The Scoop
Crispy bacon, melty Irish cheddar, and tender Brussels sprouts turn this into a one-pot dinner that's rich, comforting, and surprisingly balanced.
It's everything you love about classic mac and cheese, with a little extra personality and a lovely Irish accent.
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
- 4 cups Brussels sprouts, shredded
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 (16-ounce) box small pasta shells
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 4 cups Irish cheddar cheese or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
- Set the pressure cooker to the "sauté" setting.
- Add the bacon strips to the pressure cooker and cook until they are crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon strips to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the excess drippings from the pot.
- Add the Brussels sprouts to the drippings and season them with the salt and the black pepper.
- Cook the Brussels sprouts for 1 minute, then turn off the pressure cooker.
- Add the pasta, the butter, and the water to the sprouts, cover, select the "manual" setting, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Use the "quick release" function to release the steam.
- Stir the milk, the cheese, the garlic powder, and the cayenne pepper into the pasta mixture until the cheese has fully melted.
- Taste the pasta mixture and season with the salt, as needed.
- Top the mac 'n cheese with the crispy bacon and serve.
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