Made with a mix of cheddar and American cheeses, this Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is uber creamy and super easy to make. Just add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low. No need to precook the pasta!
Easy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
We’re huge fans of mac and cheese in this house and while I love my baked mac and cheese recipe, there are some nights where I just need something that doesn’t require turning on the oven. Heck, some nights I don’t even want to stand in front of the stove, even if it’s super minimal work like in my stovetop mac and cheese recipe. That’s where this crock pot mac and cheese comes in! Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is another great option.
This is really a mind-blowingly easy recipe because literally all you need to do is add the ingredients to the crock pot and turn it on. No need to preboil the pasta or anything. Just dump, stir, and go. Plus it only takes one hour to cook so if you’re terrible about remembering to turn your crockpot on in the morning – no worries! This slow cooker mac and cheese can be made without any preplanning at all.
The best part about this crock pot mac and cheese is how unbelievable creamy it is. Lots of creamy mac and cheese recipes are made with velveeta which I’m not a huge fan of, or cream soup. This recipe has neither, just some evaporated milk. While American cheese tends to be very smooth and creamy when melted, the sharp cheddar adds loads of flavor. It’s the perfect combination!
What You’ll Need
You’ll need just a handful of ingredients to make this slow cooker macaroni and cheese.
- Elbow pasta – One of the best things about this easy mac and cheese recipe is that the pasta doesn’t need to be cooked beforehand.
- Whole milk – Provides the liquid base to the cheese sauce.
- Evaporated milk – This actually helps to create the creaminess in the sauce, so you can use real cheese and not Velveeta.
- Cheese – I use a combination of sharp cheddar and cubed American cheese for lots of flavor and a cheesy, creamy texture.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are the only spices needed.
- Butter
Can I Use Other Types of Cheese?
For the ultimate creamy mac and cheese, using American cheese really does make a difference as it melts beautifully and becomes super creamy. However, you can use other melty cheeses if desired, like Monterrey Jack or white American if you’re not a fan of yellow cheese. You can also swap the cheddar for a different flavor. Just note that since different cheese melts differently, the texture can change.
How to Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ready for the easiest macaroni and cheese recipe you’ll ever find? Here’s how to make your slow cooker mac and cheese.
- Add everything to the slow cooker. Add the uncooked pasta with the evaporated milk, whole milk, cheeses, and seasonings. Combine, making sure all noodles are covered. Add the cubed butter to the top.
- Cook. Cook on low heat for an hour. Give it a stir and cook for 1 more hour.
- Serve. Remove the lid, stir, and allow to sit for a few minutes so the sauce can thicken. Serve and enjoy!
Why Is My Macaroni Mushy?
There are a few things that can result in mushy pasta in this recipe. First, if you cook it for too long or if you are using a thin pasta that cooks too quickly.
Second, if you cook it too quickly. This is one recipe that should always be cooked on low – do not try to increase it to high to speed up the cooking process.
Serving Suggestions
This slow cooker mac and cheese is perfect for holidays, picnics, and potlucks. You can prepare it just before leaving and keep the slow cooker on warm to keep the dish hot.
The kids love this with chicken nuggets or hot dogs for a quick and easy lunch or dinner and you can’t go wrong serving it with meatloaf. And it’s definitely a hit for big holiday dinners – partly because it’s so tasty and partly because it doesn’t take up any oven or stove space!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers of this creamy mac and cheese recipe should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the crockpot or warm up individual portions in the microwave. I sometimes add a splash of milk to prevent the sauce from drying out during reheating.
More Crockpot Recipes:
- Crock Pot Cube Steak with Gravy
- Creamy Crockpot Creamed Corn
- Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo
- Crockpot Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow pasta uncooked
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 3 cups sharp cheddar
- 1 1/2 cups American cheese (cubed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons butter cubed
Instructions
- Spray 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add uncooked pasta to the slow cooker with evaporated milk, whole milk, cheeses, salt, pepper, and garlic . Stir to combine, covering all the noodles.
- Dot with cubed butter.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour. Remove the lid and stir. Cover again and cook for 1 more hour.
- Sauce will thicken once the lid is removed and it sits for a few minutes.
Last Step:
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170 comments on “Crock Pot Mac and Cheese”
Thank you for the easy crock pot Mac and Cheese recipe. I have made this a few times now. I made it once for our annual Memorial Day picnic and it was devoured within the first hour. That time I used Cooper Sharp instead of American cheese. I made it twice for our Sunday dinner with our immediate family members. Both times I used the exact recipe. I will say I bought the cheese in block at the deli and shredded it myself when I made it. If you taste it before the two hour cook time the consistency may be grainy or if you get pre shredded cheese you may have the same texture. This is a perfect for picky eaters but flavorful enough for a classic Mac and cheese. If you are picky with texture it does get thicker the longer it sits at pot lucks but I added a little bit of milk when it got a little thick.
Thanks Mrs Big Scoop!
Hi, thank you for this recipe, I was wondering if instead of condensed milk we can just use half n half?
Hi Holly. Yes, half and half would be an acceptable substitute if you don’t have evaporated milk.
This was so easy to make and it was absolutely delicious. I couldn’t find American cheese so I substituted it with Colby cheese. My husband said maybe the American cheese should have been Velveeta. Regardless, the Colby substitute was delicious!
Thanks Melanie! Glad that Colby sub worked out! The block American cheese is usually found in the deli.
How would I set this up to be made the night before without getting gross? I cant make it in the morning so I have to do it the night before .. any suggestions?
Hi Lindsay. You could refrigerate after making it the night before but you would need to reheat which make take some time depending on how you decide to do that. Could you prep everything the night before and then add to the crockpot first thing in the morning?
Easy to put together. Waiting for it to cook up then I will see how it tastes.
How does the Mac and cheese do sitting in a crockpot for a potluck?
This was very easy to make which I appreciated but it had a very odd taste and texture. I’m not sure if it was the cream cheese or something else but just seemed grainy and had a weird tang to it. Unfortunately it won’t be a repeat for us.
Sorry to hear that Laura. Maybe that was a typo on your end, but here is no cream cheese in the recipe. Grainy consistency usually comes from the quality of the cheese you use or using pre-shredded cheese. If you used pre-shredded, it has a anti-clumping agent added to it that can make the sauce grainy.
Hi, I’ve made this before and it came out great! I was wondering if I could double the recipe? Has anyone tried that with success?
Hi Kristen. Yes, you can double depending on the size of your crock pot. More than likely you will need to double the time. Also, make sure to stir a few times to ensure the noodles are cooking evenly and not sticking to the sides.