Air fryer macaroni cheese recipe is a ‘one pot wonder’ that’s ‘quick to prepare’

Air fryers can be used to heat up almost anything but one ingredient that is rarely cooked in them is pasta.

Nevertheless, macaroni cheese lovers will be pleased to know that this cost-effective appliance is ideal for making popular comfort foods.

A budgeting expert at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Pasta is probably one of the last things you would think to make in your air fryer but it works!”

Whipping up the dish is incredibly easy and requires minimal washing up because all of the ingredients can be thrown in at once.

A chef from the Effortless Foodie has shared their tasty recipe that’s “quick to prep” and requires “only seven ingredients”.

READ MORE: Make eggy bread in just 10 minutes with ‘delicious’ recipe

Method

There’s no need to boil the dried macaroni before air-frying it so this recipe truly is a “one-pot wonder”. The chef recommended preheating the air fryer to 170C before filling it up and setting the timer for 30 minutes.

Next, place the macaroni, grated cheeses and seasonings into an oven-proof dish small enough to fit in the fryer basket. This could be a foil tray, silicone dish, or baking dish – all of which are suitable for use in the appliance.

Once the dry ingredients are in, pour over the milk and give everything a mix.

Then leave the ingredients to air fry for 25-30 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so with a wooden spoon to ensure a silky texture.

The chef warned: “It will look like the cheese sauce is separating at times but keep stirring regularly and incorporating all the ingredients back together.”

Continue to cook until the macaroni is al dente, then season with salt and black pepper before serving.

Of course, the exact cooking time depends on the type of pasta used, so it is best to start checking on it after around 20 minutes. Larger pasta shapes may take longer than small macaroni.

This air fryer mac and cheese is best eaten fresh from the appliance, though leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.