Description
This crockpot mac and cheese recipe is rich, creamy, and effortless. No boiling, no extra dishes—just cheesy perfection in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese (cubed)
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Grease: Grease the crockpot with butter or non-stick spray.
- Add Pasta: Add uncooked elbow macaroni to the crockpot.
- Mix Cheese: In a bowl, mix shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, and cornstarch to prevent clumping.
- Layer: Pour the cheese mixture over the pasta in the crockpot.
- Combine: Add the cubed cream cheese, melted butter, whole milk, evaporated milk, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Stir: Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.
- Check: Check for doneness at the 2-hour mark; pasta should be tender, and sauce should be creamy.
- Adjust: If sauce is too thick, stir in an extra ¼ to ½ cup of warm milk before serving.
- Serve: Serve immediately for best texture.
- Keep Warm: Keep warm on the “Warm” setting if serving at a party.
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.
Notes
For the smoothest sauce, grate cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded options. If adding mix-ins, consider turkey bacon or cooked chicken for extra heartiness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 695 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 26 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
Keywords: crockpot mac and cheese, slow cooker mac and cheese, creamy pasta, comfort food