Vegan Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

I have come up with a vegan mac and cheese that makes me do a happy dance. Another marker that it is good -- I want to eat the whole thing.  The key is the Jill Mckeever's cheese sauce that I used. I added it to the macaroni that I cooked al dente in my Instant Pot.

I did this recipe since I wanted to test the Instant Pot method I have been employing by using a smaller amount, 8 oz, of pasta instead of 12- 16 oz. and it worked.  I cut the water and salt in half while using the same cooking time and natural release time.

I added jalapeno, garlic powder and almond milk to the mixture of Mckeever cheese and pasta. The first two was  to give the dish more oomph while the milk was added for a smoother texture.

Here is the recipe.

Instant Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese

8 oz elbow macaroni
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup McKeever Cheese (tecipe below)

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 pieces bottled jalapeno  chopped

1/2 to 3/4 cup nondairy milk

Instructions

Put macaroni, water and salt in the Instant Pot.

Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to Sealing position.

Press the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" button and set the time to 1 minute (or 2 minutes if you like softer pasta).

When it finishes cooking, let the Instant Pot naturally release the steam for 5 minutes then quick release using the venting position.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pasta in the pot.

Jill Mckeever Cheese Recipe

from Jill Mckeever YouTube channel

Jill’s 5-minute Game Changer Cheese Sauce (nut-free, gluten-free)
FULL RECIPE:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons onion granules
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 12-oz. jar Roasted Red Bell Peppers in water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Pecan or Apple liquid smoke (I did not use)
4 cups warm water

Using a blender with the ability to cook food, blend on high for 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. (you can hear the Vitamix motor slow down and the sound deepens as the sauce hits the thick mark.) Once thickening has begun, stop the blender and quickly transfer to a large container. preferably heat resistant and that holds at least 6 cups.  The cheese sauce will continue to thicken as it cools even slightly.