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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Hi! I want to make this recipe for thanksgiving! Do you think it would be alright to double the recipe?
I just tested doubling this today! :) I doubled the recipe in a 6QT slow cooker and cooked on high for 2½ hours, stirring after 1 hour and 2 hours. Worked perfectly!
Hi Holly! It looks absolutely Delish. I doubled and it’s about half way threw. I sampled for taste and the cream of chicken seems to be overpowering right now. Normal? Should I modify whatsoever?
I used 2 small Campbell’s cream of chicken soup for reference
I don’t find the cream of chicken overpowering in the final product once everything is melted together and cooked through. Did you double the recipe? This recipe calls for one can of condensed soup and if you’ve added two that might be why the flavor is overpowering to you.
Hi! This recipe looks fantastic but is there a substitute for the cream of chicken soup? I am gluten free so cannot eat that. Thanks!
I have only tried this recipe as written. Hopefully another reader may have a gluten free suggestion!
You could make your own cream of chicken soup using cornstarch, or another thickener such as tapioca starch.
What size crockpot do you suggest using?
I have successfully made this recipe in both a 4QT and 6QT slow cooker.
Hi! I am making this on thanksgiving ..I have 10 adults. Should I double the recipe? Has anyone ever doubled it? Thanks and happy holidays!
I just tested doubling this today! :) I doubled the recipe in a 6QT slow cooker and cooked on high for 2½ hours, stirring after 1 hour and 2 hours. Worked perfectly!
Hi Holly. I’m extremely interested in making this. I’m wanting to take it to work for a potluck. I work in surgery so I’m not able to monitor my crock pot very well.
Do you think it would be ok to make ahead of time in the crockpot and then refrigerate? And put it on warm to heat it back up?
You can certainly make this recipe and refrigerate it and then cook it for the 2 hours at work.
I made this last night and my husband and I were very overwhelmed by the amount of cheese and felt it was overpowering (I used 4 cups of shredded cheddar). It was creamy but I think next time I will decrease the amount of cheese.
This is definitely a cheesy mac & cheese! :)
Hi, I’ve got a couple of questions..
first,.I like to make food for bigger crowds, say 25 to even 50 people…do you think this recipe could be multiplied and cooked in a roaster instead of a crock pot, or would the roaster cook it too fast/hot?
second, this recipe kind of reminds me of a “cheesy potatoes” recipe I have, do you think you could turn it into cheesy potatoes by using frozen hash browns instead of macaroni?
Thank you!
Yes, I think it would work well as cheesy hashbrowns. I haven’t tried cooking it in a roaster but since this recipe cooks well in both the slow cooker and the oven, I think it would work.
I want to make this, but with a different type of pasta. Is 2 cups of dry macaroni the same as a 16 ounce box?
I hope this isn’t a stupid question, but what size of Cream of chicken is used? The small regular cans or the larger cans?
Great question, the cream of chicken is 10.5oz.
I tried the crock pot Mac and cheese. I was awesome. Planning now to cook mine this way for Thanksgiving.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Could you use cheddar or nacho cheese soup instead of the cream of chicken soup?
That would work just fine!
I made this last evening and it was wonderful! My fiancé loved it. So easy to make and will definitely be one of my “go to” recipes.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! It is one of my favorites!
Wondering if this recipe would hold up well if I just add all the ingredients to the crock, & refrigerated overnight? I have a work potluck next week, & this would be perfect! I would like to make it the night before & cook on low in the crockpot the next day until lunch.
Or should I just cook all ingredients the night before, & have the crock on the “warm” setting at work the next day? Anyone have advice?
Yes, you can certainly have it all prepared in the crock the night before.
FANTASTIC RECIPE! Straightforward ingredient list that makes this pretty much a “dump recipe” that is ready in 2 hours. Everyone should stop bothering Holly with substitutions for sour cream, mayo and condensed soups because the emulsion factor is perfect – if you don’t like using them for processed/health/kitchen arrogance reasons, don’t use the recipe. Note, I doubled the recipe and used condensed cheddar soup and condensed cream of mushroom to make this vegetarian friendly for a large potluck. My slow cooker runs hot so I added warmed half & half about an hour in to loosen it up and saved about a cup of the cheese to top it with 20 minutes left to cook. It knocked Trisha Yearwood’s slow cooker mac & cheese, which quickly broke and became grainy, out of the park. Thanks, Holly! #teamholly #mayolovers #spendwithpennies
LOL! YAY!!! I’m so glad you loved this just as much as I do Jessney! :)
Why wouldn’t you use Campbell’s Condensed Cheddar Cheese instead of Cream of Chicken? Even Cream of Celery would seem to work better.
Any of those would certainly work well in this recipe. :)
What did I do wrong? Cheese all separated! Yuck. Doesn’t look like yours. Plus brown around sides.
Oh no Joanne. The brown bits around the edges are expected (like a baked mac & cheese).
Dairy can separate in the slow cooker when it is cooked for too long or on too high of a temperature. How long did you cook it for? It is possible that your slow cooker runs a little bit hotter.
I don’t have sour cream or any soups in the house, what can I use in place of them?
You could try yogurt or greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. You could use any flavour of “cream of” soup such as chicken, celery or mushroom. If you don’t have soup at all, I’m not sure what you could replace with without changing the recipe as dairy can separate in the slow cooker if cooked too long.
Hey! So as a dad I think this may be my first ever comment on any recipe ever! Lol
Anyway, I have been trying Mac and cheese recipes for years. I have tried them all. I look for the right balance between cost, ease of recipe and of course taste. This recipe I tried because of how different the ingredients were. I was a bit skeptical but went ahead and tried it.
OMG is all I have to say. This is hands down one of the best recipes I’ve ever had. The taste is amazing and so easy to make.
Here are the changes I made:
– I used a whole box of pasta so I doubled everything
– I didn’t have Colby but did have some mozzarella which worked fine.
-I also added a bit of milk as it was too thick and the soup needed to be diluted a bit
I would cook on low next time as high burned the sides (which tasted great!) but it cooked too fast.
This is a great recipe, seriously, nice work!
:D Yay, I’m so glad you loved this recipe Ryan, it’s one of my favorites!!
Wow! This recipe is amaze balls! My family and I loved it! I didn’t have any mustard powder, so I used just a small squirt of sriracha mustard. Also, we didn’t have gruyere cheese. Fortunately, we always have fontina. I love fontina because I like the way melts. Boy, this turned out delicious! I am going to have to try this again, and next time I will make it exactly as the recipe says.
What size slow cooker do you use for this recipe?
I use a 4 qt slow cooker.
Csn I use Velveeta cheese?
I have only tried this recipe as written.