Making Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

The family loves this mac and cheese from the crock pot! In a hearty cheese sauce, elbow macaroni noodles are slowly cooked.

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is a classic for Sunday dinner and a fantastic holiday side dish. The preparation time for this quick mac and cheese dish is only a few minutes, and it always turns out perfectly.

Why this is the greatest mac and cheese to use a slow cooker?

My personal favorite cuisine is homemade mac and cheese, and I can attest that this is the finest mac and cheese I’ve ever had from a crock pot!

Outstanding flavor, and unusual components. The dish speaks for itself, as do the reviews.

Every time, the consistency is great (and the pasta is not mushy).

The preparation time for this meal is only around 10 minutes, and the slow cooker does the rest.

For a large group, double this recipe (and left on warm for serving).

When I cook this recipe, everyone enjoys it.

Why This Recipe Is Effective?

1. Ready-made pasta

Pasta that has been prepared in advance is consistently excellent. Numerous “no boil mac and cheese recipes” have gone through my testing (using uncooked pasta).

The texture of the pasta varies depending on the brand and I find it to be unpredictable.

The macaroni doesn’t become mushy if you boil it for about 2 minutes less than recommended on the package (so it’s still very firm).

2. Components of the sauce

I prefer crock pot macaroni sans Velveeta or evaporated milk. Despite the oddness of some of the components, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese recipe yields a fantastic cheesy sauce!

Traditional cream or cheese sauces don’t hold up well in a slow cooker since dairy can separate or curdle there.

Even if you don’t like mayonnaise, the inclusion of it sounds strange, but it actually works (as you can see by the reviews on this recipe below). You can use either regular or light mayonnaise (or dressing).

Anywhere you don’t have an oven, like camping or potlucks, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is ideal.

Additionally, cooking this separately from Thanksgiving dinner (which includes the turkey and stuffing!) is a terrific way to save oven space.

How to Prepare Crock Pot Mac and Cheese?

Less than 10 minutes are needed to prepare this macaroni and cheese in the slow cooker before serving.

Pasta should be boiled for about 2 minutes shorter than the packet recommends.

The cheddar cheese should be grated while the pasta is boiling.

In the slow cooker, combine all the ingredients and prepare as directed in the recipe below.

Advice for Excellence

• Pasta: After boiling, the pasta should be quite firm; do not overcook. Pasta that has been rinsed will not cook.
• Pre-shredded cheeses don’t work as well; shred cheese straight from the block.
• Slow cookers might vary in their cooking times, so check the pasta early.
• Double the recipe: This slow cooker mac is prepared in a single batch and cooked in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook in a 6QT crockpot if you want to double this recipe. Stir after 1 hour and 2 hours of cooking on high for 2 1/2 hours. (Try swirling as quickly as you can to retain the heat inside.)
• Prepare in advance – Combine all of the ingredients, excluding the pasta, to make this dish in advance. Pasta can be cooked, rinsed, and cooled in advance. Just before cooking, combine the pasta and sauce ingredients in the crock pot.
• Baking in the oven – You can bake this in the oven if you prefer or if you are pressed for time (I have done this a ton of times!). the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes with the cover off and 30 without.

1. Make macaroni noodles as al dente as possible by boiling them as directed. (I cook them for a minimum of 1-2 minutes less than what the packaging instructs. Mine took five minutes to boil). Drain and then run a cold water rinse.
2. In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine all the ingredients. Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 3 hours, stirring once or twice.
3. Serve warm.

Notes

• Pasta: After boiling, the pasta should be quite firm; do not overcook. Pasta that has been rinsed will not cook.
• Pre-shredded cheeses don’t work as well; shred cheese straight from the block. If gruyere cheese is not available, you can use an additional cup of cheddar cheese (4 cups in total).
• Slow cookers might vary in their cooking times, so check the pasta early.
• The dish can be doubled by using a 6QT crockpot. Stir after one and two hours of cooking on high for 2 12 hours. (Try swirling as quickly as you can to retain the heat inside.)
• Prepare in advance – Combine all of the ingredients, excluding the pasta, to make this dish in advance. Pasta can be cooked, rinsed, and cooled in advance. Just before cooking, combine the pasta and sauce ingredients in the crockpot.
• Baking in the oven – You can bake this in the oven if you prefer or if you are pressed for time (I have done this a ton of times!). the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes with the cover off and 30 without.

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