Ninja Foodi Baked Mac and Cheese
Ninja Foodi Baked Mac and Cheese is an easy, cheesy mac and cheese recipe made entirely in the Ninja Foodi! Made with sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere, apples, pears and bacon!
This Ninja® Foodi™ Deluxe Pressure Cooker was gifted by Ninja®, all opinions and reviews are my own.
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The air frying and pressure cooking worlds collide in the best possible way in this Ninja® Foodi™ Deluxe Pressure Cooker, it’s the original pressure cooker that also air crisps! When Ninja® offered to send me a Ninja® Foodi™ I was so excited to try it out! And, oh boy, did it exceed my expectations! You guys know I love pressure cooker and air fryer recipes and the Ninja® Foodi™ does all that and so much more!
It has 9 different functions including Pressure, Steam, Slow Cook, Yogurt, Sear/Sauté, Air Crisp, Broil, Bake/Roast and Dehydrate – it really does it all! This Ninja® Foodi™ Deluxe Pressure Cooker would make a great gift this holiday season. Especially for those on your list that are particularly busy, the Ninja® Foodi™ is a major time saver and extremely user friendly.
Now, let’s dive into this Mac and Cheese recipe, shall we…
What goes into Ninja Foodi Baked Mac and Cheese?
I’ve been making a similar version of this Mac and Cheese recipe for years. But this Ninja® Foodi™ version is so much easier – no need to turn on the oven and it’s all made in one pot!
Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Gruyere – The cheese is the most important part of any mac & CHEESE recipe. Using good quality cheeses that melt well is key. The combination of sharp, tangy cheddar with rich, super melty gruyere, makes the perfect cheese sauce.
Bacon – Because everything is better with bacon, especially mac & cheese!
Onion and Garlic – For flavor!
Bosc Pear and Granny Smith Apple – The fruit adds a unique spin, a hint of sweetness and extra texture.
Pasta Shells – I used whole wheat. Shells are great for mac & cheese because the cheese sauce pools in shells giving you more cheese with every bite!
Bread Crumb and Parmesan Topping – This topping mixture makes it a “baked” mac & cheese. It’s broiled to make a delicious crispy layer on top of the mac & cheese.
What Ninja Foodi cooking functions do you use for Baked Mac and Cheese?
Air Crisp – We use this function first to crisp the bacon!
Sear/Sauté – Next, we use the “Sear/Sauté” function to sauté the onion, pear, apple and garlic.
Pressure – We use “Pressure” function to cook the pasta, it cooks in just 3 minutes under high pressure.
Broil – We finish off the mac & cheese under the “Broil” function to broil the topping and get that perfect crisp on top of the mac and cheese!
All-in-all it takes just under 1 hour to make this extra cheesy, super delicious baked mac and cheese in the Ninja® Foodi™. In all my years making this mac and cheese recipe it’s never been easier to make or come out as cheesy as it did making it in the Ninja® Foodi™.
Ninja Foodi Baked Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 1 hour
Description
Ninja Foodi Baked Mac and Cheese is an easy, cheesy mac and cheese recipe made entirely in the Ninja Foodi! Made with sharp cheddar cheese, gruyere, apples, pears and bacon!
Ingredients
3 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced in half
3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped small
3/4 cup Bosc pear, chopped in small pieces
3/4 cup granny smith apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound whole wheat pasta shells*
4 cups + 2 tbsps water, divided
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8oz sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
40z gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tbsp corn starch
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp Italian style bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Put the air crisp basket inside the main pot of the Ninja Foodi
Preheat for 3 minutes on “Air Crisp” function at 400°F
Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray
Add the bacon slices to cover the bottom of the basket
Turn on “Air Crisp” at 400°F for 8 minutes to crisp the bacon
Using hot mitts remove carefully remove the basket**
Set the bacon aside on a paper towel, crumble into small pieces after it cools
Leave the bacon grease that dripped through the basket in the main pot
Switch the Ninja Foodi to “Sear/Sauté” function “High”
When the bacon grease starts to sizzle, add the onion, pear and green apple
Working with a wooden spoon, sauté for 3-4 minutes
Add in the garlic, sauté 2 more minutes
Carefully remove the sautéd fruit and vegetables and set aside
Pour the pasta, 4 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt into the main pot***
Switch the Ninja Foodi to “Pressure” function “High” and set for 3 minutes
Cover the Ninja Foodi with the pressure cooking lid, set pressure valve to “seal”
When it beeps that is is done, release the pressure****
Carefully open the lid and set aside*****
Add the butter to the hot pasta, mix to melt
Add in the cheeses, mix to melt
In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry
Pour the slurry into the pot, mix to combine
Add the sautéd mixture and bacon, mix
Season with salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese
Sprinkle the mixture over the mac and cheese
Set the Ninja Foodi to “Broil” function at 450°F for 5 minutes
Serve the mac and cheese hot straight out of the main pot
Notes
Recipe is compatible with the Ninja Foodie 8-qt. 9-in-1 Deluxe XL Cooker and Air Fryer-Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker
*You may use regular shells, or any other type of short-cut pasta
**Be aware of dripping hot grease
***You don’t need to wash it out, you can use it as is
****You can carefully quick release the pressure using the valve on the top (be aware of the hot steam that will be released) OR you can allow it to natural release (takes 10-15 minutes)
*****Not all of the water will be absorbed, but done drain it, it will become part of the cheese sauce
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Method: Ninja Foodi
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If you make this Ninja Foodi Baked Mac & Cheese, let me know how you like it! Leave a star rating and comment here! If you snap a photo, I’d love to see it – share it over on Instagram and tag me @sprinklesandseasalt!