Slow Cooker Creamy Mac and Cheese + Video

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is made with four cheese’s and it’s so easy to make by adding all of the ingredients to the crock pot. It is so easy it just about cooks itself!

Slow Cooker Creamy Mac and Cheese is one of my favorites way to make Mac and Cheese. This recipe will change entirely the way you make Mac and Cheese.

No more stirring by the stove and ending up with runny Mac and Cheese, no more picking in the oven, this slow cooker version is delicious and easy to make.

Also, for the ultimate creamy Mac and Cheese this recipe uses four different types of cheese! Holy Yum!

I am completely in love with this recipe for Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese. This recipe is a time saver and also makes one of the creamiest Mac and Cheese I have ever tasted.

The best part of it? No crazy ingredients or methods, no pre-boiling the pasta, you add everything to the slow cooker and wait for it to work its magic.

This recipe was adapted from the original slow cooker mac and cheese on this site and from The Simple Kitchen Cookbook. 

Helpful Tips to make Slow Cooker Creamy Mac and Cheese:

• You can use a combo of any cheese you like, or if you only have one type on hand, use just one, just make sure you use same amount of cheese specified in the recipe.
• The key to this mac and cheese is to make sure you remember to stir it a few times, otherwise the pasta may stick to the bottom or sides of the slow cooker and burn.
• You can grate your own cheese, or you can buy grated/shredded cheese to save time.
• If you want to add some protein to the dish, I like stirring in at the end grilled chicken or some cooked sausage.
• You don’t need to pre-cook the pasta for this recipe. You can also use elbow, bow tie or small shells pasta.
• For a spicier kick add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
• The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools. If you plan to hold the mac and cheese in the slow cooker on warm, add extra milk as needed to keep the sauce nice and creamy. Also, if you are going to refrigerate it to eat later, add enough milk to the pasta to thin out the sauce before refrigerating. That way when you pull it out, it will scoop easily and the mac and cheese will warm up perfectly in the microwave or on the stove top. We do this every week and portion it out for easy lunches.

Enjoy!

With love from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Check out more of our favorite mac and cheese recipes:

Jack Daniel’s Mac and Cheese

Slow Cooker Triple cheesy Mac and Cheese   

Super Simple Mac and Cheese Italian Style   

Jalapeno Popper Bacon Mac and Cheese   

Beer Bacon Mac and Cheese

20 Minute Cheese Lovers Mac and Cheese with Broccoli 

Extra Creamy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Donna Elick

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is so easy, it just about cooks itself! Make creamy 4 cheese mac and cheese for dinner or a potluck side.

5 stars from 1 review

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Method Slow Cooker

Servings 8

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound cellentani pasta, also known as cavatappi, uncooked
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 1-tbsp pieces
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-oz pieces
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 4 cups whole milk
• ▢ 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ▢ 1 cup fresh shredded Gruyere cheese
• ▢ 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ▢ fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Pour the uncooked pasta onto the bottom of your slow cooker. I love my 6-quart for this recipe. Scatter the butter and cream cheese pieces over the pasta. Sprinkle the salt, paprika and mustard over the top and pour the milk and cream into the slow cooker. Stir to combine everything and smooth the pasta into one even layer coated in sauce.
• Cover and cook on low for 1 to 2 hours, until the pasta is chewy (not quite crunchy, but very al dente). Your cook time will vary if you use a different pasta, so start with 1 hour and adjust from there.
• Stir once halfway through the cook time and be sure to smooth the pasta into one layer so it is well coated with the sauce.
• Once the pasta is ready, sprinkle on the cheddar, Gruyere and mozzarella cheeses and stir to combine. The cheese will melt into the sauce to create the most luxurious creamy cheese sauce. Cover the mac and cheese and cook for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and it comes together.
• Stir before serving and garnish with fresh parsley.

Video

Donna’s Notes

The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools. If you plan to hold the mac and cheese in the slow cooker on warm, add extra milk as needed to keep the sauce nice and creamy. Also, if you are going to refrigerate it to eat later, add enough milk to the pasta to thin out the sauce before refrigerating. That way when you pull it out, it will scoop easily and the mac and cheese will warm up perfectly in the microwave or on the stove top. We do this every week and portion it out for easy lunches.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 740cal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 748mg | Sugar: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 609mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

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