Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

Crockpot macaroni and cheese with evaporated milk, cheddar cheese soup or with Velveeta! Dump in and let it cook by itself all day long. I will never make homemade any other way now, other than Ninja Foodi mac and cheese.

This is simple and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients which is just my style! I am all about meals that cook all by themselves and this one is super quick as well and my kids favorite. Here’s how you make one of our favorite crockpot recipes. (affiliate links present)

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese with Evaporated Milk Recipe

This and our Instant Pot macaroni and cheese are great to cook for dinner or make a larger batch for a pot luck or for when other families come over. An easy recipe that will surely take you back to your childhood.

To make my crockpot macaroni and cheese recipe you will need just a few ingredients. You probably already have them in your cupboard already. At the end enjoy as is or with leftovers folded in like our brisket mac and cheese dish.

This can be as easy as boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese in Instant Pot, but richer and smoother. It is fabulous the next day too. I have made this two different ways and am including both recipes in this post.

Ingredients

1. Uncooked elbow macaroni noodles or a small shape works
2. Velveeta cheese sauce makes it creamy
3. Evaporated milk has a bit of sweetness for the sauce
4. Salt and pepper are basic seasonings
5. Garlic powder we like for flavor
6. Paprika for a deep seasoning flavor
7. Grated cheese for the top too if you like
8. Bacon bits are optional

Substitutions

If you wanted to add some heat to make this spicy I would start with 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes. You don’t want it to hot so less is more until you adjust and see what is right for you. Over time it will intensify too so keep that in mind. This is homemade Velveeta if you don’t want packaged.

Both are creamy and delicious but I’d try both and see which y’all prefer. You can also add a bit of shredded Monterey jack and sharp cheddar cheese on the top for the last 30 minutes to melt if you want it extra ooey gooey.

How to make mac and cheese in slow cooker

Step 1 – It is best if you first spray the inside of your pot with non stick spray. Add cheese and evaporated milk into pot. Then stir in seasonings. Cook on high for 1 hour, stir halfway if able.

Step 2 – On stovetop boil noodles until they’re al dente. Drain water and add them into your slow cooker, stir so they’re nicely coated. Add bacon bits now if you’d like. Leftover diced ham is a great add in too.

Step 3 – Cover again and cook on low for 1-2 hours or until noodles are as tender as you’d like. You could sprinkle some shredded fresh cheese on top the last 30 minutes. Cover and allow to melt also if you wanted extra cheesiness.

Why should you use evaporated milk in mac and cheese?

You may have made this with boring milk out of the fridge but this is better. It brings your dish a bit of sweetness and will make your sauce a bit thicker too. Here’s a quickie on how to make this first slow cooker macaroni version. It’s explained in the printable recipe card below too.

Serve this as a side dish or main entree this week! You can even transfer it to a cast iron pan and transform it into pizza mac and cheese too. Let us know what you think below.

Do you have to boil noodles before making mac and cheese in a slow cooker?

Unfortunately yes, it is the best way to go. I have made a casserole and soups in this pot without pre-boiling but the sauce is so thick with this that they don’t cook very well in this dish.

Both are good, just depends on your preference. If you want to double this recipe there shouldn’t be an issue, I’d just use a large 10 quart pot. Here’s a quick video showing how I made the second version using canned cheddar cheese soup. I boiled the noodles before putting them into the crockpot. It’s still pretty easy to make in your slow cooker, just a different variety.

Can you make this dairy free?

Yes. You could use dairy free milks in their of these if you needed to. I would use plain instead of vanilla or it will be too sweet. We hope you enjoy them both!

Recipe with Cheddar Cheese Soup

• Boil 16 oz. of noodles and drain when they are about 1/2 way done, so yes they are al dente quite a bit (they will soften and if you put them in fully cooked they will get mushy).
• Throw the noodles (16 oz. or so, I used this whole box) in the crockpot on low (or 300 if you have one like mine here).
• Shred 2 cups of cheddar cheese and throw in, put in the whole can of cheddar cheese soup just like it is in the can
• Add 1 1/2 cups sour cream (you can use light). This will make your cheese sauce.
• Cover and cook this for an hour.
• After that hour pour 2 cups of milk in and stir
• Allow it to cook about an hour more and it is done and delish!!
• You can just add everything together at once and cook this mac and cheese recipe for 2 hours.

What can I add to mac and cheese?

1. Crumbled bacon
2. A mixture of bread crumbs and parmesan sprinkled on top
3. Diced onions
4. Minced garlic
5. Makes a great leftover ham recipe diced and thrown in with the cooked noodles
6. Finely diced chives on top when served
7. Additional shredded cheeses on top

Looking for other easy family friendly meals? I am all about easy peasy so everything on my site is for busy families. No weird ingredients or something that will take you a long time to prep or stand at the stovetop to make.

• A green chile chicken casserole is packed with flavor
• We love air fryer mac and cheese too

Can I keep mac and cheese warm in a Crockpot?

YES! Just keep cooked macaroni and cheese warm in a slow cooker for serving at a potluck or anytime you need the dish to stay warm for hours. For best results stir the food occasionally. This will prevent the noodles from sticking together which isn’t super appetizing. 

How to save leftovers

This saves quite well actually. You want to make sure you spoon in all that wonderful sauce. Use a sealable container that is not too much bigger than what you have left. Air is the enemy y’all. If you can seal tight it will keep it moist. You should reheat in microwave within 3 days of storing.

Printable recipe for Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese with Evaporated Milk is below with nutritional information including calories and saturated fat per serving (but just enjoy).