The easiest way to make a batch of creamy macaroni and cheese for your next family gathering or Sunday dinner is with this easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese. It only takes a couple minutes to prep and then everything gets added to a slow cooker for a simple side dish with minimal effort. It also frees up your time and oven to make some of your other favorite dishes. It’s a definite game-changer for those big holiday meals! 😉
Here’s everything that you need to make this creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese recipe:
- Macaroni: You’ll need about 8 oz. of elbow macaroni, but feel free to use any small pasta shape you like or have on hand.
- Evaporated Milk and half & half: After testing this recipe several times, a combination of evaporated milk and half & half gave me the best consistency in cheese sauce.
- Cheddar Cheese: I used a combination of 2 sharp cheddars in this recipe, but you can certainly just use one type of cheddar cheese instead. Sharp cheddar provides a strong pronounced flavor which tastes great in mac and cheese, but any kind of cheddar works well. And as always buy cheese in block form and shred it yourself for the best results. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents and doesn’t always melt well.
- Seasoning: There are lots of ways to season your mac and cheese to add extra pops of flavor. I used one of our favorite seasoning blends in the budget bytes kitchen and that is Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning along with some salt and pepper. That’s it! But feel free to experiment with your favorite seasoning mix. I’ll share a few more flavor ideas below.
Variations
Looking to mix things up? Feel free to experiment with different cheeses and seasoning blends to really make this mac and cheese your own. Here are some more cheese options to choose from:
- Gruyere
- Gouda
- Extra Sharp Cheddar
- Parmesan
- Pepper Jack
- Cream Cheese
- Velveeta
For seasoning try switching out the Creole seasoning for a different seasoning salt like Lawry’s. You can also create your own mix with a combination of spices like garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. You’ll want to just parboil the pasta for a few minutes, then quickly drain and rinse cool water.
- Use block cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese for the best texture and consistency.
- Cook times may vary depending on the age and model of your slow cooker. Stir and check the mac and cheese after one hour and then again every 30 minutes until the noodles are perfectly cooked and not mushy, and the cheese is melted.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
This Crockpot Mac and Cheese is a definite game-changer for those big holiday meals and family gatherings. It’s creamy and delicious with minimal prep!
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- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided ($2.49)
- 1 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese ($1.24)
- 2 cups elbow macaroni ($0.67)
- 3 Tbsp butter, cut into small cubes ($0.42)
- 1.5 cups half & half ($1.23)
- 1 12oz. can evaporated milk ($1.29)
- 3/4 tsp Tony chachere’s ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- non-stick cooking spray ($0.06)
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Start by shredding both blocks of sharp cheddar cheese and set the cheese to the side.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni for 4 minutes, then drain it in a colander. Briefly rinse the pasta with cool water to cool it off.
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Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add the al dente macaroni and butter. Stir the butter around with the macaroni to help it start melting. Now add the rest of the ingredients (1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, shredded white sharp cheddar, half & half, evaporated milk, tony chachere’s seasoning, salt, and black pepper) to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.
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Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour.
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During the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove the top and add the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese on top. Cover and finish cooking the last 15 minutes until the cheese on top is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 534kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 21gFat: 33gSodium: 551mgFiber: 2g
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How to Make CrockPot Mac And Cheese – Step by Step Photos
Start by shredding 2 cups sharp cheddar and 1 cup white sharp cheddar and set the cheese to the side.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni for 4 minutes, then drain it in a colander. Briefly rinse the pasta with cool water to cool it off.
Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Add the al dente macaroni and 3 Tbsp cubed butter. Stir the butter around with the macaroni to help it start melting. Now add the rest of the ingredients (1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1 cup shredded white sharp cheddar, 1 1/2 cups half & half, 1-12oz. can evaporated milk, 3/4 tsp tony chachere’s seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper) to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.
Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour.
During the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove the top and add the remaining ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese on top. Cover and finish cooking for 15 more minutes until the cheese on top is melted.
Now all that’s left to do is enjoy this easy, cheesy, mac and cheese goodness!!
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