Satisfy your comfort food cravings with this hearty Instant Pot Macaroni And Cheese With Beef recipe. Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy dinners at home, this dish combines tender ground beef with creamy, cheesy pasta for a deliciously satisfying meal. With simple ingredients and easy preparation, it's a family-friendly favorite that never fails to please.
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Why This Recipe Works
- When you think of comfort food, macaroni and cheese with cheddar cheese and beef is a perfect dish. It's easy to make, everyone loves it, and simple to customize. The fact that you can make this in the Instant Pot just elevates it to a great option for your weekly meal plan.
📋 Ingredients
My version of this recipe includes basic ingredients. Feel free to customize to your own preferences of flavor.
- Lean Ground Beef: Adds a hearty, savory component to the Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Beef, turning it into a complete meal.
- Green Bell Pepper & Yellow Onion: Bring a fresh crunch and a hint of sweetness, balancing out the rich flavors.
- Dry Elbow Macaroni Pasta: Elbow macaroni noodles perfectly holds onto the creamy sauce.
- Water: Essential for cooking the noodles in the Instant Pot, ensuring they are perfectly tender.
- Onion Powder, Dry Mustard & Pepper: Add depth and warmth to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor profile of Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Beef.
- Butter: Gives the Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Beef a rich, velvety texture and a hint of indulgent flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a tangy note and contributes to a luxuriously creamy sauce.
- Milk: Helps create the smooth, creamy base for your cheese sauce.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Melts into the sauce, giving the Instant Pot macaroni and cheese with beef its classic, tangy, cheesy flavor.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Ways To Make Cheeseburger Mac Unique
- If you don't have all of the ingredients or just want to make it a bit different, you can easily customize this to your favorite flavors. Below are a few things that are perfect for using in this recipe to give it a fresh flavor.
- Replace water with chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth, bone broth, or even tomato bouillon.
- Experiment with different cheeses like gruyere, Swiss, Colby, or pepper jack.
- Swap out vegetables or add additional into the mix such as mushrooms. This macaroni and cheese with beef can be customized with squash, carrots, tomatoes, or even jalapeno if you want heat!
- Use Italian sausage, ground chicken, ground chicken, ground turkey, ground bison, or even ground pork.
🔪How To Make Macaroni And Cheese With Beef In The Instant Pot
Step One: Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add the onions, bell pepper, and ground beef to the pot and cook, stirring regularly, until the meat is browned and cooked through.
Step Two: Drain off any excess grease and return the meat and veggies to the inner pot. Add veggies, macaroni pasta, water, spices, and butter. Stir together and make sure that the noodles are covered in liquid.
Step Three: Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the pressure valve to seal. Cook on manual high pressure for 4 minutes. Allow for a quick pressure release after the cooking time is up. Once the pressure is released, stir the mixture and make sure the pasta is tender.
Step Four: Once the pressure is released, stir the mixture and make sure the pasta is tender. Add in the cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Stir the macaroni and cheese with beef mixture until the cheese is melted.
Step Five: Add the milk, a bit at a time, until it is the desired consistency. Taste and season if needed to taste.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Brown the Beef First: Use the sauté function on your Instant Pot to brown the ground beef thoroughly before adding any other ingredients. This not only cooks the beef but also adds a deep, savory flavor to the dish. Drain any excess grease to keep the dish from being too oily.
- Season Well: During the browning process, season the beef generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and any other spices you prefer (like paprika or onion powder). This helps to layer the flavors from the start.
- Use the Right Pasta: Choose a sturdy pasta like elbow macaroni or shells that can hold up under pressure without becoming mushy. Add the dry pasta directly to the pot after browning the beef and deglazing with a little broth or water.
- Liquid Proportions: Ensure there is enough liquid in the pot to properly cook the pasta but not too much that it becomes soupy. A good rule of thumb is to just barely cover the pasta and beef mixture with liquid.
- Stir in Dairy After Cooking: After the pasta and beef are cooked, stir in dairy ingredients like shredded cheese, a splash of milk, or even a dollop of cream cheese. Adding these after pressure cooking prevents the dairy from curdling and helps achieve a smooth, creamy texture.
- Quick Release to Avoid Overcooking: Use the quick release function on your Instant Pot as soon as the cooking cycle is complete. This stops the cooking process immediately, preventing the pasta from overcooking and ensuring it remains perfectly al dente.
- Add Freshness: Before serving, consider stirring in some fresh ingredients for contrast, such as chopped parsley, diced tomatoes, or green onions. This not only adds color but also enhances the flavors with a fresh touch.
💭 FAQs
Maintain the freshness and flavor of your Gourmet Mac and Cheese, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Seal the container tightly to prevent odors. Refrigerate promptly after eating to prolong freshness.
Freeze Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Beef in airtight containers or bags to prevent freezer burn. Label with the date; it stays good for up to three months.
Add extra milk or broth gradually during cooking, and stir often to keep the sauce smooth; consider adding the cheese after pressure cooking.
Yes—you can substitute the beef with vegetables or a plant-based protein, though the flavor and texture will differ slightly.
Yes, any type of pasta works, but you may need to adjust the cooking time based on the pasta variety.
Serving Suggestions
Try gourmet mac and cheese with the following sides:
- Garlic Parmesan Broccoli: Toss broccoli with olive oil, minced garlic, and Parmesan, then cook in the Air Fryer.
- Bacon Brussels Sprouts: Crisp Brussels sprouts in bacon fat, then sprinkle with crispy bacon bits for a savory crunch.
- Lemon Garlic Asparagus Spears: Sauté asparagus in garlic and lemon zest until vibrant and tender, adding a zesty touch to your meal.
- Grilled Chicken: Grilled chicken breast or thighs make for a protein-rich addition that complements the beef in the mac and cheese.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Make Gourmet Mac and Cheese in Your Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 Green Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Onion diced
- 3 cups Elbow Noodles
- 3 ¼ cup Water
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 3 ounces Cream Cheese
- ¾ cup Milk
- 3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
Instructions
- First, in saute mode, cook the onions, bell pepper, add ground beef and cook until it has browned.
- Then, drain the grease.
- Next, return the browned meat and vegetables to the inner pot.
- When the meat is finished, you will combine the next 6 ingredients on top of the ground beef mixture in the inner pot. Before you close the lid, make sure the noodles are all submerged in liquid.
- Close the instant pot lid and turn the pressure valve to seal. Cook on manual high pressure for 4 minutes.
- Allow for a quick pressure release after the cooking time is up.
- Then add in the remaining ingredients, stirring in the cream cheese and cheddar cheese to melt with the pasta. Simultaneously, add the milk a little at a time.
- Your Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Beef is all set! Serve it warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Instant Pot Recipes to try!
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