Valentina Ablaev
A crock pot mac and cheese is the perfect cheesy comfort meal that’s also incredibly simple to make. This creamy dish is loaded with tender macaroni noodles and a delicious variety of cheeses. The best part is this entire meal comes together in the crockpot!
Though we love a classic mac and cheese, there’s nothing like an easy crockpot meal! You can even make alfredo pasta in the crockpot; the opportunities are endless.
This crockpot mac and cheese is the perfect easy one-pot meal. This dish uses simple ingredients, and the crockpot does all the hard work for you! Soft macaroni noodles in a creamy cheese sauce, can it get better than that?
Creamy vs. Crispy
The debate between which mac and cheese is best remains. On one side you have a creamy and cheesy mac and cheese, and on the other side you have an oven-baked mac and cheese with a crispy topping. Which do you prefer?
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Kid-friendly recipe. This is the perfect meal to serve up your whole family; who doesn’t like mac and cheese?
- Crowd friendly. This is the perfect dish to bring for potlucks.
- Simple ingredients. Our favorite part about this recipe is how simple the ingredients are!
Ingredients for Crockpot Mac and Cheese:
The ingredients for this recipe are simple:
- Macaroni noodles – elbow macaroni makes the ideal mac and cheese.
- Evaporated milk – gives this mac a creamy texture.
- Half & half – makes this mac and cheese creamy. You can also use whole milk or heavy cream.
- Cheese – a blend of cheddar and gruyère cheese.
- Seasoning – a combination of salt, pepper, and paprika.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations:
Make this mac and cheese the perfect recipe for you:
- Add protein: Make this mac and cheese extra hearty by topping it off with pan-seared chicken or add cook the chicken with the noodles like in our instant pot chicken alfredo.
- Get spicy! A homemade cajun seasoning to the mac and cheese to get an exciting new flavor, like in our cajun pasta with chicken!
How to Make Crockpot Mac and Cheese:
Numbered Instructions on how to make the recipe –
- Combine – To a slow cooker, add cooked noodles and all remaining ingredients.
2. Slow cook – Cook on low for 3 hours or on high for 2 hours, stirring every hour. Serve, and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Rinse the noodles. After cooking the pasta al dente, it’s important to rinse the noodles so they don’t over cook and become mushy.
- Use a combination of cheeses. A combination of different cheeses makes this mac and cheese so flavorful. Get creative by adding havarti, mozzarella, and even smoked gouda.
- Using the right cheese. For the best texture and flavor, freshly shred blocks of cheese. Hand shredded cheese melts better than pre shredded cheese.
Serving Suggestions
- Traditional thanksgiving: This mac and cheese will taste incredible at a thanksgiving dinner alongside more incredible side dishes, like our slow cooker chicken gravy and homemade creamy mashed potatoes.
- Salad: A creamy mac and cheese pairs perfectly with a classic caesar salad.
- Breadsticks: A batch of homemade buttery breadsticks is the perfect companion to this mac and cheese. Pro tip: dip the breadsticks into the mac and cheese sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make this mac n cheese in the pressure cooker. Simply cook on high for 30 minutes.
If your mac and cheese is still hard, try cooking it for an extra 30 minutes.
Absolutely, you can use any pasta.
If you love baked mac and cheese, simply cook the mac and cheese in the slow cooker. Once cooked, add the mixture into a baking dish and top with lots of shredded cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 400°F until the cheese is melted. Remove the aluminum foil and broil on high for a few minutes until the cheese is golden-brown.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container.
- Reheat. Warm the leftovers in a pan over low-medium heat until reheated.
- Freeze. Save this dish for a later meal! Place cooled mac and cheese in a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for up to 3 months. Reheat: Thaw the frozen mac and cheese in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the pan until warmed throughout.
More Crockpot Recipes
If you enjoyed this crockpot mac and cheese recipe, be sure to try our other popular crockpot recipes:
If you tried this slow cooker mac and cheese recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 2 cups 480 ml half & half
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gruyere or havarti
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Boil macaroni noodles al dente according to directions to make them very al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3 hours, stirring once or twice.
- Serve, and enjoy.
Notes
- Use a combination of cheeses. A combination of different cheeses makes this mac and cheese so flavorful. Get creative by adding havarti, mozzarella, and even smoked gouda.
- Using the right cheese. For the best texture and flavor, freshly shred blocks of cheese. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well.
- Storage. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container.
- Reheat. Warm the leftovers in a pan over low-medium heat until reheated.
- Freeze. Save this dish for a later meal! Place cooled mac and cheese in a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for up to 3 months. Reheat: Thaw the frozen mac and cheese in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the pan until warmed throughout.
