Slow cooker macaroni and cheese is the perfect way to whip up your favorite pasta side dish. This homemade mac and cheese is bursting with cheesy goodness and is nothing more than pure comfort food in a bowl. My family raves about this recipe.
If you love a slow cooker side dish to pair with dinner give this a try. Tender pasta and loads of cheese all in one dinner.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s always a crowd-pleaser at potlucks.
- It’s bursting with extreme cheesiness!
- It is also hearty and comforting, and always a family favorite.
Try this Instant Pot macaroni and cheese, if you are a lover of pressure cooking.
Ingredients
- Elbow Pasta – I used elbow pasta for this recipe. But you could easily use any type of pasta you would like that is small.
- Cheddar Cheese Soup – You are going to get the condensed cheese soup for this. It is going to elevate the cheese flavor.
- Sour Cream – The sour cream adds a nice tangy twist to the pasta.
- Milk – I do recommend using whole milk as it creates a richer flavor.
- Seasonings – Dry mustard, salt, and pepper are what I used for seasoning our mac and cheese.
- Shredded Cheese – I used a Mexican blend of cheese, but you can use any varieties you would like.
Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Noodles: Change up the type of noodle you use. Shells, bow-tie, or even penne work well.
Milk: Instead of milk you can use heavy cream. Or do half milk and half heavy cream for an ultra-rich flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
While this slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe takes a little effort to make it’s worth all the time that is required. You won’t regret making this creamy and cheesy dish.
- Mix together the cheese soup, milk, sour cream, and seasonings in the crock pot liner.
- Boil the noodles on the stove until they are al dente about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Drain then add to the slow cooker with the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a large pot (I use the same pot that I boiled the noodles in).
- Once the butter is melted add in one pack of cheese, and stir until melted.
- Repeat until all the packs of cheese are melted.
- Add the melted cheese to the crock pot and stir.
- Turn the crock pot on low and let it cook for about 3 – 4 hours.
- In the last 30 minutes top with more shredded cheese and let it melt.
Serving Suggestions
This macaroni pairs well with this Cajun turkey, or even pair with this crack green beans as another side dish. Or whip up these Instant Pot collard greens!
Pro Tips
- You will need at least a 6-quart slow cooker to make this recipe.
- To double it you will need an 8 or 10-quart crock pot.
- This is a large batch of this mac and cheese and it’s the amount that I make for family gatherings. You can cut the recipe in half easily if you are feeding a smaller crowd.
- Grating cheese off the block will offer a creamier texture than pre-shredded cheese. However, I usually use the pre-shredded for this recipe to save time.
- Season with extra salt and pepper once the macaroni and cheese are done if you prefer.
- I like to use a variety of cheeses when I make this recipe. I’ve been known to use half Sargento Triple Cheddar Blend and half four cheese Mexican blend for even more flavor.
- My family doesn’t like the “gummy” or “starchy” texture of pasta cooked in the slow cooker for this recipe, so I cook it separately and add it after it’s been cooked.
Storage
Fridge – All your mac and cheese can store for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. Just make sure that you place your leftovers in an airtight container.
Freezer – Due to the creamy ingredients you will find it doesn’t thaw the best. The texture of the sauce can become gritty. If you are okay with the texture change you can freeze the mac and cheese for 1-2 months.
Reheating – You can warm up this pasta in the microwave for a minute or two. Or if you want place it in an oven-proof container and then cover it with foil. Then bake at 350 degrees until it is warmed through.
When you are reheating this mac and cheese, I recommend adding more milk to make it creamy again. You could also add in half and half or water in a pinch.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
Cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, or even a more quality cheese is Gruyere cheese. Depending on the flavors you want will vary in the type of cheese you pick.
While you can cook your macaroni in the slow cooker you will find that pre-cooking the pasta offers a better texture. Sometimes cooking pasta in the slow cooker can create a gummy texture.
You can remove the lid and let it cook for 15-30 minutes without the lid on. This will help remove extra liquid from the pasta. Or you can add more cheese to the dish to help it thicken as well.
More Side Dish Recipes
If you like delicious side dishes, give these recipes a try:
Want to make this delicious recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin it so that you can find it later.
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- large pot
- 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Elbow Noodles
- 21 ounces Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 cups milk
- 4 teaspoons dried ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 48 ounces Mexican blend shredded cheese set aside about a half a cup
- 1 cup butter
Instructions
- Mix together the cheese soup, milk, sour cream, and seasonings in the crock pot liner.
- Boil the noodles on the stove until they are al dente about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Drain then add to the slow cooker with the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a large pot (I use the same pot that I boiled the noodles in).
- Once the butter is melted add in one pack of cheese, and stir until melted.
- Repeat until all the packs of cheese are melted.
- Add the melted cheese to the crock pot and stir.
- Turn the crock pot on low and let it cook for about 3 – 4 hours.
- In the last 30 minutes top with more shredded cheese and let it melt.
Notes
- You will need at least a 6-quart slow cooker to make this recipe.
- To double it you will need an 8 or 10-quart crock pot.
- This is a large batch of this mac and cheese and it’s the amount that I make for family gatherings. You can cut the recipe in half easily if you are feeding a smaller crowd.
- Grating cheese off the block will offer a creamier texture than pre-shredded cheese. However, I usually use the pre-shredded for this recipe to save time.
- I change up the variety of cheeses that I use for this recipe. I typically use half Mexican blend cheese and half Sargento Triple Cheddar mixture for the best flavor.