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bowl of spinach mac and cheese
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Instant Pot Spinach Mac and Cheese

Creamy and delicious with a little spinach for good measure, this spinach mac and cheese is fit for a meal or a side dish the family will love!
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Time to pressure 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 326kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ pound elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or ¼ teaspoon ground mustard)
  • teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup warm milk
  • 2 cups shredded Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar
  • ¼ cup shredded Cabot Alpine Cheddar Cheese
  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach
  • fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add pasta, broth, mustard, and garlic powder, to the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Stir to combine.
  • Close the lid and set to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure 3 minutes. Wait for it to come to pressure. (It took my Instant Pot 5 minutes to reach pressure.) Using an oven mitt or towel, do a quick release and carefully open the lid so the steam escapes away from you.
  • While hot, add the warm milk and shredded cheeses. Stir continuously until the cheese melts into a smooth creamy sauce. If there’s excessive liquid, saute the mixture for 3-5 minutes on normal heat.
  • Stir in the spinach. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Taste and add cracked black pepper to taste and salt if needed. Enjoy warm with a salad if you’d like even more veggies.

Notes

Allow time for the cheese sauce to thicken

If there’s excessive liquid, saute the cooked pasta and cheese mixture for 3-5 minutes on normal heat. Do not overcook.
The key to a thick creamy sauce is time - allow the mac and cheese to sit about 5 minutes before diving in.
 

Trying this recipe without an Instant Pot? 

You can use this recipe for any electric pressure cooker. And I do recommend this one-pot method since it's quick and easy!

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 631mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3401IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 349mg | Iron: 1mg