The BEST Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe
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Look no more you will quickly become everyones favorite party guest when you bring this crockpot Mac and Cheese. Incredibly easy to make and much easier than a casserole dish to transport.
The following post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links you are supporting my site at no cost to you and allowing me to continue to create free content. I promise, I only share products that I use and love! For more information please see my disclosure page.
I know this post is completely off topic from the rest of my blog but… literally every time I make this I have at least 1 person asks for the recipe. I’ve made it so many times I basically had it memorized and never measured anything. So I decided it was time to write everything down and actually document the recipe while I made it. So now when anyone asks I can easily print it or send them the link!
I can’t emphasize enough how easy this recipe is to quickly whip up, load in the car and bring to any gathering. If you plan on bringing it places be sure to get a crockpot like this one below with a locking lid. It helps seal in the heat and prevent a Mac and cheese disaster in your car. Mine is not as fancy with the programing function but I plan on replacing it one day with this one.
You can easily customize the cheese options for this recipe. I have had great success with substituting the velveeta with a block of Queso Fresco cheese and literally any other type of cheese I have had on hand. Some of my favs are Havariti, Mozzarella, Gruyere, Cheddar and many more! I just recommend you be careful with the packaged shredded cheeses, usually finely shredded cheeses have a high amount of flour or other starches added to prevent the cheese from sticking in the bag. The flour will make your cheese sauce more dry and less gooey.
As you notice in my photos, I actually used the Velveeta slices. I went to multiple grocery stores and they were all out of the block velveeta. I guess its another random victim of the pandemic shortages. So I used the slices and it worked perfectly! Just a little annoying and wasteful to have all the plastic wrap. When using this type, I opened all the slices and placed them in the crockpot 4 slices at a time.
Another favorite customization of mine is adding Hatch Green Chiles. Before I had kids, I almost always added them but now, I leave them out so its more kid friendly. You could also easily add bacon crumbles or anything else! Another crazy idea is you can add a packet of ranch seasoning to the cheese sauce instead of the mustard powder and nutmeg.
The BEST Crockpot Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- 6 qt Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 32 oz Elbow Pasta
- 1 pint Heavy Cream or 2 cups
- 1.5 cup Milk Fat content of your choice
- 1.5 sticks Unsalted Butter Divided 1 stick + 1/2 stick
- 16 oz Velveeta Sliced into cubes
- 1.5 tsp Mustard Powder
- 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 2 tsp Black Pepper
- 8 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese I like using a blend
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package. (Tip: If your making this further in advance, like 4-6 hours, cook pasta the bare minimum to prevent over cooking and soggy pasta. The pasta will continue to cook in the crockpot). I cook mine for 10 minutes.
- Once pasta finishes, drain and pour in crockpot. Add 1/2 stick of butter to pasta and toss until coated. Cover with lid.
Cheese Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, combine, 1 stick of butter, heavy cream and milk. Heat over medium-low heat until butter is fully melted.
- Add the Velveeta (sliced into cubes), mustard powder, nutmeg and black pepper. Stir frequently until cheese is fully melted. If you don't continually stir, cheese could stick and burn on the bottom. Sauce will be very liquid but don't worry, it reduces in the crockpot.
Combine
- Pour your fully melted cheese sauce over the pasta in your crockpot and stir until fully combined.
- Top with 8 oz of cheddar cheese and lightly stir in.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.
Notes
Did You Make This Recipe?
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