The ultimate in comfort food, this easy slow cooker mac and cheese recipe is creamy, cheesy, and luxuriously indulgent!
There's no pre-cooking of the macaroni required, and there's no bechamel sauce to make. It's a dump the ingredients in, mix, and turn on kind of macaroni cheese, and those are the recipes I really love!
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There's a handful of secret ingredients in this easy slow cooker macaroni cheese, which produces the most delicious, velvety, smooth cheese sauce for the pasta! Those special (not so secret anymore!) ingredients are cream cheese, evaporated milk, and marmite!
This is the kind of pasta comfort food you need on a cold winter's day, although we enjoy it any time of the year!
👩🍳 Love macaroni cheese? Try this Spanish-style chorizo macaroni cheese or creamy bacon mac and cheese too!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Dump, mix, and turn on! No pre-cooking is required in this easy slow cooked mac and cheese recipe.
- Proper 'stick to the ribs' comfort food.
- Easy family-friendly dinner.
- Customisable with meat and vegetable add-ins.
- Best slow cooker mac n cheese recipe you'll ever try!
🛒 Ingredients
Pasta - macaroni or elbow pasta are best in this crockpot macaroni cheese, as they cook much faster than larger pasta shapes. If you did want to use penne or rigatoni you would need to increase the cooking time.
Cheese - use a mixture of grated extra-mature (sharp) cheddar and Parmesan. Feel free to substitute with a medium cheddar for a slightly milder flavour.
Sauce - the base of the cheese sauce is made using a combination of evaporated milk, full-fat cows milk, cream cheese and butter.
Flavourings - for that extra rich, umami like taste, add marmite, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic granules, and a small amount of sea salt.
🔪 How to make mac and cheese in slow cooker
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Place the dry macaroni in the bottom of your slow cooker basin.
Two: Pour over the evaporated milk and milk and give it a stir.
Three: Mix in the cream cheese.
Four: Add the cubed butter, marmite, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic granules and salt.
Five: Add the grated cheddar and Parmesan.
Six: Mix to combine.
Seven: Cook on a low heat for 1.5 hours. Take off the lid and give it a good stir until the sauce comes together. Replace the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
Top Tips
- Don't use pre-packaged grated cheese for this recipe. Pre-packaged grated cheese is usually coated in anti-caking agents which may have an affect on the texture of the cheese sauce.
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting the recipe. I take the dairy ingredients out of the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand.
- Don't keep opening the slow cooker lid to check on the pasta. It lets the steam and moisture escape which is actually helping to keep the pasta from drying out.
- All slow cookers and crockpots run slightly differently. I recommend cooking the dish on a low setting for 1.5 hours as directed in the recipe, but if you find the pasta isn't quite cooked, extend the cooking time, checking the dish every ten minutes. If you leave it too long there is a danger the pasta will turn mushy!
🍴 Serving suggestions
This slow cooker macaroni cheese is extremely rich and filling, therefore I often serve it on its own, or with some homemade pesto focaccia on the side.
If you need to stretch the meal further, air-fryer chicken breasts or honey-glazed air-fryer salmon are great accompaniments, along with a side of green vegetables such as roasted Tenderstem broccoli or roast courgettes.
📖 Variations
There are so many ways to customise this easy slow cooker mac and cheese recipe!
- Add 6 grilled and chopped bacon rashers for slow cooker macaroni cheese with bacon.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts for colour and texture.
- Make it lower in fat and slimmimg world friendly by using low fat cheeses, light cream cheese and semi-skimmed milk.
- Make it spicy by adding chilli powder or cayenne pepper.
- Add roasted cubed sweet potato, roasted butternut squash, or sweetcorn to the dish for added nutrition.
- Use different cheeses! Gruyere, blue cheese, and mozzarella would all work well.
- If you don't have a slow cooker, make my easy macaroni cheese recipe on the hob instead!
🥡 Storage
Slow cooker macaroni cheese is best eaten fresh as soon as it's made! However, leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
💡 Pro Tip - I recommend reheating it gradually in the microwave, stirring the pasta regularly during cooking, whilst adding a tablespoon of milk to prevent it from drying out. The texture may be altered slightly by doing this, but it will still taste great!
❓ FAQs
Unfortunately, this recipe has been developed for use in a slow cooker or crockpot only and is not suitable for stovetop cooking.
The evaporated milk in the recipe is what helps make the cheese sauce smooth and velvety. I haven't tested this recipe using all regular milk before and therefore can't say whether it would work.
Yes, slow cooker mac and cheese can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating in the microwave with a little milk added.
😋Related recipes
More delicious slow cooker recipes to try!
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Tortellini
- Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
- Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne
- Slow Cooker Beef Goulash
- Slow Cooker Hunters Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pulled Beef
- Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken Curry
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
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Equipment
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 250 g Macaroni
- 400 g Evaporated Milk
- 200 ml Milk
- 100 g Cream Cheese
- 50 g Butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Granules
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 200 g Cheddar Cheese grated (I find extra mature cheddar is best for flavour)
- 75 g Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Place the dry macaroni in the bottom of your slow cooker basin.250 g Macaroni
- Pour over the evaporated milk and milk and give it a stir.400 g Evaporated Milk, 200 ml Milk
- Mix in the cream cheese.100 g Cream Cheese
- Add the cubed butter, marmite, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic granules and salt.50 g Butter, 1 teaspoon Marmite, 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 1 teaspoon Garlic Granules, ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Add the grated cheddar and Parmesan and mix thoroughly.200 g Cheddar Cheese, 75 g Parmesan
- Cook on a low heat for 1.5 hours. Take off the lid and give it a good stir until the sauce comes together. Replace the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked.
Notes
- Don't use pre-packaged grated cheese for this recipe. Pre-packaged grated cheese is usually coated in anti-caking agents which may have an effect on the texture of the cheese sauce.
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting the recipe. I take the dairy ingredients out of the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand.
- Don't keep opening the slow cooker lid to check on the pasta. It lets the steam and moisture escape which is actually helping to keep the pasta from drying out.
Michele says
This is my go to Mac and cheese recipe! It is so easy in the slow cooker. Thanks for a great recipe!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
Traci says
Slow cooker mac and cheese is always a winner and this recipe is no exception. I love the dump and start method ... always! Thanks for sharing!
Sarah Hawcock says
I made your Mac and cheese , delicious ,easy to make, and as am recovering from a stroke it's easy to swallow thanks, shall be making it again.
Gina says
This is the CREAMIEST mac and cheese ever - so good!