The best ever Instant Pot mac and cheese with broccoli! This is one of the easiest dinners that you can make in your Instant Pot. It’s quick, easy, cheesy, and comforting!
Here’s a healthier version of mac and cheese with the addition of broccoli, it’s a family-friendly recipe and a great way to get your kids to eat their veg! Creamy rich sauce, chewy pasta, and loads of cheese!
It makes a great weeknight dinner as it’s ready in just 20 minutes, and it’s made with simple cupboard and fridge ingredients that you already have in your kitchen.
Mac and cheese is perfect for any time of the year, it’s one of these dishes that I never get tired of. Whether it’s Classic Mac and cheese, Chicken Mac and cheese, pumpkin Mac and cheese, or broccoli Mac and cheese, the result is always so comforting and delicious.
The Ingredients
- Macaroni pasta – or any other kind of small pasta such as macaroni, penne, farfalle,
fusilli ,etc. - Broccoli – use fresh broccoli, wash it and cut into florets. Avoid using frozen broccoli as it can become mushy.
- Vegetable stock – make it yourself in the Instant Pot, it’s healthier, tastes better, and saves you a lot of money!
- Garlic, butter, dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Cream, broccoli, and sharp cheddar cheese or any other cheese that you like (Fontina, Monterey Jack, or Colby)
How to make Instant Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- To the Instant Pot, add pasta, butter, garlic, dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Followed by the stock.
- Give the ingredients a quick stir and try to get all of the pasta covered in liquid (add a little bit of water if necessary).
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 5 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 5 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam.
- Carefully remove the lid, give the pasta a stir and check the amount of the liquid, if there’s too much liquid left then you can discard a small amount.
- Stir in the cream and cheese, and add the broccoli florets. Keep stirring until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is creamy. Adjust the seasonings to your preference.
- Cover the lid, and let the broccoli “steam” and soften for a few minutes. Serve warm.
- If for some reason your sauce is a bit too thin, just press on the sauté setting and cook for a few minutes. This should solve the problem.
Reasons why you will LOVE this Mac & Cheese
- It’s SUPER creamy, cheesy, comforting, cozy, easy, and quick to make!
- I love the fact that there’s broccoli in this version of mac and cheese, as I’m one of these people that love their veg! And the broccoli stays crunchy and nice as it’s added at the end and lightly “steams” using the heat of the pasta.
- No unusual ingredients, cheap, simple and tastes great! I mean, you won’t be able to stop at just one bowl!
Storing Tips
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended as the pasta will get soggy and will break. If you want to freeze the pasta, then cook for just 4 minutes at high pressure so it’s al dente and holds its shape better.
When reheating mac and cheese, add a splash of water as the sauce will be too thick.
Recommended Tools
- An Instant Pot, this one is my favorite!
- Wooden spoon.
Follow this link for a stovetop version of this broccoli mac and cheese! And for my more Instant Pot pasta recipes, check out this delicious Instant Pot taco pasta, Instant Pot rasta pasta, and Instant Pot chicken florentine pasta.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Instant Pot Broccoli Mac And Cheese
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) uncooked medium pasta shells
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock add more if needed to cover the pasta
- 1 cup (250ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 head fresh broccoli broken down into florets
Instructions
- To the Instant Pot, add pasta, butter, garlic, dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Followed by the stock.
- Give the ingredients a quick stir and try to get all of the pasta covered in liquid (add a little bit of water if necessary).
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 5 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 5 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam.
- Carefully remove the lid, give the pasta a stir and check the amount of the liquid, if there's too much liquid left then you can discard a small amount.
- Stir in the cream and cheese, and add the broccoli florets. Keep stirring until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is creamy. Adjust the seasonings to your preference.
- Cover the lid, and let the broccoli "steam" and soften for a few minutes. Serve warm.
Notes:
- Use any type of short pasta shape such as macaroni, rotini, fusilli, or pasta shells.
- The most popular choice of cheese is cheddar, don’t use extra sharp or aged cheddar. Go for medium or sharp cheddar, other great choices are Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Fontina, or Colby.
- Substitute heavy cream with half and half if you prefer.
- For a silky smooth rich sauce, get a block of cheese instead of the pre-grated stuff. The pre grated cheese doesn’t melt very well as it contains anti-caking agents.
- When reheating mac and cheese, add a splash of water as the sauce will be too thick.
- The recommended portion size per person is 2-3oz (60-85 grams) of cooked pasta (without broccoli or sauce).
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Nouf says
When I used the “steam function” at the end,I got the burn message after 2mins. Is that because it had too little liquid?
Diana says
Hi Nouf, you’re not supposed to get a burn message as there’s plenty of liquid in this recipe. You don’t need the steam function, use “manual” or “pressure cook” instead. If the pasta got stuck to the bottom, I’d try adding a thin layer of oil to cover the bottom of the pot next time before adding the pasta.
Christina says
Do you not cook the broccoli?
Diana says
You can steam it if you like it tender. But I just add it at the end and cover with the lid so it steams but stays crunchy.