Slow Cooked Three Cheese Mac And Cheese

Creamy, rich, and irresistibly cheesy, this Slow Cooker Three Cheese Mac and Cheese is an easy comfort food favorite. Made with three flavorful cheeses and cooked low and slow, it's the perfect side dish for holidays, potlucks, barbecues, or family dinners.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword slow-cooked-triple-cheddar-mac-and-cheese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 2 45

Servings servings

Calories 498kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 10 3/4 oz can cheddar cheese soup
8 oz sour cream Full fat works best
1/2 cup butter melted
3 large eggs
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
(You can also use 3 1/2 cups of a packaged shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese Blend)

Instructions

Set your slow cooker on the low setting, and spray the inside with cooking spray.
Parboil the macaroni in salted water for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, shred cheese and toss together to combine.
While the macaroni is cooking, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together, the melted butter, evaporated milk, cheddar cheese soup, sour cream, eggs, ground mustard, black pepper and salt. Whisk together until fully combined.
After cooking the macaroni for 6 minutes, drain well. Add to the slow cooker.
Pour the cheese sauce mixture over the cooked macaroni along with 3 cups of shredded triple cheddar cheese blend. (Reserve final 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top.)
Stir all of the ingredients together until the macaroni is coated and the sauce is evenly distributed.
Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the lid and check the middle for doneness. If needed, add additional cooking time in 20-30 minute increments or until the macaroni is tender. (Time may vary slightly depending on how your slow cooker cooks)
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Replace the lid and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
Keep warm until serving.
To Make in the Oven:
Boil the macaroni in salted water per the package directions until al dente. Drain well.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients and prep the cheese.
In a large bowl, combine the macaron, cheese sauce and 3 cups shredded cheese.
Pour into a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish and top with the reserved cheese.
Dot the top with pats of butter.
Bake in a preheated 350°F for 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Notes

Cheese - When making this dish, you can certainly shake-up the flavor of the cheeses used. If you'd like to add a bit of heat, use pepper jack in place of one of the cheddar cheese combo. You can also create your own flavor combination using your favorite types of shredded cheese like mozzarella, colby jack cheese, gruyere, swiss or monterey jack cheese.
Pasta - You can use twisted macaroni or cavatappi pasta in this recipe.
Grate Your Own Cheese - In this recipe I use combination of three cheddar cheeses. You can use a package of shredded cheddar cheese blend for a shortcut.
Check for Doneness - In a conventional slow cooker, I recommend you cook on low for 2 hours, and check the center for doneness. It may be completely cooked in that time. After testing a tiny bit from the center sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and keep warm until it melts.
Adjust the Cooking Time as Needed - If the macaroni and cheese isn't completely cooked at 2 hours, you may need to increase the time by 30-60 minutes, based on how your slow cooker cooks.
Sour Cream - When whisking together the ingredients for the sauce make sure it's well blended and use a quality full fat sour cream for the best results. Don't be tempted to keep stirring or the sauce will break

Nutrition