Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

This Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese recipe is a timeless crowd-pleaser. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can create a comforting and satisfying dish. It’s the perfect side dish or main course to take to potlucks, make for holidays, or any weeknight dinner.

I love that this slow cooker recipe is easy to make and it’s such a classic family recipe. Mac and Cheese is more than just a dish, it’s comfort food on a plate. Using the slow cooker gives the cheese sauce time to simmer for hours, resulting in an incredibly creamy and cheesy sauce that coats every piece of pasta perfectly.

This crock pot mac and cheese is my sister-in-law’s recipe and it’s one of those recipes that is a must-make when we are all together, like my mother-in-law’s Chicken Divan recipe. It’s just standard to have those meals. We’ve been eating this cheesy pasta for years and it’s now a tradition to have it at Thanksgiving and Christmas in my house.

If you love pasta and cheese dishes like this one, give my Cajun Mac and Cheese a try or this Slow Cooker Broccoli and Sausage Mac and Cheese recipe. Both are tried and true meals that are great for dinner and to take to potlucks.

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

The slow cooker does all the work for this recipe so you can sit back and relax while it’s cooking. Creating this mac and cheese requires a few ingredients that you may not have readily on hand but they are worth the trip to the store to get and to stock up on. I like to use two varieties of cheese, a sharp cheddar cheese and a sharp white cheddar when I make this. My sister-in-law changes up the cheeses to what she has or buys. The result is always a delicious cheesy pot of pasta.

Adding a can of condensed cheddar cheese soup and evaporated milk will make the dish even creamier and provide so much flavor. The top cheese layer is a must and shouldn’t be skipped. It’s like the final layer of goodness.

Forget everything you know about mac and cheese. This slow cooker version is next-level delicious! It’s pure magic for your taste buds!

Timesaving Tips and Variations 

• For this recipe, I used Cabot Extra Sharp Cheese, a white and yellow variety.  We like the sharpness of the cheese in this recipe, but you can use regular cheddar as well.  
• Cook your pasta to “al-dente”, or undercook it by a couple of minutes. It will continue to cook in the slow cooker. Cooking the noodles all the way will make the casserole mushy.
• Use a sturdy pasta like elbows or shells, avoid delicate pastas or very small cuts.
• I like to mix the ingredients for the cheese sauce right in the slow cooker before I add the cooked pasta.
• Depending on your crockpot, times can vary for cooking. I used a 6 quart slow cooker and it took about 3 hours and 15 minutes to be done. Keep an eye on it at the 3 hour mark.
• You can add some cayenne pepper if you want a spicy mac and cheese, or some garlic powder.
• Go light with the added salt as the cheeses and the soup both have salt so taste before adding extra,
• I normally just add ground black pepper and it’s perfect.

Get creative with your pasta dish, add ground beef or a spicy sausage to make it heartier. Broccoli is always a winner to add, too. We like to serve this dish with crockpot garlic bread to dip into that cheesy sauce.

Can I make this mac and cheese ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the cheese sauce and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Cook, rinse, and cool the pasta before storing in a separate containerr in the fridge. When ready to cook, combine everything in the slow cooker and mix. You may need to add a few extra minutes of cooking time.

Can I bake this casserole in the oven?

Yes, combine everything together in a large casserole dish and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes then top with cheese and allow to melt in the for oven a few more minutes.

What type of cheese is best for mac and cheese?

Sharp cheddars will give this dish the best flavor, but try Monterey Jack, White American or White Cheddar. A marble cheese should work as well. If you to add a spicy cheese, pepper jack is a great option. For best results, buy blocks of cheese and use a grater to shred. Prepackaged cheese often has a anti-caking agent that can alter the texture when melted.

This would be a great addition to your holiday dinners or to take to any type of gathering. We often make it to take to a summer BBQ or a potluck dinner.

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Recommended Tools for Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

This is a list of tools that can be used in this recipe I have links to a few for a guide. I didn’t use the slow cooker liner when I made this recipe this time, but I do love using them for many other recipes.

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Ingredients

The ingredients for this macaroni and cheese dish are easily found in your local grocery stores. The evaporated milk is typically found in the baking aisle and the cheddar cheese soup is in the canned soup area.

• 1 box (16 ounces) elbow macaroni
• ½ cup melted butter
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten

Directions to Make Mac and Cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente; drain and place macaroni back into pot it was cooked in. Mix pasta with the melted butter. Set aside.

In slow cooker, combine 1½ cups of each of the cheeses, evaporated milk, condensed cheese soup, milk, and eggs; mix well.

Pour macaroni into slow cooker and stir to combine with the cheese mixture. Cook, covered, on low for 3-1/2 to 4 hours – can be a little less time depending on your slow cooker. Mine is a 6 quart and at 3 hours it’s ready to add the rest of the shredded cheese and to cook another 15 minutes (or until cheese is melted)

 There’s nothing quite like sinking your spoon into a bowl of creamy, cheesy macaroni. This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, requiring minimal effort.

What to Serve with Mac and Cheese

There’s really no right or wrong dish to serve with pasta with cheese sauce, but these are some of my favorites.

• Slow Cooker BBQ Beer Chicken
• Asoaragus Wrapped in Bacon
• Mini Turkey Meatloaves
• Sauteed Broccoli Rabe and Beans with Garlic
• Slow Cooker Spiral Ham

This pasta dish is also a meal on it’s own. Great for meatless meals or when you need a comfort food.

With just a handful of ingredients, you make a rich, creamy, cheesy masterpiece from scratch.

 Printable Recipe Card

 

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Enjoy!