Crockpot Mac and Cheese

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword crockpot-mac-and-cheese, easy-crock-pot-macaroni-and-cheese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Stand time 10

Total Time 2 20

Servings servings (may vary)

Calories 405kcal

1 lb elbow macaroni
2 cups half and half
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 10 oz can cheddar cheese soup (OR cheez whiz)
1/2 cup salted or unsalted butter melted
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
4 cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (I used 2 cups cheddar and 2 cups white Vermont cheddar) divided

Spray the liner of a 6 quart or similar size crockpot with cooking spray.
Parboil the macaroni in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain well pour into the bottom of the slow cooker.
In a large bowl, whisk together milk, evaporated milk, cheese soup (or cheez whiz) butter, salt, black pepper, ground mustard, paprika and eggs until fully combined.
Pour sauce over macaroni adding 3 cups shredded cheese. Gently mix to combine.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 3, stirring halfway through. (Adjust times as needed depending on your slow cooker.)
Uncover and sprinkle with reserved 1 cup shredded cheese. Let stand 10 minutes to melt then serve.
Oven Instructions:
Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente per the package instructions.
Mix with the remaining ingredients per the recipe then pour into a 13x9-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with reserved 1 cup cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Freshly Grated Cheese - It’s important to use freshly grated cheese for slow cooker macaroni and cheese. The preservatives used for preventing pre-shredded cheese from clumping can cause the sauce to separate.
Cheese - You can adapt this recipe using your favorite combination of cheese. You could use Gruyere, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, American cheese or Mozzarella cheese would all be great choices.
Don't Overcook the Macaroni - Parboiling the macaroni begins the cooking process and prevents the macaroni from being undercooked. Once the macaroni comes to a boil, don’t take it past 5 minutes before draining and adding to the crockpot. If you forget and let it cook longer, it won’t take as long to cook in the slow cooker so adjust the cooking time to accommodate.
Soup - Cheddar cheese soup adds flavor and stability to the easy sauce. You can use the same amount of Cheez Whiz, Velveeta cheese (jar) nacho cheese or another similar type of easy melt cheese sauce, if desired.
Know Your Appliance - Slow cookers can vary on how they cook due to age and brand. Know your appliance and adjust the cooking time according to how your appliance performs.