Delaware Casserole

Delaware Casserole–-baked Instant Pot macaroni and cheese with a buttery breadcrumb topping. Comfort food to the max!

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Delaware Casserole

Today’s recipe is my Instant Pot version of a Taste of Home favorite. The original author states, “Even people who have had their own homemade baked macaroni and cheese recipe for years ask for mine when they taste this crumb-topped version. For the best baked mac and cheese, use extra-sharp white cheddar cheese for more flavor. —Shelby Thompson of Dover, Delaware”

My family was stoked when they saw that this cheesy pasta was for dinner! Skyler asked to stir the cheese in…”it’s so satisfying!” he said. And I do agree stirring the cheese in is satisfying but even more so is EATING the mac and cheese. Very satisfying. You’ll love the crunchy buttery topping too. It just brings regular mac and cheese to a whole new level.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Butter
• Shallot–or ¼ cup diced onion
• Garlic cloves
• Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon
• Elbow macaroni–or penne pasta
• Ground mustard
• Kosher salt
• Smoked paprika
• Black pepper–I like course ground pepper
• Sharp cheddar–or extra sharp white cheddar, shredded off the block
• Dijon mustard
• Milk–or cream
• Italian seasoned breadcrumbs–or panko

Steps

Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the butter and swirl around to melt. Add in the shallot and saute for 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. 

Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot. 

Sprinkle in the macaroni, ground mustard, salt, paprika and pepper. 

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. 

Stir in the cheddar, Dijon and milk until cheese has melted. 

In a small bowl stir together the melted butter and the bread crumbs.

Sprinkle the mixture over the top.

Use air fryer lid to bake the casserole for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. (If you don’t have an air fryer lid you can do this step in the oven by transferring mac and cheese to a baking dish and topping with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes). 

Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Tips

• I used my Duo Crisp 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• This baked mac can be your main dish or you can serve it as a side to ribs, chicken, steaks, pork chops, etc. Try serving it alongside some collard greens and biscuits.
• Try experimenting with a combination of cheeses such as sharp cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan, or fontina to create a more complex flavor profile.
• I like to use cheese shredded off the block instead of pre-shredded cheese which has additives in it and doesn’t melt as well.
• If you’d like you can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. I like using Better than Bouillon vegetable base.
• Try sprinkling chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley on top.
• Add a splash of fresh lemon juice or a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
• Consider stirring in crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, rotisserie chicken, caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes, or cooked broccoli.

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More Instant Pot Pasta Dishes…

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.