Cream Cheese Macaroni & Cheese

Servings
6-8
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
aroma-housewares-co-rice-cooker-multicooker-cream-cheese-macaroni-and-cheese-5-4-jpg

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 2½ cups half-and-half
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded

Directions

  1. Fill the inner pot of the Aroma Housewares Co multicooker with water up to ¾ of the way. Set the rice cooker to STEAM for 30 minutes and allow it to come to a boil with the lid closed.
  2. Once boiling, add the elbow macaroni to the boiling water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, with the lid open.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
  4. Return the inner pot to the multicooker and set it to Sauté-then-Simmer STS®.
  5. Add the half-and-half and cayenne pepper, and heat until it simmers. Let it simmer for 15 minutes, whisking frequently.
  6. Stir in the cream cheese until fully melted.
  7. Switch the rice cooker to Keep Warm mode. Gradually add the shredded cheddar and gruyere cheese while continuously stirring until the sauce is smooth and all the cheese is melted.
  8. Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce and stir to combine. If needed, use some of the reserved pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency.
  9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Serve immediately.