This Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese is one of the most delicious and comforting side dishes or main courses. With just 5 minutes of prep time, you can assemble a mac and cheese that tastes like it was made on the stovetop from scratch.
Being born and raised in the South, we know what makes a great macaroni and cheese recipe. This version is a great recipe to serve to a crowd since the cheese sauce can be made in the crockpot up to a couple of hours in advance. All the cooking needed is boiling the noodles and tossing them into the slow cooker an hour before serving.
We love to serve it with our Spicy Pulled Pork and Bratwurst Burnt Ends for a meal that everyone will be asking for seconds of.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 10 ingredient mac and cheese. It doesn’t get easier than this, and you don’t even have to stir on the stove, the slow cooker does the work for you.
- Easy cleanup for a crowd. By using the crockpot, the cleanup is simple and easy for this recipe.
- Homemade flavor with minimal effort. We mean it when we say anyone can make this recipe. It’s quick to prep in less than 10 minutes but tastes like you cooked it from scratch every time.
Ingredients
- Whole milk: The creamy base to the cheese sauce.
- Evaporated milk: Adds a rich base milk flavor that’s nice and creamy.
- Grated parm: Gives the sauce a hint of salt and bold cheese flavor.
- Asiago: Great melting cheese with mild flavor.
- White American cheese slices: One of the required cheeses for mac and cheese in our opinion to make it extra creamy.
- Velveeta queso blanco (cubed): Adds another layer of mild, creamy flavor.
- Black pepper: Gives a punch of spicy and peppery flavor.
- Garlic powder: Adds hints of garlic in every bite.
- Mustard powder: Gives a taste of mustard that pairs with the cheeses so well.
- Smoked paprika: Adds some smokiness in every bite.
- Cavatappi: The spiral noodles that bind the sauce so well.
How to Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
1. Put everything except cavatappi in slow cooker on low for 2 hrs.
2. Then boil cavatappi to al dente(around 8 min) in heavily salted water.
3. Drain and add to slow cooker. Cook additional hour on low stirring every 15-20 min.
4. Turn heat off and allow sauce to thicken for around 10-15 min. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Boil the pasta separately then stir into the cheese sauce an hour before serving. You want to cook the pasta until al dente and then the rest of the cooking time will be in the cheese sauce in the slow cooker.
- A great recipe to make in advance for a crowd. Make the cheese sauce right before guests arrive, then all you need to do is boil the noodles and add them to the slow cooker.
- Customize to your liking. We give our recommendation of the best cheeses for the sauce, but feel free to swap them out for other cheese you enjoy too.
- When you are ready to serve, you want to let the macaroni and cheese rest for 15 minutes to help the sauce thicken to the right consistency on the noodles.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of milk until warmed though.
We don’t recommend freezing the leftover slow cooker mac and cheese since it will change the texture once it thaws.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
There are so many options but some of our favorites include:
FAQs
Do I need to cook the noodles before adding them into the slow cooker?
Yes, it’s best to boil them until al dente, then add then to the crockpot to be coated in the delicious sauce.
How do I keep my mac and cheese from drying out in the slow cooker?
Make sure you add the ingredients in the correct order and don’t overcook the cheese sauce.
Why did my cheese sauce break in the slow cooker?
If you use regular milk or cream there is more of a risk with this. By using evaporated milk, it adds rich flavor with that wonderfully creamy texture.
More Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Tortellini and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Steak and Gravy
- Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Chicken
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk
- 2 cups grated parm
- 2 cups Asiago
- 8 ounces white American cheese slices
- 12 oz Velveeta queso blanco cubed
- 1 ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 16 ounces cavatappi
Instructions
- Put everything except cavatappi in slow cooker on low for 2 hrs.
- Then boil cavatappi to al dente(around 8 min) in heavily salted water.
- Drain and add to slow cooker. Cook additional hour on low stirring every 15-20 min.
- Turn heat off and allow sauce to thicken for around 10-15 min. Enjoy!
Notes
- Boil the pasta separately then stir into the cheese sauce an hour before serving. You want to cook the pasta until al dente and then the rest of the cooking time will be in the cheese sauce in the slow cooker.
- A great recipe to make in advance for a crowd. Make the cheese sauce right before guests arrive, then all you need to do is boil the noodles and add them to the slow cooker.
- Customize to your liking. We give our recommendation of the best cheeses for the sauce, but feel free to swap them out for other cheese you enjoy too.
- When you are ready to serve, you want to let the macaroni and cheese rest for 15 minutes to help the sauce thicken to the right consistency on the noodles.
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