker. I’ve been slowly adjusting my dinner and side dish recipes from their stove and crock pot versions to whip up in the Instant Pot. And so enters the Instant Pot Panera mac and cheese recipe.
After discovering what is now my favorite and new go-to way to make macaroni and cheese, I realized how easily Panera’s take on the classic side dish can be made in the pressure cooker to mimic the taste almost exactly.
With a blend of American and white cheddar cheeses, and a touch of Dijon, this mac and cheese is creamy, delicious, and perfect in every way, especially since it’s ready in less than twenty minutes.
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Clearly I love mac and cheese.I also have recipes forslow cooker beer mac and cheese,microwave mac and cheese in a mug, homemadeKraft Easy Mac, and evenmac and cheese in a muffin tin. You might also like this roundup of20 crock pot mac and cheese recipes.
Drain the water.After you make the pasta in the pressure cooker and before you add the milk and cheese, if there is any remaining water in the pot, drain the pasta. I was able to pour most of the liquid from the Instant Pot slowly by tipping over the sink (with a colander beneath, just in case). If you do drain the pasta, you may want to add a pinch more salt and even a bit more butter to the final mac and cheese.
The valve!To keep the pasta from over-cooking, I use the quick release valve to let the steam escape as soon as the 4 minutes of pressure cooking is complete, rather than let the steam release slowly and naturally. However, when cooking pasta, the pasta water can spurt up through the quick release valve. Wearing a potholder or silicone gloves, turn the quick release in short spurts, closing the valve if the pasta water begins to spurt through the valve.
how to make Instant Pot Panera mac and cheese
Place a 16 ounce box of large shell pasta, 4 cups of water, 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, and 4 tablespoons butter in the Instant Pot. Give it a quick stir. Secure the top and seal the valve. Use the pressure setting and set the clock to 4 minutes. The Pot will take about ten minutes to pressurize before the clock starts counting down.
When the 4 minutes is up, use the quick release valve to release the steam.Protect your hands with a potholder or silicone glovesand turn the valve. If the pasta water starts to spurt, close the valve, wait about 15 seconds, and continue to turn the valve in brief intervals until the spurting stops. Let all of the steam release until the float valve descends and it is safe to remove the lid.
If there is a significant amount of water in the pot, drain the water by gently pouring the water off into the sink. You needn’t drain every last drop. Keep a colander in the sink just in case the pasta falls from the pot.
Stir in 1 cup of milk, 8 ounces of freshly shredded white cheddar cheese (about 2 rounded cups) and 4 ounces white American cheese (4 to 6 slices). If you had to drain the pasta, you might also want to add a bit of butter and a pinch of salt, to taste. Stir in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard. If desired, stir in some black pepper and a dash of hot sauce.
You may put the Instant Pot in warming mode to help melt the cheese. For less creamy cheese, start with only 1/2 cup of milk and add more as desired.
According to a Panera manager from New Jersey, the chain's macaroni and cheese does come frozen when it arrives at store locations. Each day, the staff "re-thermalizes" bags when a serving is ordered. The process of re-thermalizing, or reheating, takes place in a device like the one shown in the viral video.
How to Make Boxed Mac and Cheese Taste Better. To improve the tang and overall cheesiness of your boxed mac, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt to the cooked and drained pasta while it's still warm. Toss to combine, then stir in the cheese powder until it's uniformly blended.
Out of those calories, 580 calories come from fat, making it a high-fat option. The mac and cheese contain 64 grams of fat, including 35 grams of saturated fat and 2 grams of trans fats, which can negatively impact cardiovascular health.
Like all other food, mac and cheese can only sit out at room temperature for two hours before entering the “danger zone.” If temperatures are high, above 90 °F, mac and cheese should not be left out for longer than one hour.
Panera's mac and cheese is made offsite, in a centralized kitchen, then shipped frozen to locations. Employees reheat bags of the mac and cheese individually when customers order the dish.
Finally, using a plain yogurt is one of the best options for replacing milk in kraft mac and cheese! A plain whole milk yogurt or a greek yogurt would work well. Mix it in the same way you'd mix in sour cream, until it is well incorporated. This may have a slightly tangier flavor, but that is a personal preference.
What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.
And I love how dry mustard powder helps emphasize the cheesy flavor. Some readers like to add a hefty pinch of onion powder, others love a bit of nutmeg. If you like heat, adding jalapeños is delicious (get my Jalapeño Mac & Cheese recipe here).
Macaroni and cheese can be made by simply layering slices of cheese and pasta (often with butter or evaporated milk) then baking in a casserole, rather than preparing as a cheese sauce.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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