TipsSome slow cookers take less time. Check the edges are not getting too brown after 2 1/2 hours. To bake in a conventional oven, pour pasta mixture into a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Creamy, cheesy, buttery Mac and Cheese HEAVEN, made in the slow cooker. We are not even boiling the noodles first! You literally dump all the ingredients, including the DRY pasta, into your crock pot and forget about it. Then suddenly you are putting hot, cheesy, creamy, stuff-of-dreams mac and cheese into your mouth! Perfect make ahead dish for holidays.  My mom was complaining about Tik Tak the other day. That’s what she calls TikTok. I kept telling her, Mom, it’s TikTok, you know, like a clock? She wasn’t having it. “Every time I hear someone talking about that app, it just makes me want a Tic Tac. Those came first, anyway. And what about Tic Tac Toe? It’s all just so confusing.” Breath mints, classic kid game, burgeoning social media super power. It’s all the same, right? I can’t really blame her. I saw a meme the other day that said, “Used to wonder why my parents couldn’t grasp technology but now anytime I see something new I’m like, ‘I’m not learning that.'” I don’t have a TicTak account (do you??), but lately Eric and I have been committing ultimate simulacra by watching not TikTack itself, but YouTube videos of TikTac videos. (Kind of like Dwight Schrute’s Second Life.) It’s always late at night, when we’ve decided it’s time to turn off whatever show we’re watching and go to bed. Then suddenly our TV is showing us cats doing back flips, and incredibly talented novice musicians singing about the Muffin Man. If it sounds strange, it’s because TikToc is strange. I would know, because I’m not even on the app. You guys, what is this world we live in?? I may be an old fogey who doesn’t understand technology anymore, but the good news is that the older I get, the better my food tastes by default. There is a reason all grandmas have the best kitchen reps, y’all. It’s just because they’ve been cooking for so freaking long. I’ll always be a charlatan at heart, but it turns out all you really need to be good at something is to do it all the time. And I’ve got 4 kids hollering at me for dinner every day, so… Dreamy creamy Mac and CheeseMy latest obsession is mac and cheese. It’s never the wrong time to obsess about mac n cheese, right? Here’s what I want from my mac and cheese: It should be cheesy beyond belief. It should be sharp and incredibly flavorful. I don’t want a drippy sauce with noodles in it. I want my mac and cheese to be tender noodles in ACTUAL CHEESE. Of course, there has to be some sauce involved, but I want it to have evaporated so much that it mostly feels like the texture of melted cheese. Who’s with me here? And most importantly: Say no to the grain. Grainy mac and cheese is the worst. Smooth and creamy all the way. This recipe makes THE BEST creamy cheesy mac and cheese. And get this: WE’RE DOING IT IN THE SLOW COOKER. You can slow cook Mac and cheese?? What is this sorcery?Yes, for real, it actually works! I was incredibly dubious about this idea for a long time. Readers have been asking me for a slow cooked version of mac and cheese since I posted my favorite baked recipe, Literally The Best Mac and Cheese I’ve Ever Had. I got one step closer when I developed this Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese that is a magical one pot recipe, no need to boil the noodles first. But doing it in the slow cooker? How would that even work? Won’t it just get all grainy on you? Mushy? Undercooked noodles in a broken sauce? This is what I was expecting, and indeed my first few tests went very poorly! But I’ve figured out all the secrets: A combination of cheeses. Stirring often. And mayonnaise. YES MAYONNAISE SAVES THE DAY trust me on this one guys, read on! How to make slow cooker mac and cheeseHere is everything you’re going to need: First we start out with some melted butter. Pour it into your crock (at least a 4 quart crock) and add in the DRY noodles.
Next add in all your milk: whole milk, some cream to make it extra thick (and well, creamy) and a can of evaporated milk. Can I use regular milk instead of evaporated milk?No sir, not for this recipe. Evaporated milk has been cooked before being canned, and is much more resistant to separating and curdling. This ingredient is absolutely necessary. It holds up to the temperature of the slow cooker much better than regular milk. Don’t use sweetened condensed milk, it’s not the same thing! Now we’re going to add in some mayonnaise. Hold up. MAYO? What even? Are you sure??Yes, mayonnaise! Mayo is made from eggs and oil that have been emulsified. Eggs are an excellent binder in recipes, it’s why we add eggs to chocolate chip cookies and meatballs: to help them stick together. The reason we want a binder in our mac and cheese is so that the sauce sticks together, or in other words, stays creamy. Now I know what you’re going to ask: What if I hate mayonnaise? Can you taste it? Rest assured, freak mayo-haters. (yes, you are the weird one, mayonnaise is delicious.) But even as a mayo connoisseur I can assure you that this mac n cheese doesn’t taste even remotely like mayonnaise. The same way that your cake doesn’t taste like eggs. The mayo just melds into the cheesy deliciousness of the mac and cheese sauce, making it creamy and smooth, and fending off cheese’s natural tendency to go grainy when cooked. Speaking of cheese. Let’s get down to BIZness. The best cheese for mac and cheese: a defense of American cheeseWe are using 3 cheeses in our mac today: Sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and yellow American cheese. Yes, that’s right, “FAKE” cheese!! 😱 We are using American cheese to get the perfect TEXTURE, and using Cheddar and Parmesan to get the perfect flavor. People tend to get so upset about American cheese. “It’s not real cheese” blah blah. But I am here to defend it. American cheese has the perfect goo texture, the stretchy cheesiness that we need in our mac and cheese to make it well, cheesy. It has extra binders in it (just like the eggs in our mayo) that help hold our mac together and not break down into grit. If you use all Cheddar, or all Monterey Jack, or basically any other cheese, your mac and cheese will taste amazing, but it will be slightly grainy. You can use all cheddar in a Baked Mac and Cheese recipe, because you are delicately cooking a white sauce on the stove. But today we are throwing this whole mess into a crock pot and walking away. It needs a little help. American cheese is the answer. If you are still dubious about the American cheese (which is dumb, because I’m pretty sure you eat McDonalds just like everybody else 😉), check out this excellent Serious Eats article, “What is American Cheese, Anyway? Kenji explains that saying American cheese is ‘not cheese’ is like saying meatloaf is ‘not meat.’ True, but I’m definitely still eating it! I like to buy American cheese from behind the deli counter at the grocery store. I think it has better flavor than Velveeta, but Velveeta will definitely work if that’s all you have. Grate your cheese by handDo not use pre shredded Parmesan or Cheddar cheese for this recipe. Packaged shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients added to it, so that it doesn’t stick together in the bag they sell it in. But these ingredients make your cheese melt poorly. Exactly what we are trying to avoid! Grate your cheddar cheese and your Parmesan from a block to get the smoothest texture in your mac.
Don’t forget to stir!Once you’ve added all your cheeses to the pot, stir it up and walk away! But only for 1 hour, then it’s time to stir again. If you don’t come back to stir a few times, your mac and cheese won’t get creamy. Here it is after 1 hour. Here it is again after another 45 minutes or so. Do you see all those bubbles on the side? CHEEEEESE! It’s getting thicker. After a few more minutes and a good stir, here she is: Can you even believe this?? I still am kind of just shocked at how well this works. I wanted to make my mac and cheese a little extra (okay, a LOT extra) so I used my favorite method from my Baked Mac and Cheese: Layering cheese in the center just before serving. Just push some of the mac aside, layer a few slices of whatever kind of cheese you want, cover it back up and wait a couple minutes for it to melt. Then you get this: I mean, come on. LOOK AT THIS!!! Another Very Important Thing to consider are these cheese crusties that form on the side of your crock pot. I am obsessed with these. OBSESSED. I scrape up every last bit and stir it into the mac and cheese so that everyone gets a little bit in their serving. But if you want to keep your mac super creamy, simply leave them on the edges and let your dishwasher take care of it later. Frequently asked questions:How do you keep mac and cheese from drying out?Remember all that butter and mayo and American cheese we are using? They are there for a reason! Not only for flavor and to keep the sauce smooth, but also to make sure there is nothing dry about this mac & cheese. If you try to skip ingredients or use low fat ingredients, you run the risk of making it too dry (or grainy, or lacking in flavor). You can also make sure you keep the lid on as much as possible to keep it from getting dry. Once the noodles are cooked to your liking, be sure to switch over to the warm setting until serving, adding in cream if necessary to loosen. How to store, freeze, and reheatHonestly, slow cooker mac & cheese is best eaten same day. That disclaimer out there, it definitely can be reheated if necessary. Single servings in the microwave are best, just reheat at 50% power and stir often. If you absolutely need to reheat the whole batch, do it in the slow cooker on low, or in a sauce pan, stirring often. You will need to add a tablespoon or two of milk to get it creamy again. Freezing also works. It will freeze well in a ziplock freezer bag or airtight container for about 2 months. When you plan to reheat it, you need to make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator first (overnight works great). Reheat low and slow to avoid graininess as much as possible. It WILL separate and will never reach the creaminess level of day one, but it is still super tasty and cheesy. Can you double this recipe?Yes, and it will serve more like 16-20 if you do. You will need a 6 quart slow cooker. Cook it a little longer, about 30 minutes, keeping an eye on it to make sure the noodles don’t get mushy. No other changes necessary! Can I make this ahead of time and reheat?I don’t recommend it! It won’t stay creamy. A few hours ahead of your event is going to work fine though. Just keep the mac and cheese on warm setting, stir frequently, leave the lid on, and loosen with milk or cream before serving. The most important thing is to keep warm. If you let the mac & cheese sit much longer than that, or cool it and then reheat, the cheese is going to start to separate. Basically, the proteins will start to clump together, unbinding from the fats and making it greasy. Why did my mac and cheese turn out grainy or gritty?
How to avoid mushy mac and cheeseMushy mac and cheese is the worst. Noodles get mushy when they are overcooked, so here are a few things to think about to make sure that doesn’t happen.
What to serve with Macaroni and CheeseA serving of meat goes really well with your mac and cheese!
More Mac and cheese recipes!
Happy Easter everyone! Let me know if you try out this recipe, I’d love to hear how it goes for you! Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram Slow Cooker Mac and CheeseServings: 9 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Creamy, cheesy, buttery Mac and Cheese HEAVEN, made in the slow cooker. We are not even boiling the noodles first! You literally dump all the ingredients, including the DRY pasta, into your crock pot and forget about it.
*If you want to double this recipe, you will need a 6 quart slow cooker. It will likely take closer to 3 hours to be fully cooked (every slow cooker is different). Make sure you hand grate the cheese for this recipe! Pre shredded cheese does not melt well, your mac and cheese will turn out grainy. Calories: 502 kcal, Carbohydrates: 27 g, Protein: 17 g, Fat: 37 g, Saturated Fat: 18 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 85 mg, Sodium: 1039 mg, Potassium: 183 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 893 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 524 mg, Iron: 1 mg Course: Main Course Cuisine: American Calories: 502kcal We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Do you put eggs in crock pot mac and cheese?In a large 4-quart slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs and all but 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes.
What does adding egg to mac and cheese do?The egg will make the Mac and Cheese smoother and creamier. I have tried this recipe with and without adding the egg and it does affect the texture of the final recipe. In a medium bowl, beat one egg. Warm the egg by drizzling in, very slowly, 2-3 Tablespoons of the thickened milk mixture.
How does Gordon Ramsay make baked mac and cheese?To make Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese, boil macaroni and milk for 10 minutes in a pot. Remove the pot from the heat. Then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Top the mac and cheese with breadcrumbs and serve.
What does evaporated milk do in mac and cheese?Why use evaporated milk for mac and cheese? Evaporated milk provides creaminess and body to the mac and cheese sauce without the fat and heaviness of actual cream. If you never tried a macaroni and cheese recipe with evaporated milk, you should! I'm confident that you'll fall in love with the creamy texture!
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Baked mac and cheese crock pot recipe
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