Mysterious Mannequin Casserole–a beef and macaroni Instant Pot dish loaded with tender pasta, savory ground beef, sweet corn, melty cheddar, and just enough spice to keep it interesting.
Mysterious Mannequin Casserole
This yummy one pot meal has the carbs, protein and veg all in one pot. I love the easy clean up! This dinner also freezes well in individual portions for an easy dinner another night. The funny name comes from Mysterious Mannequin Casserole in the Nancy Drew Cookbook (I found it here). I miss those books!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Cajun seasoning–or another seasoning you love
- Beef broth–or water and Better than Bouillon beef base
- Elbow macaroni–or cavatappi
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Frozen sweet corn–or one can of corn
- Cream cheese
- Green bell pepper
- Cheddar cheese–I like sharp. You can also use another type of cheese like pepper jack, colby, mozzarella.
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion and mushrooms. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the cajun seasoning.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Sprinkle in the macaroni evenly. Dump the tomato sauce, tomato paste, corn, cream cheese and bell pepper on top. Don’t stir.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Stir. Sprinkle cheese on top and let it melt. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips
- Serve with a simple green salad or coleslaw.
- For extra kick, add a dash of hot sauce or more Cajun seasoning when serving.
- I used my 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 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with tomato paste No Sneak Casserole and Porcupines in a Pot.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Mysterious Mannequin Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A beef and macaroni Instant Pot dish loaded with tender pasta, savory ground beef, sweet corn, melty cheddar, and just enough spice to keep it interesting.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- 2 cups beef broth
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion and mushrooms. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the cajun seasoning.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle in the macaroni evenly. Dump the tomato sauce, tomato paste, corn, cream cheese and bell pepper on top. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir. Sprinkle cheese on top and let it melt. Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
More Instant Pot beef and pasta dishes…
California Casserole
Penne pasta with tomatoes, spinach, corn, mushrooms, peppers, cheese and more! Make it fast in one pot, your Instant Pot.
Hot Stuff Casserole
Beefy rigatoni with chili seasonings, cheese, sour cream, Rotel tomatoes and more. A delicious and easy weeknight dinner recipe you can make with the help of your Instant Pot.
Taconite Casserole
Beef and pasta with a taco flare made fast in the Instant Pot.
Miss Hulling’s Casserole
An Instant Pot (or stove/oven) casserole with ground beef, ranch seasoning, old fashioned egg noodles, tomato sauce, and a creamy layer of sour cream and cottage cheese, all topped with melted cheddar.
*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.
Can these recipes be cooked in an oven, or crockpot? I don’t use Instapot, and I love your recipes.
Thank you
you could certainly make this one with the stove:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium heat with the onions and mushrooms. Drain excess grease. Stir in the Cajun seasoning.
Add the beef broth, elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, tomato paste, corn, cream cheese, and diced bell pepper. Stir well to combine.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Stir well, taste for seasoning, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and let it melt.