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When the weather cools off and our lives start to get busy again after winter break from school, I depend on my Crock Pot! It saves me when I want to make sure I get a warm meal on the table before we head in a bunch of different directions. This easyCrock Pot Mac and Cheese is one of the slow cooker recipes I come back to again and again.
The entire family loves it which means it’s a recipe I know I can count on!
CROCK POT MAC AND CHEESE
Macaroni and cheese is comfort food and it’s one that everyone in our family loves. I make Velveeta Mac and Cheese fairly often and recently learned how to make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese so I’ve added it into the rotation too! If you’re looking for a good mac and cheese to put in the oven, try Cheesecake Factory Macaroni and Cheese. It’s a delicious copycat recipe.
But Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese will always be one of my favorites! It uses a variety of cheeses including Velveeta, which makes it extremely creamy. You can make homemade macaroni and cheese without slaving away in the kitchen!
It’s true!
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT MACARONI AND CHEESE
Just like most slow cooker recipes, thiscreamy Crockpot mac and cheese recipe is easy to make! Once you’ve got all of the ingredients in your slow cooker, you can let it cook while you take care of other things!
You use familiar ingredients and it just takes a few steps before you’ve got dinner on its way to being done!
You’ll need milk, a can of evaporated milk, elbow macaroni, butter, and cheese. Then with a few seasonings, you’ll be cooking!
*Scroll to bottomthis page for a printable recipe card and an image you can pin to Pinterest so you don’t lose this recipe!*
SLOW COOKER MAC AND CHEESE
The ingredients list for this easy main dish or side dish includes:
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 ounces Velveeta, cubed
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
I like the mix of cheeses because the Velveeta makes the mac ‘ncheese creamy while the Colby Jack and Sharp Cheddar add some extra to the flavor. The great thing about this recipe is that you can play with the flavor just by changing up the types of cheese you use!
CROCK POT MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Then get out your Crock Pot and place the uncooked macaroni noodles in the crock of the slow cooker.
I prefer to use my oval shape Crock-Pot for this recipe. You can use any 6-quart slow cooker and you’ll have plenty of room for your macaroni to cook. We have this 6-QT Cook & Carry Crock Pot and it works great for mac and cheese!
Once you have your noodles in the Crock Pot, pour the milk mixture over them. Make sure that all of the noodles are covered by milk.
Then place the butter, Velveeta, and shredded cheese on top of the noodles.
Put the lid on your Crock Pot and cook on low for 1.5 to 2 hours. Be sure to stir it about halfway through. I usually stir it every thirty minutes or so if I’m at home.
This isn’t a slow cooker recipe I use if I’m going to be out of the house all day long, but it works great if you’re going to be home. You can put it in the Crockpot after school and it’s ready by dinner time. It’s also great for weekends when you’re around but don’t want to be spending all of your time in the kitchen!
It’s really the bestcrock pot mac and cheese because it’s so easy to make but packs some good flavor! I know you’ve probably had macaroni and cheese that was kind of bland. Thanks to the mix of cheeses and paprika, this is a step or two above your ordinary macaroni!
CROCK POT MACARONI AND CHEESE FAQ
Can you cook macaroni in a Crock Pot?
Yes! You can cook macaroni in a Crock Pot! That’s the best part about it! You don’t need to cook your macaroni before you make this. Just put the pasta in the slow cooker and go!
NO BOIL!
I’ve got no complaints about that!
Do I have to use Velveeta?
You don’t have to use Velveeta but I think it makes the creamiest macaroni and cheese. If you don’t want to use Velveeta, then I would suggest that you substitute with cream cheese so you still get the creamy texture.
Can I use cream cheese to make slow cooker mac ‘n cheese?
Absolutely! It’s a great subsitution for the Velveeta. You can use 4 oz. of cream cheese cubed instead of the Velveeta.
Is condensed milk the same as evaporated milk?
No! It’s not! Condensed milk is sweetened. You want to make sure you use evaporated milk for this recipe.
Does mac and cheese need eggs?
This slow cooker mac and cheese recipe does not need eggs. I generally only use eggs if I’m making baked macaroni and cheese.
Why was my mac and cheese so soft and mushy?
If you cook the macaroni too quickly or for too long it will get too soft. Be sure to cook on LOW to avoid cooking it too quickly. If you find that you have issues with your slow cooker, be sure to stirthe mac and cheese after one hour. Then check on it every 15-30 minutes.
Depending on your Crock Pot it could take as little as an hour and a half to cook or up to three hours.
Why didn’t my cheese melt well?
If you find that your shredded cheese isn’t melting well in this recipe, try buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself. The shredded cheese in the bag has an ingredient that prevents it from sticking together and it can sometimes impact how well it melts.
Can I add things to this recipe like chicken, ham, or veggies?
Absolutely! That’s one of the easiest ways to take macaroni and cheese from side dish status to the main dish! I personally love making ourCrockpot Shredded Chicken and adding it in after the Crock Pot macaroni and cheese is ready. Once it’s cooked completely, you can add anything your family loves!
OUR FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS FOR CROCK POT COOKING
You can check out all of our macaroni and cheese recipes to see some of the other ways we’ve turned it into a meal!
Comment and let us know how you like your mac and cheese! Do you like it with elbow macaroni or a different shape? Do you like it with a mix of cheeses? Bacon? Breadcrumbs?
MORE CROCKPOT COMFORT FOOD RECIPES
- Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
- Crock Pot Corn Casserole
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4.73 from 48 votes
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups milk
- 1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (cubed)
- 4 oz Velveeta (cubed)
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Place the uncooked macaroni noodles in the bowl of your Crock Pot.
Pour the milk mixture over the noodles, making sure that all the noodles are covered by milk.
Place the butter, Velveeta, and shredded cheese on top.
Put the lid on the crock pot and cook on low for one and a half to two hours, stirring halfway through.
Notes
You can use any type of milk that you would like. We usually have Skim Milk in our refrigerator so that's what I use and it works out fine!
