Instant Pot tuna mac and cheese
Creamy, cheesy macaroni with tuna and sweet peas, cooked in one pot with no draining and no standing over the stove.
- 25 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.84 a serving
- 710 calories
- Good the next day
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 12 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- 2 cans canned tuna, drained and flaked
From your pantry
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 710 calories, 40 g protein, 72 g carbs and 28 g fat, and costs about $1.84 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No elbow macaroni? Penne works.
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No frozen peas? Frozen mixed vegetables work.
- No milk? Half-and-half works.
- No shredded cheddar? Cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese or Monterey Jack cheese works.
- No canned tuna? Canned salmon works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Put the macaroni, water, salt, butter, mustard and garlic powder in the pressure cooker and so all the pasta sits under the water.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
Timer: 4 min
Dolly’s tip: It takes about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the countdown starts.Turn the valve to venting to release the pressure, keeping your hand and face away from the steam.
Dolly’s tip: Nudge the valve with a long spoon handle if the hiss makes you jumpy.Open the lid and in the frozen peas and milk. It will look a little watery, and that’s right.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Add the cheddar a handful at a time, until it into a smooth sauce.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
the tuna and pepper and let it sit for 2 minutes, until the sauce and the peas are hot.
Fold. Folding means mixing gently by scooping from the bottom and turning it over the top, instead of stirring hard. It keeps light mixtures airy and soft things like berries or herbs in one piece.
How you’ll know: You use slow, wide strokes and stop as soon as there are no streaks left.
Thicken. Thickening means cooking a sauce or soup until it’s less runny, by simmering it down or adding something like cornstarch. A thicker sauce clings to food instead of pooling on the plate.
How you’ll know: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape.
Timer: 2 min
Food safety: Rotisserie chicken, deli meat, canned tuna and cooked shrimp are already cooked. Keep them cold until you use them, and heat them until steaming hot if the recipe warms them.
once more and serve right away.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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