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Pressure Cooker Whole Grain Creamy Mac and Cheese with Roasted Panko Parmesan Broccoli

Top down shot of mac and cheese with broccoli topping

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Less than 30 minutes in the kitchen will get you this Rich, Cheesy, Creamy mac and cheese that is also whole grain and healthy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Mac and Cheese:
  • 1 pound of uncooked whole wheat macaroni (like Tinkyada Brown Rice pasta)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoons Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne (omit if you don’t want the heat)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 ½ cups water
  • 3 cups skim milk, divided
  • 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup quesadilla cheese (like Cacique Queso Quesadilla cheese or Supremo Queso Chihuahua cheese, can substitute with Monterey Jack)
  • For the Roasted Panko Parmesan Broccoli:
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • Olive oil to lightly coat
  • ¼ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon dry italian seasoning
  • Kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Place broccoli florets in a gallon size resealable bag, drizzle with olive oil, shake to coat. Add panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning; shake to coat. There will be loose crumbs in the bag, which will be sprinkled on top of the finished mac and cheese.
  3. Dump broccoli and crumbs onto the prepared baking sheet. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes, watching closely so the crumbs don’t burn.
  4. While broccoli is roasting, add the macaroni, butter, salt, dry mustard, cayenne, garlic powder, cornstarch, 2 ½ cups of water, and only 2 cups of milk to the pressure cooker pot. Stir well, to incorporate cornstarch.
  5. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for half of the pasta package cooking time minus 2 minutes. (For example, if cook time is 16 minutes, cook for 6 minutes. If it says 12-13, cook for 4).
  6. When cooking is complete, use a quick release. If liquid sprays from valve, close valve, wait 30-60 seconds and try again. If pasta isn’t done, use sauté function to cook with the lid off for 2-3 more minutes.
  7. Select sauté function, add ½ cup of milk (adding another ½ cup, if needed), cheddar, and Quesadilla cheese; stir until melted and creamy.
  8. Serve immediately, topped with the roasted broccoli and extra crumbs.