Instant Pot broccoli macaroni and cheese

I love a one-pot mac and cheese recipe made in the Instant Pot. My favorite, which I whip up several times a month, is my Instant Pot mac and cheese with secret cauliflower. The magic of this dish lies in how the cauliflower melts into the pasta, blending seamlessly with the cheese to create an extra-creamy sauce.

The other day, while enjoying my favorite broccoli cheese soup, I had a lightbulb moment. The cheesy soup is so creamy that I was tempted to just pour it right over some macaroni. However, I wanted to finish my bowl of soup first. This led me to develop a new recipe inspired by my beloved cauliflower mac and cheese. This recipe is what would happen if macaroni and cheese and broccoli cheese soup had a baby.

This recipe is incredibly simple. Everything gets made in one pot, and the broccoli becomes part of the sauce in a lovely blended soup kind of way. If you prefer your broccoli tender-crisp, you might want to steam it separately or add it at the end of cooking. What I ended up with was exactly what I craved: a creamy broccoli-infused sauce that makes for an easy and comforting meal. 

Instant Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese

4 1/3 cups water
1 t salt
black pepper to taste 

16 oz broccoli florets (frozen or fresh)

1 lb macaroni pasta 

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t Tony Chachere's, other seasoning salt, or salt to taste
1/2 cup half and half, evaporated milk, or milk of choice

12 oz cheese (I like to do 8 oz cheddar and 4 oz Velveeta, which reminds me of my broccoli cheese soup. 100% cheddar would be fine, too!)

Stir together water, salt, pepper, broccoli, and pasta in Instant Pot. Seal and set to 3 minutes on high pressure. Do a quick pressure release when finished cooking. 

Stir in remaining ingredients and stir until cheese is melted and broccoli has blended into the sauce. If sauce is too liquid, let it stand for a few minutes. The pasta will absorb the excess moisture. If pasta is too dry, add more water or milk until desired consistency is reached.