Crock pot mac and cheese
Crock pot mac and cheese is tender, cheesy, incredibly creamy and so delicious! It’s great for a hands-off side dish the whole family will love.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb. macaroni or small shell pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 ½ cups whole milk (or a can of evaporated milk)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 oz. plain cream cheese (regular or ⅓ less fat)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 to 2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Spray the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add the pasta, butter, milk, broth, cream cheese, salt, pepper and ground mustard to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine and press the pasta down so it’s as submerged as possible in the liquid.
- Cover and cook in the slow cooker on high for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Uncover and stir the pasta. It may feel like a hard mass but don’t panic, just give it a few good stirs to get it going and you’ll see that everything softens and moves along. Add the shredded cheddar cheese to the slow cooker and stir well to mix it in.
- Cover the slow cooker again and let it sit for 10 minutes. (The slow cooker is done with the cook time and turned off at this point.)
- Stir again and then you’re ready to serve!
Notes
Milk: I opted for whole milk for this recipe, but you can also use a can of evaporated milk. Or you could try it with 2% or skim milk. The recipe cooks rather quickly, so I’ve never had an issue with curdling.
Pasta: I used a classic elbow pasta for this recipe, but, a small shell pasta, orecchiette or another small shaped pasta. You can choose a whole wheat or whole grain pasta, regular pasta or even a gluten-free pasta.
Cheese: The recipe calls for sharp cheddar, but you could sub in some Gruyere or Monterey Jack for some of this cheese if desired.
Optional toppings: Extra cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, etc., cooked, crumbled bacon, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped chives or green onions, hot sauce or sriracha for some heat, pickled jalapeños, sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced avocado or a dollop of guac.
Leftovers: Mac and cheese saves and reheats very well. You can reheat single servings easily in the microwave, starting with about 45 seconds to a minute, then stirring and adding additional time until it’s nice and hot. This keeps everything moist as well.
Freezer: Mac and cheese freezes great too! Simply let the leftovers cool down, then transfer to a freezer safe plastic bag or container, label it, and keep in the freezer for 4-5 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 493kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 903mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g
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