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slow cooker mac and cheese recipe with extra cheese melted on top ready to serve.

Creamiest, Cheesiest, Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese Recipe

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This slow cooker mac and cheese recipe will become a family favorite, I promis! There’s nothing like the creamy, cheesy goodness of digging into a hearty helping of homemade mac and cheese. It’s especially delicious when it’s cooked in the slow cooker, mostly because it requires almost no effort. The hardest part is cooking the pasta. For real!
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, crock pot, macaroni, slow cooker, Velveeta
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 515
Author Gina Dickson

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
  • 4 tablespoons butter cut into cubes
  • 12 ounces evaporated milk
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 3 cups cheddar cheese 12 ounces shredded
  • 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cut into cubes
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package instructions for ‘Al Dente’ pasta, usually about 8-10 minutes.
    12 ounces elbow macaroni
    cooked macaroni noodles in a pan on the stove.
  • While it’s cooking, measure out your butter and cut it into cubes. Cut the Velveeta into cubes as well, and measure out the evaporated milk, half and half, and cheese.
    4 tablespoons butter, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 3 cups cheddar cheese, 8 ounces Velveeta cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • When it’s done cooking, drain the pasta. Give it a couple of good shakes to remove any water that’s stuck inside the pasta shapes.
  • Immediately place the drained macaroni into your slow cooker. Add the cubed butter and give it a few good stirs until the butter is melted and the macaroni is completely coated.
    cooked macaroni in a crock pot with butter on top
  • Next, add the evaporated milk, half and half, some of the shredded cheddar, the cubed Velveeta cheese, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker with the macaroni. Stir everything together really well. The Velveeta and cheese might start to melt a bit. You just want everything to look well blended.
    cooked macaroni with cheddar cheese, velveeta, salt and pepper
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and set the heat to low for 3 hours.
    cooked macaroni with cheeses, and half and half poured in
  • During the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the remaining half cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
  • Once the cooking time is completed, switch the slow cooker setting to “warm” to keep the macaroni and cheese at a delicious, serving-ready temperature.

Notes

Notes
  • To make cleanup a lot easier, line the Crock Pot with a slow cooker liner. Mac and cheese has a tendency to stick to the sides of the slow cooker. It can be challenging to clean afterward, but if you use a liner, you can just lift it out of the slow cooker, and Voila! Cleaned up slow cooker! If you don't have a liner, you can also use cooking spray or butter to coat the inside of the slow cooker generously.
  • Don’t overcook the pasta when you boil it. It needs to be tender-crisp because it will cook a little bit more in the slow cooker. 
  • Resist the urge to open the lid of the Crock Pot. Trust the process, and don’t remove the lid so the heat doesn’t escape.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 978IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 640mg | Iron: 1mg
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