When I think of comfort food I think of this Weight Watchers Mac and Cheese. It’s great for parties too! I make this Macaroni and Cheese in the Instant Pot and it’s so fast and easy. Adding in Greek yogurt gives it a protein packed cheese sauce and don’t worry–you can’t even taste it!
Where’s the recipe?
Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write recipes so that anyone can make them–whether this is your first or 50th Instant Pot recipe. If you’re new to the Instant Pot, go ahead and read the article below that includes detailed instructions and recipe tips. If you’ve been cooking in your electric pressure cooker for a while, scroll right down to the printable recipe area for the basics of this WW Macaroni and Cheese recipe.
Ingredients:
- Butter: Any fat like butter or olive oil prevents foaming when cooking the pasta in the Instant Pot.
- Whole Wheat Pasta: Whole wheat pasta is low in calories and high in fiber, and keeps you full for longer. You can’t swap this for regular pasta in this recipe because the cook time isn’t the same.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: Don’t have Monterey Jack? Use Mozzarella instead!
- Cheddar Cheese
- Plain Greek yogurt: This makes the Mac and Cheese creamy and adds protein. Don’t worry–you can’t taste the yogurt.
- Veggies: I love adding bell peppers because of the crunch, but you can add just about anything–broccoli, asparagus, even mushrooms.
WW Mac and Cheese Instructions:
Between shredding the cheese and making the recipe, this meal takes about 25 minutes to make.
- Using the sauté function in the Instant Pot, melt the butter. Add the diced bell peppers (or other veggies of your choice) and sauté for 3-5 minutes until slightly soft. Remove the bell peppers and set aside for later.
- Add the whole wheat pasta to the Instant Pot, along with 2.5 cups of water. Add the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 4 minutes.
- The rule of thumb is to cook the pasta for half the time suggested on the package, so if you’re using something different than whole grain pasta use that as a guideline when choosing your cook time. When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure, which means to move the valve from Sealing to Venting carefully with a wooden spoon. There will be a loud spray of steam that comes out–be careful to not burn yourself.
- Remove the lid and drain the pasta into a bowl to set aside (do not rinse the pasta). While the pasta is still hot add Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and Greek yogurt last. The Greek yogurt is last because the cheese will cool the pasta and then the Greek yogurt won’t curdle.
- When the cheese is melted, mix in the cooked bell peppers and salt to desired taste. Serve immediately.
Is this healthy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese?
It sure is!
If you’re not on board the Instant Pot train just yet you can make this recipe on the stove top. I love my Instant Pot and programmable pressure cookers are slowly but surely helping make the Weight Watchers program easier to navigate.
Making healthy meals for myself and my family is quick and easy thanks to Weight Watchers and the Instant Pot.
Stove Top directions for this macaroni and cheese:
- Add noodles and water to a pot.
- Bring to a boil and cook according to package directions.
- In a separate pot, add diced veggies and all other ingredients.
- When noodles are soft, drain (keep the pasta water to the side for now) and add to cheese mixture.
- Allow to thicken and cook for 5-10 more minutes. If mac and cheese is too thick, slowly add the pasta water to thin it out.
Recipe Tips:
- If your mac and cheese is thick, go ahead and slowly add some of the pasta water to thin it out. Just a little at a time.
- If you’re like me and you love bread crumbs on mac and cheese, you can add them when it’s done cooking. You can stick the entire inner liner of your Instant Pot in the oven and broil the breadcrumbs.
Weight Watchers Points:
This Weight Watchers friendly, low point mac and cheese recipe is just 7 Blue Plan Points | 7 Green Plan Points | 6 Purple Plan Points per 1/2 cup when using fat free Greek yogurt.
Complete the meal with these great recipes:
Weight Watchers Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cups diced bell peppers
- 1 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1⅓ cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
- 1 ⅓ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt fat free
Instructions
- Using the sauté function in the Instant Pot, melt the butter. Add the diced bell peppers and sauté for 3-5 minutes until slightly soft. Remove the bell peppers and set aside for later.
- Add the whole wheat pasta to the Instant Pot with 2.5 cups of water. Add the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
- Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 4 minutes. The rule of thumb is to cook the pasta for half the time suggested on the package.
- When done cooking, release the pressure using the quick release method.
- Remove the lid and drain the pasta (do not rinse). Keep the pasta water set aside. While the pasta is still hot add Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and Greek yogurt. If the recipe is too thick, slowly add the pasta water to thin it out.
- When the cheese is melted mix in the cooked bell peppers and salt to desired taste. Serve immediately.
Is the serving size 1/2 cup? Thank you so much!
The serving size is about 1/2 cup :)
you are only using 2.5 cups of the 5 cups of water. Where does the remaining water go?
Somehow the 2.5 cups was changed to 5 cups–I must have missed accidentally deleted the 2.The correct measurement is 2.5 cups.
Not sure how you came up with your points but after entering it the WW app it’s 11 points and I’m on the blue plan.
Hi there! Points are highly dependent on the brands you use. I used fat free Greek yogurt, which reduced the points. It also uses wheat pasta :) After using both of those, I’d assume it;s the brands that make our counts are different.