• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Events & Workshops
  • Nav Social Menu

The Salted Pepper

Real Life~Real Food~Real Simple

Free Recipes & Tips Delivered Directly To You!

Yes, I want Free Recipes & Tips!
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Events & Workshops
  • Follow me HERE!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Events & Workshops
  • Follow me HERE!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Pulled ham on a wood platter.
      Pulled Ham (Smoker, Oven, or Slow Cooker)
    • peach bbq sauce on a spoon resting in a bowl.
      Peach BBQ Sauce
    • fruity pebble squares on parchment.
      Fruity Pebbles Marshmallow Treats
    • one-pot fettuccine alfredo on platter garnished with parsley.
      One-Pot Fettuccine Alfredo ~ Easy 4 Ingredient Dinner
    • Lemon Bars Cut on white plank boards.
      Old Fashioned Lemon Squares
    • Smothered Cabbage with crispy bacon on top on platter.
      Smothered Cabbage
    • Smoked Corned Beef sliced on cutting board.
      Smoked Corned Beef in the Ninja Woodfire
    • Sliced Home Cured Corned Beef on white plate.
      Home-Cured Corned Beef from Brisket (step-by-step guide)
    • cheddar broccoli soup in a bread bowl.
      Cheddar Broccoli Soup (Slow Cooker Recipe)
    • three homemade bread bowls on a wood platter. One is whole, one is hollowed out and one is filled with cheddar broccoli soup.
      Homemade Bread Bowls (Ninja Combi or Oven Recipe)
    • Chicken Paprikash on a platter with a bowl of nokedli noodles behind it.
      Chicken Paprikash (Braised or Slow Cooker Recipe)
    • homemade nokedli noodles in a bowl garnished with parsley.
      Homemade Nokedli (Hungarian Egg Noodles)
    Home » Ninja Foodi Recipes

    Creamy Mac & Cheese in the Ninja Foodi

    Published: April 3, 2019Updated: February 20, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Our Full Disclosure Policy for More Information

    Save for later!

    597 shares
    • Share138
    • Flip it!
    Servings: 6

    Recipe Rating

    Add to FavoritesSaved! Jump To Recipe
    Creamy Mac and cheese in white bowl

    Creamy Mac and Cheese in a white bowl with forkThis is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill creamy mac & cheese recipe. It's not even close! This recipe is like a perfect little black dress! Fancy it up or keep it simple... the choice is yours!

    You'll see I chose to be fancy with my ingredients and the final result was spectacular! I encourage you to give it a try, I think you will be very surprised how these flavors come together in perfect harmony.

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support!

    Even my husband enjoyed this recipe and he is not a fan of Creamy Mac & Cheese... or any kind of Mac & Cheese for that matter. He is strange that way, I mean really strange. Who doesn't like Mac & Cheese? Especially when it is so easy to make!

    Find The Information You Need Quickly

    Toggle
    • Is Mac & Cheese Easy to make in a Pressure Cooker?
    • Can I substitute other cheeses and ingredients?
    • Can I double the recipe?
    • Can I use a different pasta?
    • How do I freeze and reheat leftovers?
    • How to make Creamy Mac & Cheese in the Ninja Foodi
    • Creamy Mac & Cheese
    • About the recipe author, Louise Long
    • BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓

    Is Mac & Cheese Easy to make in a Pressure Cooker?

    Yes, absolutely! It's super easy as long as you understand how and when to add your ingredients.

    In this Mac & Cheese recipe, we start out by sautéing onions and red peppers with butter. Pressure cooking 101 graphicWe then add flour to make "sort of" a roux. A blonder roux is traditionally made by combining a fat with flour in equal parts and allowing it to cook for a few minutes. The reason I say "sort of" is because we also have the veggies in our blonde roux.

    We remove the roux and veggies before pressure cooking and add it back in when the pasta has finished cooking. Why? Because we need thin liquid to create steam in order to build pressure in the Ninja Foodi or other pressure cooker.

    If we left the roux in, it would combine with the thin liquid (chicken stock and wine) and thicken the liquid. This impedes the process of building steam needed to bring the pot under pressure.

    Pressure cooking cheese and milk products doesn't work well, so you can't just dump in all the ingredients and start cooking. Cheese and milk can separate under pressure and that does not leave us with a nice and creamy mac & cheese, so we add it in at the end.

    If you are interested in learning more about how pressure cookers work, check out this article on Pressure Cooking 101. There is a lot of helpful information in this article.

    Can I substitute other cheeses and ingredients?

    Of course! You can use any kind of cheese blend that you like. I do recommend using a soft cheese, like cream cheese, if you want a super creamy mac & cheese.  Other than that... make it yours and add the ingredients you like.

    You could use all cheddar, but I would recommend combining both mild and sharp cheddar for a basic creamy mac & cheese. The total amount of cheese you want to use is 7.5 ounces of shredded cheese and 2 ounces of soft creamy cheese.

    If you don't like figs, consider using sun dried tomatoes instead. They would go very nicely with the blend of cheeses I use in this recipe.

    You can omit the onions, peppers, and figs without changing the recipe at all. The important thing to keep in mind is the ratios of thin liquid to pasta, so if you don't want to use wine, use 2 cups of chicken broth or any other thin liquid you like.

    You can also add shrimp or cooked chicken to this recipe and it would be a super delicious meal! I always recommend adding shrimp at the end and let the residual heat from the pasta cook the shrimp. This keeps them nice and tender.

    Can I double the recipe?

    Yes, of course. To double the recipe, I would double all of the ingredients in the creamy mac & cheese, but don't double the topping ingredients or you will have a very thick layer on top.

    If you are using bacon and doubling the recipe, use the 2 tablespoon of bacon grease and add 2 tablespoon of butter with the 4 tablespoon of flour.

    Can I use a different pasta?

    Yes, but you will have to make some timing changes based on the pasta you want to use. Penne is a thicker pasta and takes longer to cook than some other types.

    You could substitute farfalle (bow tie) pasta without making any changes. If you want to use elbow macaroni, I would decrease the pressure cooking time by 1 minute and keep the same NR time.

    You can check the back of the box of pasta you want to use and if it takes less than 8 minutes to cook, decrease the PC time by 1 minute.

    How do I freeze and reheat leftovers?

    I recommend freezing pasta with a little bit of chicken stock or vegetable stock, so that when you reheat it there is extra liquid to combine with the cheeses that will keep the creamy mac & cheese creamy.

    If you have put the topping on the mac & cheese, try to keep this layer intact when storing in the freezer or refrigerator. Let the mac & cheese cool completely and then cut it like you would lasagna and place it in an airtight container or baggie to store in the fridge or the freezer.

    When reheating from the refrigerator, add a bit of stock/milk/half and half before reheating. You can reheat in the Ninja Foodi by baking on a low temp until it is heated through and then AC the top to crisp it up.

    When reheating from frozen (and you have frozen it with stock), cut the bag to remove the frozen block and put it in a 6" or 8" Fat Daddio cake pan. Put 2 cups of water in the inner pot and use the steam function for about 20 minutes to thaw and heat the creamy mac and cheese. Then you can use the AC function if you want to crisp up the top.

    Okay, time to get fancy! Let's make this grown up version of Creamy Mac & Cheese!

    How to make Creamy Mac & Cheese in the Ninja Foodi

    I always recommend having all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go. It really makes things easier when cooking.

    The first think you want to do is cook the bacon. The Ninja Foodi makes the BEST bacon! Use 3 strips of thick cut bacon (I used applewood smoked) and place on the rack in the high position.

    Put the TenderCrisp lid down and set the AC function to 360°F. Cook for about 12 minutes, flipping three times during the cooking process. You want the bacon to be very crisp so it will crumble easily. Allow to cool on paper towels and then crumble. Keep the grease in the inner pot.

    Dice the onion and slice the peppers and figs. You can grate all of your cheeses now or do this while the Ninja Foodi is cooking the pasta.

    removing the flour mixture from the Ninja FoodiTurn the Ninja Foodi on high saute to heat the bacon grease. Add the onions and peppers to the inner pot and saute for 1 minute. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour. Remove from pot and reserve for use later. Keep the Ninja Foodi on high saute.

    Add in one cup of chicken stock to deglaze deglazing the Ninja Foodi with chicken stockthe pot. Use a tool that is safe for non-stick surfaces to scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any fond (brown bits) on the bottom of the pot. I love using my scoop and spread for this task because it easily removes anything stuck without scratching the pot. This is important to do because when the Ninja Foodi or other pressure cooker heats up to build pressure anything stuck on the bottom can trigger the water notice.

     

    Add in the 1 cup of wine or another cup of chicken or veggie stock, the pasta and the sliced dried figs. Put the pressure lid on and set the vent to seal. Set on high pressure for 3 minutes. When the cooking time is done, allow to natural release for 2 minutes and then manually release the remaining pressure.

    Do not worry that the pasta looks a bit underdone, it will continue to cook. Leave the pot on the keep warm function and add in the reserved onion, pepper, grease, and flour mixture. Stir to combine. As the flour absorbs the liquid, the mac & cheese will thicken.

    Add in grated cheeses (except the Parmesan) and the half and half. Stir to Cheeses add to the creamy mac and cheesecombine. It will look a bit soupy, but don't worry, it will thicken. When all the cheese is melted, close the lid for a few minutes while you combine the topping ingredients.

    Combine the panko, bacon crumbles, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix to blend ingredients together.

    topping on the creamy mac and cheeseGive the creamy mac & cheese one more stir and spread the topping on top. Close the TenderCrisp lid and AC on 350° F for 5-10 minutes or until the topping has browned to your liking.

    Serve and Enjoy! creamy mac and cheese being served

     

    You know what would go perfectly with this Creamy Mac & Cheese? Ribs! I have the BEST recipe for Ribs in the Ninja Foodi with a Raspberry Glaze... be sure to check it out!

    Ninja Foodi Ribs with Raspberry BBQ Glaze

    creamy mac and cheese in a white bowl

    Creamy Mac & Cheese

    4 from 3 votes
    Add to My Favorites Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Servings 6
    Calories 594 kcal
    Turn this on when cooking to prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon bacon grease or butter
    • ½ onion diced
    • 2-3 small sweet red pepper (about ¼ cup) sliced into thin strips (or a red bell pepper)
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoon flour
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • 1 cup white wine
    • 3 oz dried figs sliced
    • 8 ounces Penne Pasta
    • 2 oz cream cheese
    • 2 oz Gouda Smoked
    • 4 oz cheddar sharp white
    • 1.5 oz Asiago

    For the Topping

    • 1.5 oz Parmesan
    • 1 cup Panko
    • 3 strips Applewood Bacon thick cut, cooked crisp and crumbled
    • ½ cup half and half

    Would you like to save this recipe?

    I will email this recipe page to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the bacon in the Ninja Foodi AC on high rack @ 360° F for 12-14 minutes, flipping once or twice. Cool on paper towels and crumble. Leave the bacon grease in the Ninja Foodi. If you are omitting the bacon, substitute with 2 tablespoon of butter. 
    • Dice the onion and cut the sweet red pepper or bell pepper into thin strips about 1" long and â…›th inch thick. 
    • Turn the Ninja Foodi on high saute and reheat the bacon grease or the butter. Add onions, pepper slices, and salt. Saute for 1 minute and add flour. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the inner pot and reserve for later. 
    • Deglaze the pot with 1 cup of chicken stock, make sure to scrape the bottom to ensure nothing has stuck. Add the wine. 
    • Add the Penne Pasta and the sliced figs. Put the pressure cooker lid on and set the valve to seal. Set the pressure to high for 3 minutes. When time is up, allow to natural release for 2 minutes and then manually release the remaining pressure. 
    • While the Pasta is pressure cooking, grate the cheeses. 
    • Remove the lid and add in the vegetable/bacon grease/flour mixture and ½ cup of half and half. Stir and add in cream cheese, Asiago, smoked Gouda, and cheddar cheese. 
    • Combine the panko, Parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon. Spread on top of mac & cheese. Close the TenderCrisp lid and AC on 350°F for 5-10 minutes or until the top has browned nicely. Serve and Enjoy! 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 594kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 23gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 871mgPotassium: 440mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1325IUVitamin C: 32.5mgCalcium: 457mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    About the recipe author, Louise Long

    Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full time.

    Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.

    Ninja Foodi 101

    Ninja Foodi Fresh & Healthy Meals

    Simply Cooking with Louise

    Seeing the need for easy, delicious, and high quality recipes, she is focusing all of her efforts creating recipes specifically for the Ninja Foodi. Her recipes are easy for the home cook to follow and provide step-by-step instructions.

    Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.

    She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can.

    I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE COOKING UP IN YOUR NINJA FOODI! TAG ME @THESALTEDPEPPER ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM WHEN YOU MAKE A DISH!

    BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓

    « Thai Curry Chicken in the Ninja Foodi
    Cheesy Meatloaf in the Ninja Foodi »

    Save for later!

    597 shares
    • Share138
    • Flip it!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lyse

      May 20, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      2 stars
      Hi Louise, apologies for the low rating but I made this last evening and it was so dry. I used elbow macaroni and butter as I didn't have penne or bacon. The crusty panco/parmesan probably dried it up. I did use blending flour because that's what I had at the moment, I'm wondering if that maybe contributed to the failure / learning. Not sure what I did wrong but I, for the first time ever, threw it out. I have the foodi 6.5 qt with smart lid. I did reduce P cooking by 1 minute. I'll be curious about your thoughts.
      Everything else of yours I tried, we loved. I haven't started the course yet but it's next on my list
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Louise

        May 20, 2022 at 1:59 pm

        It sounds like a couple of things went wrong here. The elbow macaroni may have absorbed more liquid, but even more than that if you substituted blending flour in a 1:1 ratio for the flour, it was too much. Blending flour is finer, so it absorbs liquid a bit differently. You didn't say if you used the figs and the peppers, but the peppers give off liquid as well, so if they were omitted that would be another (very small though) reason it was dry. Personally, I think it was the blending flour. However, you can always add more liquid to get it to the consistency you want. If you used different cheeses, that might play a role in the dryness as well. Or, it could be as simple as it was baked longer than it needed to. It's a shame you threw it out because you can easily fix the dryness with more liquid. I could help more if you let me know what other changes, if any, were made to the recipe.

        Reply
    2. Michelle

      February 17, 2021 at 1:20 pm

      Louise,
      I recently bought a bag of pitted dried dates for another recipe. I have a ton left over! Can I substitute the dates for the figs in this recipe? Do you have any other recipes using dates? Thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • Louise

        February 17, 2021 at 9:26 pm

        I have never tried it with dates, but it is always worth trying! I bought dates several months ago, but I still haven't used them. Thinking cap is on! LOL

        Reply
    3. Deb T.

      January 27, 2020 at 10:00 pm

      One of Your Great Videos You used silicone covers that would seal when pressed on. Please help I can't remember which video it was. You posted a link and I would love to get some. Thank You in advance.

      Reply
      • Louise

        January 28, 2020 at 8:20 am

        Thank you so much and I'm thrilled you are enjoying the videos! The silicone covers I have are from Amazon: (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/38M38r3

        Reply
    4 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Find Me On

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Find Your Favorite Recipe Here!

    The Salted Pepper 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.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Contact & Support

    Resources

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • The Salted Pepper's Amazon Store
    • Pampered Chef Website

    Facebook Groups

    • Ninja Foodi 101- Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper
    • The Salted Pepper Recipe Sharing Group
    • Ninja Combi Recipes & Tips
    • Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker Pro Recipes & Tips
    • Simply Cooking with Louise

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2024 The Salted Pepper

    Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.