Seriously creamy, seriously cheesy, and seriously delicious! Sharp cheddar and an earthy gruyère cheese bring a beautiful depth of flavor to slow cooker mac and cheese.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
We all love a set-it-and-forget-it dish. A slow cooker is a perfect vessel! No need to boil macaroni in a separate pot, just pop in all the ingredients, stir, cover, and let the magic happen. Not only that, but slow cookers provide the ability to take your mac and cheese to your next family gathering.
I love a good mac and cheese, especially my baked mac and cheese, which always gets rave reviews from family and readers. But this slow cooker version absolutely holds its own.
As the cook, I love that it’s low-effort but high-reward. I can toss everything in, set the slow cooker, and either prep the rest of dinner, or honestly, relax and catch up on my favorite shows while the magic happens. I think you'll love doing the same.
♡ Tanya
My slow cooker mac and cheese is a perfect side dish for any holiday meal. If you love this one, you'll enjoy my Creamy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes too. Try both of these alongside your holiday Turkey or Ham.
A Quick Look at the Ingredients
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cheese!!! - I use block cheese and shred it myself for the smoothest cheese melt. I use Block sharp cheddar cheese and Block Gruyère cheese.
- Elbow noodles - uncooked.
- Dairy - I use whole milk and evaporated milk. I wouldn't substitute this with milk with less fat, as your sauce may break.
- Unsalted butter - we will be adding our own salt, so I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt added.
- Seasonings - Seasoned salt and black pepper
Tools needed for slow cooker mac and cheese:
- Slow cooker
- Food processor or cheese grater
How to make Mac and Cheese in your Slow Cooker
Step 1: Shred sharp cheddar cheese and Gruyère cheese. Set aside.
Step 2: Add elbow noodles, whole milk, evaporated milk, unsalted butter, seasoned salt, and black pepper to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
Step 3: Cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour. After 1 hour, stir the mixture. Cover and cook for an additional 40-50 minutes, until the noodles are softened.
Step 4: Switch the slow cooker to high heat and cook for an additional 10 minutes, covered, to thicken the sauce.
Step 5: Serve immediately or switch the slow cooker to warm to keep the mac and cheese warm.
Leftover Mac and Cheese Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Can I freeze leftover mac and cheese? You can freeze mac and cheese. I'd note that after thawing, it may not appear as creamy as it had originally. This is mostly because the pasta has absorbed a lot of that moisture.
To freeze, allow your mac and cheese to cool completely. Portion it into freezer bags, release any extra air, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Cheeses: Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Gouda, Pepper Jack
- Mix-ins: Cooked bacon, ham, roasted jalapeños, breadcrumbs
- Spices: Smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder
- Gluten-Free: Use GF pasta, adjust timing (check earlier)
Common questions you may have
Do I need to boil the noodles first?
Nope! I think the whole point of a slow cooker is to make our meals as easy as possible but still delicious. In this recipe, it is specified to rinse and drain the noodles. This is to clean the noodles before adding them to the slow cooker.
Why are my noodles mushy?
There could be a couple of reasons your noodles have turned mushy.
- Your crockpot's temperature is higher than it should be. Not every slow cooker can cook at the same temperature. The age of the slow cooker can affect that.
- The type and brand of noodles you chose. A thicker elbow noodle or even one with ridges will maintain its structure better than a cheaper, thinner elbow noodle.
The best practice is to keep an eye on your mac and cheese after that initial hour of cooking. Yours may be done sooner or later than the recipe calls for.
My cheese turned out gritty; what happened?
The brand of cheese matters for a smooth cheese sauce. I used the Tillamook sharp cheddar and Boar’s Head Gruyère. It’s best to use block cheese and shred it yourself for the best results.
Pre-shredded cheese will contain an anti-caking agent, that if used in creamy mac and cheese, will result in a gritty cheese mixture. Even some pre-packed block cheese may turn out the same result.
Find the best cheeses for homemade mac and cheese in either your produce or deli section of the store.
Tanya's Top Tips
- Slow cooking times may vary. Cook the noodles until they are al dente.
- The brand of cheese matters for a smooth cheese sauce. I used the Tillamook sharp cheddar and Boar’s Head Gruyère. It’s best to use block cheese and shred it yourself for the best results.
- The cheese sauce will thicken as it stands. If you need to thin it out, add a little more milk and stir.
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Try these out:
- Creamy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes - another hands-off slow cooker recipe that results in a creamy, delicious side dish.
- Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Mushrooms - one of my favorites. I love mushrooms, and these mushrooms come out seasoned and cooked to perfection.
- Slow Cooker Hot Holiday Punch - I love making punch recipes for the Holidays. This one will impress your guests.
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Hot Shrimp Dip - This dip is not only amazing, but it also boasts a rich flavor and is incredibly easy to make in the slow cooker.
If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Instructions
- Shred sharp cheddar cheese and Gruyère cheese. Set aside.
- Add elbow noodles, whole milk, evaporated milk, unsalted butter, seasoned salt, and black pepper in the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Cover and cook low heat for 1 hour. After 1 hour, stir the mixture. Cover and cook for an additional 40-50 minutes, until the noodles are softened.
- Switch the slow cooker to high heat and cook for an additional 10 minutes, covered, to thicken the sauce.
- Serve immediately or switch the slow cooker to warm to keep the mac and cheese warm.
Nutrition
Notes
- Slow cooking times may vary. Cook the noodles until they are al dente.
- The brand of cheese matters for a smooth cheese sauce. I used the Tillamook sharp cheddar and Boar’s Head Gruyère. It’s best to use block cheese and shred it yourself for best results.
- The cheese sauce will thicken as it stands. If you need to thin it out, add a little more milk and stir.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This post was originally published on November 20, 2022. It has been updated with new information.
matt says
Great recipe, I served this along side my crockpot pulled pork
Tanya says
Thanks Matt! So glad you liked the recipe. Pulled pork and mac and cheese are the perfect combo.