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Back when I had my first baby, my husband’s grandma brought over a big casserole dish full of mac and cheese.
You guys, I was ecstatic. I loved mac and cheese and I was exhausted beyond belief. An already cooked dinner that I knew I was going to enjoy. Yasss.
Then I peeled back the foil to heat it up and I saw all of this weirdness happening in there. To be specific, there was smoked sausage. All up in my macaroni and cheese.
I admit to nothing, but there may have been tears.
I mean, who would ruin mac and cheese that way and then give it to a hormonal new mother?
I decided to just pick around the sausage until my husband convinced me to just grow up and try a bite of the sausage.
Y’all. I am forever in that man’s debt. I’m now hooked on mac and cheese with smoked sausage. Why is it so good? I will never know. But I will always keep eating it and trying to find out.
Anyway, I jumped on the Instant Pot craze, along with the rest of the country, and I figured I’d better learn how to make some pressure cooker mac and cheese. I’ve made this a few times now, experimenting a little each time until I came to this piece of perfection. I started this off with a base recipe I picked up in one of those huge Instant Pot facebook groups, but I’ve changed things up a bit to suit my taste.
I think you’re going to love how this turns out. It’s so creamy and super cheesy. The smoked sausage is divine in here and, in my opinion, switches this over from a side dish to a main dish. Serve with a green salad and you’re good to go.
Check out my pressure cooker pinto beans and my pressure cooker carnitas, too!
Pressure Cooker Mac and Cheese with Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked sausage
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound macaroni uncooked
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar grated
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack grated
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker to saute on high. Heat the oil in the pot.
- Slice the smoked sausage into 1/4 inch rounds and place in the pot, cooking until browned on each. Remove sausage from the pot and set aside.
- Add the macaroni, water, mustard powder, salt, and pepper to the pot.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and set to sealing.
- Cook on manual pressure for 3 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
- Turn the pressure cooker to saute and stir in the evaporate milk.
- Stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, until it's all melted and combined.
- Stir the sausage into the macaroni and cheese, top with parsley, and serve.
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Smoked sausage sounds like SUCH a delicious addition to mac and cheese, and I love that this is made in the Instant Pot! I wish I had a big bowl of this in front of me to dig into for lunch 🙂
Stephanie says
Instant pots are ALL THE RAGE, why haven’t I gotten one yet?! People keep asking me to! I’ll absolutely refer those peeps to this recipe in the meantime… because YUM…. I love me some mac & cheese! Amazing pics, as always!
Annie says
Oooh this looks fantastic! Adding it to my instant pot meal ideas, thank you!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
This looks incredible, Karly! We jumped on the Instant Pot deal on Black Friday and I am always looking for new recipes to try. Totally making this soon!
Karly says
Hope you give it a try…it’s my favorite way to make mac and cheese these days!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
I made it yesterday and we LOVED it!! Totally going on our regular rotation! Thanks Karly! 🙂
Karly says
So glad to hear that! 🙂
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
I have never heard of an Instant Pot before but looked it up on the net- Wow- it even has a yogurt maker function? PLUS, makes a great Mac ‘n Cheese. I’m in!!
Karly says
Yes!! And the yogurt really is easy to make, too!
Ashley - The Recipe Rebel says
I made this tonight — my first time doing pasta in the Instant Pot — and it worked perfectly! Will definitely be making again 🙂
Karly says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Debs says
I don’t usually make mac and cheese because my husband doesn’t eat cheese (I know!!!) But I think I’m just gonna have to make this for myself and eat it as dinner for 1!
Julie says
I don’t have an instant pot yet and this looks like the perfect reason to buy one. I wonder if this could be made in a crock pot also?
Karly says
I’m not sure! Something to try, though. 🙂
nancyabc says
I love mac, cheese, and sausage but I also like mac and cheese with Cincinnati chili.
No instant pot but I did grow up with a mother that used a pressure cooker all the time. I don’t know why I never got one because I loved her recipes cooked in one especially her stuffed peppers.
Karly says
That sounds amazing!!
And yes, you should definitely try an Instant Pot!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
I would have thought the same thing Karly! Your Mac & Cheese looks perfect – the creamy texture is velvety and it’s got just the right about of cheese to noodle. I love smoked sausage and bet it is magnificent in this dish! I haven’t jumped into the Instapot thing yet – but you have inspired me! Have a lovely week.
Mary says
Does this make a really soft macaroni or al dente?
Karly says
It’s more soft than al dente, but doesn’t turn to mush.
Megan {Country Cleaver} says
If I wasn’t convinced enough to get an Instapot – I am NOW!!!
Karly says
It’s worth it for this mac and cheese alone!
Ashley - The Recipe Rebel says
Karly, I am seriously so hungry right now it practically hurts to look at that deliciousness. I just got my Instant Pot after Christmas and have only used it a few times, but this is DEFINITELY happening. Like SOON.
Ann says
I’ve been on the fence about the Instant Pot, but I think I might have to go for it!
Karly says
You’ll love it! I use mine a lot more often than I thought I would!
Taylor Thurston says
SMOKED SAUSAGE?! In MAC & CHEESE?! DUDE! Granny is a genius.
Karly says
Agree. 😉
Claudia says
Now to that add a fresh tomato cut up small. The tomato will bring this to a whole new level.
I just do Kraft Deluxe Mac and cheese, add Johnsonville beef sausage cut up small and at least one big maybe two tomatoes. Yes the tomatoes in my humble opinion just give this dish even more flavor and tomatoes are healthy.