This Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is a family favorite and appears at every holiday! With just minutes of prep, the sauce is unexpected and always gets rave reviews!
Serve this slow cooker macaroni as a holiday side dish or alongside baked ham for Sunday supper. This comes out of the slow cooker perfect every time!
Holly’s Notes From the Test Kichen
Elbow macaroni noodles are slow cooked in a rich, cheesy sauce. Homemade mac and cheese is my personal favorite food, and I can assure you that this is the best crock pot macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had!
- Unusual ingredients, amazing flavor. Thousands of reviews can’t be wrong!
- It has a perfect consistency every time, and the pasta is not mushy.
- This recipe takes only about 10 minutes of prep, and the slow cooker does the rest.
- This recipe can be doubled for a crowd and left on warm for serving.
- Everyone loves this recipe , it’s the best.
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Why This is the Best Crockpot Mac & Cheese Ever
1. Precooked Pasta
To ensure a perfect texture, precook the pasta to ensure it is perfect every time.
After testing countless “no boil” mac and cheese recipes that call for uncooked pasta, I’ve found the results to be inconsistent, with some brands becoming mushy or gummy.
Tip: Boil the macaroni about 2 minutes less than indicated on your package to keep it from getting mushy.
2. Sauce Ingredients
I prefer crock pot macaroni and cheese without Velveeta or evaporated milk. This sauce uses an unusual mixture that I created, and while some of the ingredients may seem odd, they come together to make the best cheesy sauce!
A traditional cream sauce or cheese sauce doesn’t hold up well in the slow cooker, as dairy can curdle and/or separate in the crock pot. The mayonnaise keeps the sauce silky smooth, you can’t taste it, and either regular or light mayonnaise or dressing will work.
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is perfect for camping or potlucks, basically, anywhere you don’t have an oven. It’s also a great way to save oven space for Thanksgiving dinner (including turkey and stuffing!) and cook this on the side.
How to Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
This slow cooker macaroni and cheese takes less than 10 minutes to get into the Crock Pot and then it’s ready to go!
- Boil pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package indicates.
- While pasta is boiling, shred the sharp cheddar cheese.
- Put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook per the recipe below.
Tips for Perfection
- Pasta: Do not overcook the pasta, it should be very firm after boiling. Rinsing the pasta stops it from cooking.
- Cheese: Our recent recipe tests have shown little difference between shredding your own cheese and pre-shredded cheeses.
- Cooking time: Check the pasta early, slow cookers can vary.
- Slow cooker size: A single batch of this slow-cooker mac can be cooked in a 4QT slow cooker. If using a 6QT slow cooker, it will cook faster so check it early.
- Double the recipe: To double this recipe, use a 6QT crockpot. Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, stirring after 1 hour and 2 hours. (When stirring, try to do it as quickly as possible to keep the heat inside).
- Make ahead: To prepare this ahead of time, mix all of the ingredients except the pasta. The pasta can be cooked ahead, rinsed, and cooled. Combine the pasta and sauce ingredients in the crock pot just before cooking.
- Baking in the oven: If you prefer or if you are short on time, you can bake this in the oven (and I have many many times!) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.
Note: Slow cookers can vary! You may have to slightly adjust the time for your slow cooker. If your Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is done early, you can turn your slow cooker onto warm.
More Crock Pot Holiday Sides
- Crock Pot Creamed Corn
- No Boil Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Crock Pot Stuffing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream regular or light
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil macaroni noodles according to directions to make them very al dente. (I cook them for at least 1-2 minutes less than directed on the bag. Mine boiled for 5 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Combine all ingredients in a 4qt* slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3 hours, stirring once or twice.
- Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Pasta: Do not overcook the pasta, it should be very firm after boiling. Rinsing the pasta stops it from cooking.
- Cheese: If you do not have gruyere cheese, you can use an additional cup of cheddar instead (4 cups in total).
- Cooking time: Check the pasta early, slow cookers can vary.
- *Slow cooker size: A single batch of this slow-cooker mac should be made in a 4QT slow cooker. If using a 6QT slow cooker, it will cook faster so check it early.
- Double the recipe: To double this recipe, use a 6QT crockpot. Cook on high for 2 ½ hours, stirring after 1 hour and 2 hours. (When stirring, try to do it as quickly as possible to keep the heat inside).
- Make ahead: To prepare this ahead of time, mix all of the ingredients except the pasta. The pasta can be cooked ahead, rinsed, and cooled. Combine the pasta and sauce ingredients in the crockpot just before cooking.
- Baking in the oven: If you prefer or if you are short on time, you can bake this in the oven (and I have many many times!) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course, Pasta, Side Dish
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I recently made this recipe. I thought mine was a little dry for my liking although the taste was wonderful. I followed the recipe exactly. Maybe the fact that I used pre-shredded bagged cheddar cheese might have caused the undesireable consistency. However, my husband really liked it without any complaints.
By the way, I love your recipes and had been able to save them to favorites but have not been able to over the past couple of weeks. Can you help me understand why?
Pre shredded cheese does have a gritty consistency when used in dishes like this, so that could have caused the undesirable consistency. I always recommend using freshly shredded cheese in this dish.
It is probably due to the pre-shredded cheese. I have always steered clear of homemade Mac n Cheese because of texture issues (I used to rely on pre-shredded).
I got a shredded that is super easy and quick to use (Found on Amazon, you just turn the handle) now I make homemade Mac n Cheese twice a week. Freshly shredded melts better and gives a creamier and tastier Mac N Cheese.
Delicious recipe! What is the serving size per person since it serves 8? Thanks I’m advance! :)
Each serving is approximately ½ cup. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Noemi!
this was the weirdest macaroni and cheese I’ve ever eaten. should’ve known when it called for mayonnaise and soups. try a different recipe.
Oh no! I am sorry to hear you didn’t love this recipe as much as we do CJ. This recipe is always a hit for us when served. Thank you for trying it.
THE BEST MAC RECIPE. Take to family functions and people will ask for the recipe
Can I use plain yogurt instead of sour cream?
That should work just fine Chris! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Love this recipdo you use a whole 1lb box of macaroni? Or do you literally measure out 2 cups / 4 cups of doubling?
I measure out the cups with a measuring cup.
I only have 1 can of cream of chicken! What can I do? Add more sour cream and mayo!?
Sorry I doubled the recipe.
Do you have “cream of” anything else? You could try a bit more sour cream and mayonnaise and/or a little cream cheese maybe? Let us know how it goes!
Amazing, delicious, easy, cheesy, creamy, excellent flavor!!!!!!!! Absolutely loved this recipe! Wouldn’t change a thing!
In your notes you mentioned the time to cook on high if you double this recipe , I’m wondering what the time would be for cooking on low ?
I have only tried cooking the recipe on high when doubling so I can’t say for sure. I would cook for 3.5 – 4 hours. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Made this for a baby shower and got a ton of compliments! It traveled in the crockpot two hours from my house to the shower and was great. The key is to not over boil the pasta.
It tasted good, but it was really, really greasy. I wouldn’t make it again because of that.
If you found it greasy it was likely overcooked or cooked at too high of a temperature. Either of those will cause the cheese to split or curdle. I hope that helps!
How long can you leave cheese sauce in crockpot before adding noodles? Wondering if I can make early in the day and leave on low before cooking or adding noodles
Hi Pam, I add the noodles in with the sauce at the very beginning, so I haven’t tried cooking just the cheese sauce in the Crockpot so I can’t say for sure how it would work.
would this work with Smoked cheeses? Having a bbq party with smoked meats, and wondered if smoked versions of each cheese would positively impact it Thanks
I think that would be delicious Jeff! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Holy moly. This is the best Mac & Cheese recipe ever and I tried many. I had to do a few substitutions on the cheeses (I only had havarti vs gruyere and a 3 cheddar blend already shredded) so I used those instead of what the recipe called for. Didn’t matter, it still turned out spectacular. I think you can probably substitute some of the cheese blends based on what you have or like as long as you don’t substitute the cream of chicken soup, mayo, sour cream, and other ingredients. This recipe is a keeper!
I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe as much as I do Linda!
I tried this recipe as close as I could with what I had. Honestly, I have never seen any dish go as fast as this one. My family is already asking me to make it again. Thank you for sharing. It was a huge hit!.
Could I cook this on low instead for a longer period of time? (Would like it to cook while being gone most of the day)
Thanks – can’t wait to try it!
Yes, you can cook on low for about 3 hours.
Holly, you are my girl! This came out amazing! I prefer it with cream of cheddar soup! I used mild cheddar cheese. It was a hit!
I’m so glad you loved it Diana!
I use cheddar cheese soup in mine
Amazing recipe! Thx for sharing. Delicious , homemade taste! I also added croutons to the mixture and put some on top as well. I used large elbow Mac the second time I made as this was all the store had and actually turned out creamier!
I made this for a family birthday party and it was a hit! I added a bit of honey mustard, about 1/4 cup to the 3x serving recipe. About 10 minutes before it was done in the oven, I added regular shredded cheddar cheese on top.
I bought large elbow macaroni instead of regular. How do I adjust the recipe?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Jill, but it should work just fine using the large macaroni. You will want to use approximately 8 ounces of dry pasta. Enjoy!