National Macaroni and Cheese Day is July 14th and we are going to celebrate and dive into a bowl (or three) of cheesy goodness! Everyone loves a good ole' mac and cheese and there are so many different variations out there. We've put together three different versions for you: An easy 5 ingredient macaroni and cheese; a Keto friendly macaroni and cheese; and of course we had to throw in a macaroni and cheese in your instant pot. Hey, we might be a little biased, but anything with macaroni is "Gucci" in our books!
5 Ingredient Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 5 cups of milk
- 1 pound dry elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil.
- Add the pasta and stir constantly until the pasta is cooked about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir constantly, as you can burn the milk easily.
- Turn off the heat, then add in the cheddar, butter, and mustard.
- Stir until the cheese is melted, the other ingredients are blended well.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of dry elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup of whole milk or half and half
Instructions:
- Add the uncooked macaroni, chicken broth, butter, mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and nutmeg into the pressure cooker.
- Place the lid on the pot and set to sealing.
- Cook on manual function, high pressure for 5 minutes. Then, do a quick release.
- Stir in the cheeses and milk until smooth. Add more milk if needed.
Keto-Friendly Faux Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 large heads cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (Reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Fill a pot with water, boil, and add cauliflower. Boil until the cauliflower is soft, about 10 minutes or just until soft (al dente). Turn off heat, drain, and return to pot.
- In a small bowl, mix all of the seasonings together to combine.
- Add cream, butter, cream cheese, 2 cups of the shredded cheese and mixed seasonings to the pot and stir well. Taste for salt and pepper seasoning and add a dash more heavy cream if needed.
- Pour into a baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
Optional: Garnish with paprika and/or parsley.