Masala Mac and Cheese (Indian Macaroni)

The good old classic mac and cheese with an Indian twist, masala macaroni is creamy, comforting, and oh-so-delicious. This recipe uses basic Indian spices and traditional mac and cheese ingredients to create a lip-smacking dish

It is also popularly called tikka masala macaroni or desi mac & cheese (desi generally means 'of Indian origin' and mostly refers to Indians living outside of India). This Indian-Italian fusion pasta uses warm spices along with classic herbs that are used in an Italian dish and this scrumptious macaroni comes with a surprising twist. It is a popular choice for kids' lunch boxes due to its great taste and ease of preparation.

Read on for ingredients, full instructions, useful tips, and video recipe to make masala macaroni in Instant Pot.

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• Ingredients
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Indians love to add their own twist and create fusion recipes. This is mainly to suit Indian taste buds and liking. Spices like cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chaat masala, etc. are used to get an Indianized taste. In saying that, I have not used them in this recipe, and this Indian style pasta calls for just some basic desi spices.

I love making pasta in my instant pot as it is super convenient and does not need any monitoring. There is no need to cook the pasta and make the sauce separately. It can all get done in one pot. I also find it safer to make pasta in the Instant Pot as I don't have to worry about draining hot water from the cooked pasta. However, I am also sharing stovetop instructions in this post.

Ingredients

Pasta: I have used elbow macaroni for this recipe. You can use any other variety of pasta.

Cheese: I have used cheddar cheese and gouda cheese.

Milk and sour cream: Use whole milk (or even half and half). Sour cream can be replaced with crème fraîche or thickened cream.

Aromatics: We need finely chopped onions, ginger paste, and garlic paste.

Veggies: I have used bell peppers in this recipe (a mix of green and red bell pepper). You may use other veggies of your choice, like carrots, sweet corn, green peas, green beans, etc. to make vegetable macaroni.

Spices and herbs: We are using Indian spices and dried herbs along with Italian seasoning in this fusion dish. I have used garam masala, red chili powder, Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), and dried oregano.

Tomato puree and ketchup: Use either tomato puree or passata. Ketchup adds a nice sweetness to balance the dish. If you want to skip it, replace it with a teaspoon of sugar.

Step-by-step instructions

Top with fresh cilantro and serve warm.

Stovetop instructions

To make this fusion mac and cheese on the stovetop:

1. Take cold water in a large pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni and cook it as per packet instructions. Drain all the water and set the boiled macaroni aside.
2. Heat olive oil or vegetable oil on medium flame in a broad non-stick pan and add onions. Saute them for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for one minute on medium heat.
4. Next, add bell peppers, red chili powder, garam masala powder, Kasuri methi, oregano, and salt. Mix well and saute for one more minute.
5. Add ½ cup of water, cover, and let the vegetables cook.
6. Once the veggies cook, add the milk, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and gouda cheese.
7. Keep stirring continuously until the sauce comes together.
8. Add the cooked macaroni and mix well. Simmer on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
9. Top with green coriander leaves and serve hot.

Useful tips

I have used cheddar and gouda cheese here. You can use other types of cheese in this recipe. Pepper jack, Colby jack, mild cheddar, gruyere, parmesan cheese, etc. works very well.

To cook pasta in the Instant Pot, pressure cook the pasta for half the time that is mentioned in the packet. My pasta packet instructions had a cooking time of 8 minutes and I pressure-cooked the pasta for 4 minutes, which gave me the perfect al dente texture.

It is important that we do not stir after adding the pasta. Add tomato puree on top and just spread it using a spatula. If there is any dry pasta on top, just push it into the liquid without stirring.

I have made this recipe in an 8 Quart Instant Pot. If you are using a smaller size IP, reduce the amount of water by half a cup. We want the vegetables and pasta to be just covered in water.

Do a quick pressure release once the Instant Pot beeps. This gives it the perfect al-dente texture. If you let the pressure release naturally, the pasta will overcook.

It is important to add milk, cream, and cheese only after pressure cooking the pasta. This is to avoid them from splitting and curdling.

When you start cooking the pasta, take the milk, cream, and cheese out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter. This way, they will be at room temperature when you add them to the cooked pasta.

It is important to keep stirring the pasta after adding cheese to avoid the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Also, once the cheese melts, take the inner pot out of the Instant Pot immediately.

The mac & cheese will absorb the moisture and become dry after storing. To reheat, add some milk (or water) and simmer to get the right consistency. Also, check out this recipe to make the viral TikTok mac and cheese.

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