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Home / Recipes / Pressure Cooker / Pressure Cooker Pasta / Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

March 26, 2016 By Jill Selkowitz / 7 Comments Updated October 14, 2019 / As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs I earn from qualifying purchases; see all disclosures.

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Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese is a twist of my Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese, using Mexican cheese and a bit more heat!

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  • Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese
  • Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese
  • Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

A close up of Mexican Macaroni pasta in a bowl

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese


Everybody loves Macaroni and Cheese and everybody loves Raymond, I mean, America’s Test Kitchen Mac & Cheese, so here is another incarnation, with a Mexican flair. It’s super rich and creamy.

This Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese is similar to my traditional Mac & Cheese, but with a Mexican flair. Check out my Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with an optional Crispy Bacon Garlic Breadcrumb Topping.

 

Ingredients for Macaroni and Cheese

The Mexican Cheese Blend gives this Mac & Cheese a smooth and creamy texture.

Mild or Sharp Cheddar balances out the taste.

We prefer heavy cream, but evaporated milk also works.

 

20160320_154500

How cute is Cavatappi pasta? I love the curly whirly of this past and I love that the cheese gets stuck inside and when you take a bite, you get a little squirt of cheese sauce in your mouth. I can’t always find it in my area, so I order in bulk from Amazon.

 

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So simple, just add in everything but the cheese into your Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker..

 

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Three minutes for this size and shape pasta is perfect.

If you use a heavier/thicker pasta (rule of thumb is Pressure Cook 1/2 the lesser time it says on the box of pasta and subtract 2 minutes), you might need an extra minute.

 

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Perfection, perfectly cooked pasta in just four minutes! So cute!

The Cavatappi are so inviting and make you feel like a kid again.

 

An Instant Pot of macaroni with cheese

W buy blocks of Cheddar Cheese and grate the cheese as needed.

It’s a much fresher and purer taste.

 

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Then add in the Mexican Cheese and stir until completely combined.

 

An Instant Pot bowl filled with creamy pasta sauce and pasta

The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid, so don’t allow all the liquid to evaporate.

Look how creamy this is; can’t you just taste it?

 

A close up of Mexican Macaroni pasta in a bowl

You can eat the Cavatappi and Cheese as is, which is how I like it, or you can add a Crispy Bacon Garlic Breadcrumb Topping, which my husband absolutely loves.

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

  • Instant Pot DUO Plus, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
  • J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
  • Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
  • Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
  • Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
  • Cilio Olivewood Spatula
  • Alton Brown Salt Box
  • Bellemain Porcelain Ramekins
  • OXO Good Grips Cutting Board
  • Microplane Artisan Ribbon Grater
  • De Cecco Cavatappi Pasta

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Here is the handy printable recipe:

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

5 from 3 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
Pressure Release: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 602kcal
Author: Jill Selkowitz

Ingredients

Macaroni and Cheese

  • 1 pound Cavatappi Pasta or other pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 teaspoons Dry/Ground Mustard Seed
  • 1 Tablespoon Hot Pepper Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt or 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 4 cups Fresh Water
  • 12 oz Heavy Cream or Evaporated Milk
  • 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups Oaxaca Cheese shredded (Monterey Jack or Gruyère work well too)
  • 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add pasta, butter, mustard, hot pepper sauce, heavy cream,* salt and water to Pressure Cooker cooking pot.
  • Lock on lid and close Pressure Valve.  Cook at High Pressure for 2 minutes.  When beep sounds, wait 5 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
  • Turn off Pressure Cooker and then select Saute or Browning and mix in the cheese in three parts, mixing well before adding more. When desired thickness is achieved, turn off Pressure Cooker.
  • Top with Crispy Bacon Topping, if desired.

Notes

Any pasta shells will work. Rule of thumb is to cook pasta for 1/2 the lesser cook time stated on package and then subtract 2 minutes with a 5 minute Natural Pressure Release.
*If using anything other than heavy cream, add it in AFTER pressure release, as opposed to adding it in with the dry pasta and change cook time to 3 minutes.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese
Amount Per Serving (0 g)
Calories 602 Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 24g150%
Cholesterol 97mg32%
Sodium 1190mg52%
Potassium 184mg5%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 865IU17%
Vitamin C 1.5mg2%
Calcium 185mg19%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @ThisOldGalCooks or tag #thisoldgalcooks!
© ThisOldGal.com - Sharing the recipe link to any of my recipes posts are both encouraged and appreciated. Unauthorized and improperly attributed or non-attributed use of this material, including screen shots, copy/paste of full recipes to any social media site, website, mobile application or service (e.g., copymethat, recipe keeper, pepper) or cookbook, without the requisite attribution or otherwise with express written permission from Jill Selkowitz is strictly prohibited. You may share a photo with a link back instead.

PIN this Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese!

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mexican Macaroni and Cheese

2.2K shares
  • 806

March 26, 2016

About Jill Selkowitz

Hi, I'm Jill. I'm a mom to Tonkinese cats and enjoy sharing restaurant quality meals, easily made at home. With my easy step by step photos and directions, new cooks will be able to follow along and cook like rock stars.

Comments

  1. Sue says

    November 22, 2021 at 12:31 pm

    5 stars
    I have made this several times and everyone loves it!! Now I have to make it for 30 people as a side dish, can I double the recipe in an 8 & 6 qt Instant Pot so I’m making 4 batches at one time? Thanks for your help! love your cookbook and on line recipes too!

    Reply
    • Jill Selkowitz says

      November 30, 2021 at 2:52 pm

      Hi Sue. Thank you. An 8 quart should work for doubling recipe. Jill

      Reply
  2. L Alvis says

    January 13, 2018 at 7:57 am

    5 stars
    My teen daughter made this for her friend’s birthday dinner last night. Used mostly cheddar cheese, and elbow mac, but everything else was as written in the recipe. It came out great, and the kids devoured it… best mac and cheese they had ever had.

    Reply
    • Jill says

      January 14, 2018 at 11:57 pm

      Thank you so much. Jill

      Reply
  3. Amara says

    October 24, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    5 stars
    Do you think I can double this recipe in a 6qt pot?

    Reply
  4. Paula says

    May 7, 2016 at 12:51 am

    Can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
    • Jill says

      May 7, 2016 at 3:18 pm

      Hi Paula~

      Thank you for your comment and I hope you enjoy!

      Jill

      Reply

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