Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
A creamy, sharp cheddar mac that cooks entirely in the slow cooker, no boiling the pasta first and no roux to babysit. It is the dish I bring to potlucks because it stays hot and scoopable for hours.
- Course
- Slow Cooker
- Time
- 2 hr 15 min
- Servings
- 8
Cooking Notes
- Add the pasta at the point the recipe specifies rather than treating it like an all-day ingredient. Pasta continues absorbing liquid in the cooker and can turn mushy if it sits too long.
- Use freshly grated cheese when possible and keep the cooker on low once the cheese melts. High sustained heat encourages cheese sauces to separate and become oily.
- Stir near the end and check the texture frequently because slow cookers vary in heat. Turn the cooker to warm or serve promptly once the pasta is tender and the sauce is creamy.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
By Gabriella
- Category
- Slow Cooker
- Total Time
- 2 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 cups sharp cheddar, freshly grated
- 1 cup gruyere, freshly grated
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Butter the inside of the slow cooker well, then add the dry macaroni, whole milk, evaporated milk, butter, and seasonings.
- 2
Cook on low for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes so the pasta on the bottom does not stick or scorch.
- 3
Stir in three-quarters of the cheese and cook another 30 to 45 minutes, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened around it.
- 4
Grate the cheese yourself rather than using pre-shredded — the anti-caking starch is what makes slow cooker mac turn grainy.
- 5
Scatter the last of the cheese over the top, cover for 10 minutes to melt, and serve straight from the crock.
