Crockpot Mac and Cheese – Cooking Classy
Crockpot Mac and Cheese – It’s made with hearty macaroni and over a pound of three cheeses! It’s rich and satisfying and one of the ultimate comfort food side dishes.
Easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese!
This is hands the absolute easiest way to make macaroni and cheese! And believe it or not and it’s unbelievably creamy, no broken curdled sauce, and the taste is simply perfect.
My tricks to a good crockpot mac and cheese are to use a combination of cream, water, and evaporated milk – instead of regular milk so it doesn’t curdle. Then also waiting until closer to the end to add the cheese so that doesn’t overheat and separate.
And another important key is to use a combination of cheeses for great flavor and texture. Sharp cheddar builds up the best traditional macaroni and cheese flavor, while each American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese create a velvety sauce.
The starches of cooking everything together in one pot (or slow cooker insert technically) also helps create a smooth sauce.
This is a family favorite! It has a well balanced flavor that isn’t too harsh so people of all ages love it, and the cook will love the ease of preparation.
It’s jam packed flavorful goodness in every bite and undoubtedly worthy of the holidays, but yet simple enough for a weeknight side dish!
Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Ingredients
- Dry macaroni pasta
- Butter
- Water
- Evaporated milk
- Heavy cream
- Onion powder and garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- American cheese (from the deli)
- Monterey Jack cheese
How to Make Crockpot Mac and Cheese
- Spray a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add macaroni pasta, butter, water, evaporated milk, heavy cream, onion powder, garlic powder and season with salt to taste. Stir then level and submerge pasta in liquid as best you can.
- Cover and cook on low heat until macaroni is about 2/3 of the way tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Working quickly remove lid and add cheddar, American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. Stir then quickly return lid.
- Cook covered 15 to 30 minutes longer until pasta is tender and cheese is melted.
- Stir. Thin with a little hot water as needed. Season with pepper to taste if desired.
Possible Substitutes and Variations
- Velveeta option: While it won’t taste quite as good you could substitute Velveeta for the deli American cheese if that’s what you have on hand.
- Toasted breadcrumb topping: A delicious addition to this is to finish it with toasted panko breadcrumbs. To do this melt 3 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat, add 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs. Toss almost constantly until toasty and golden brown. Serve over finished mac.
- Stronger cheese flavor: For bolder flavor use extra sharp cheddar in place of sharp cheddar, or replace Monterey Jack cheese with Gruyere, or you can even add a little finely shredded parmesan cheese (shred with a zester).
- Extra creamy sauce: If you want it even creamier then replace 1/3 cup of the water with an additional 1/3 cup heavy cream.
- Make it spicy: Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste.
Helpful Tips
- Use freshly grated cheeses: We don’t want the additives that are included in pre-grated cheeses here. The flavor won’t be as good or the texture.
- Brands of macaroni to use: I’ve made this recipe with Barilla and American Beauty brand. I prefer Barilla since it’s a bit larger and holds up a little better but both will work. Even a generic will work but keep in mind the standard shaped shells will cook a little faster and don’t hold up quite as well to slightly thicker bigger pasta shells.
- Slow cooker brand: Note that every brand and model of slow cooker will cook at a different rate. For this recipe I use Crockpot brand slow cookers and they are known to cook high. If you have a different brand you will likely need to cook toward greater times listed and possibly even a little more.
- Keeping mac and cheese warm: You can keep the macaroni and cheese set on the warm setting of the slow cooker for up to 30 minutes after cook time is complete. Keep it covered with a lid.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving this with:
More Ways to Make Mac and Cheese
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
These easiest mac and cheese! It’s made with hearty macaroni and over a pound of three cheeses. It’s so rich and creamy and easily one of the ultimate comfort food side dishes.
Servings: 8 (as a side)
- 1 lb dry macaroni pasta (recommend Barilla)
- 1 1/3 cups water, then hot water to thin as needed
- 4 Tbsp butter, cut into small cubes
- 12 oz. evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- 10 oz. sharp cheddar cheese,* shredded (2 1/2 cups)
- 4 oz. deli American cheese, (recommend Boars Head), shredded (1 cup)
- 4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
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Spray a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
-
Add macaroni pasta, butter, water, evaporated milk, heavy cream, onion powder, garlic powder and season with salt to taste. Stir then level and submerge pasta in liquid as best you can.
-
Cover and cook on low heat until macaroni about 2/3 of the way tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
-
Working quickly remove lid and add cheddar, American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. Stir then quickly return lid.
-
Cook covered 15 to 30 minutes longer until pasta is tender and cheese is melted.
-
Stir. Thin with a little hot water as needed. Season with pepper to taste if desired.
*For bolder flavor use extra sharp cheddar cheese. Gruyere can also be substituted for the Monterey Jack cheese.
Nutrition Facts
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 632
Calories from Fat 333
% Daily Value*
Fat 37g57%
Saturated Fat 22g138%
Trans Fat 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 110mg37%
Sodium 712mg31%
Potassium 335mg10%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 1127IU23%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 677mg68%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
