I love macaroni and cheese, and so does my family. I have at least five different recipes that I make over and over. This one is special though because it’s made in the slow cooker. Mac and cheese in a crock pot? Yes, please! It’s the ultimate comfort food.
Ok, time to get serious and make some creamy crock pot mac and cheese. I adapted this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution book. I love America’s Test Kitchen and highly recommend this cookbook. So many really great recipes!
Start with one pound of pasta, we like to use rotini, two cans of evaporated milk, two cans of condensed cheddar soup, two cups of sharp cheddar cheese shredded, two cups of shredded jack cheese and salt and pepper. You also need 2 1/2 cups of hot water, plus additional added before serving.
Spray your crock pot insert with non stick cooking spray, then add evaporated milk, cheddar soup, 2 1/2 cups of hot water and one teaspoon of kosher salt to your ceramic crock pot insert and pop your insert into the microwave to heat the ingredients. Heat for about 5 minutes and stir together to combine.
Now slowly add your shredded cheese and whisk as you add, you want the cheese to melt into the soup mixture.
Then add your uncooked pasta and give it a good stir. Cook on low for about 2 1/2 hours.
The mac and cheese will be very thick, so slowly stir in about 1/2 a cup of very hot water to loosen and smooth the sauce.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Creamy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution
1 pound of uncooked pasta
2 cans of evaporated milk
2 cans of condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups of shredded jack cheese
1 teaspoon of salt, plus salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups of hot water, plus 1/2 cup of hot water to add before serving
Spray insert with non stick cooking spray.
Add milk, soup, hot water and salt to crock pot insert and stir together. Heat soup mixture in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Slowly add both shredded cheeses to soup mixture and whisk until melted. Add uncooked pasta and mix well.
Cook on low for about 2 1/2 hours. Mac and cheese will be thick, so add 1/2 of a cup of very hot water after cooking and stir together to smooth out the sauce.
Serve and enjoy!
The temperature on slow cookers can really vary, so if yours runs hot or cold adjust cooking time accordingly.
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Thank you for reading!
Melissa
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Would you believe I’ve never tried condensed cheddar soup? This may be the time try it because this sounds delicious!
Damn… I was all excited to try this until you said cheddar soup. I’ve never seen cheesey soup in the UK, or at least not in Northern Ireland T_T
Do you have campbell’s condensed soups there? From the US & I haven’t really heard of it before either, had to look it up…
Damn… I was all excited to try this until you said cheddar soup. I’ve never seen cheesey soup in the UK, or at least not in Northern Ireland T_T
This looks delicious! Mac & Cheese is my favorite food! I can’t wait to try it! I’m thinking first meal in the new house… 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
This mac&cheese looks so good, I’ve never made it in my crock pot! What a great idea!
Best Mac and cheese have tasted. stays creamy through re-heats. Awesome
This was fantastic! Everyone loved it, and it was so easy to make. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
I can’t see the measurement on the can of evaporated milk. Can you tell me what size it is? Thanks!
I tried this last night, and it had a pretty grainy texture. I accidentally heated the soup mixture to a rolling boil before pouring it into the Crock Pot, so maybe that was the issue. I love Cook’s Illustrated and had high hopes for this– maybe I’ll try it again!
I tried this last night, and it had a pretty grainy texture. I accidentally heated the soup mixture to a rolling boil before pouring it into the Crock Pot, so maybe that was the issue. I love Cook’s Illustrated and had high hopes for this– maybe I’ll try it again!
I made this for a holiday party with friends..I added a bag of frozen broccoli about an hour before it was done. Everything else I did exactly as you instructed. It was delicious and I had a ton of compliments. Definitely a recipe I’ll make again!
My crockpot insert will not fit in my microwave. Big crockpot, little microwave.
Any thoughts on what to do?
I would just use a pan on the stovetop, then transfer to slow cooker. Thanks for the question!
Add bacon pieces for extra amazingness!!
this sounds good, but I would like to make it a meal that includes a protein and veggie. would you suggest adding chicken or broccoli or something like that while it’s cooking or add cooked chicken after the fact. Sorry – I am not a great cook and I have only used my crockpot a couple times. Thanks!
With such a short cooking time, you’d want to add pre-cooked protein. Bacon, smoked ham, rotisserie chicken or browned ground beef would work. You could add frozen vegetables an hour before serving, it sounds like. I like peas, mixed veggies, or peppers and onions. Broccoli would be good, too, for folks that like it. (bleh).
How many does this serve? It doesn’t seem to say.
Serves about 8
Liked the idea of crockpot mac & cheese, but this recipe was disappointing. Think it was the cheese soup that ruined it.
Just made this and it turned out pretty yummy. The pasta turned out sort of mushy, so I probably would recommend checking the crockpot periodically for doneness. I’ll probably cook no more than 2 hrs next time
I’m making thus as a part of a cooking project do you happen to have the nutrition facts for it and number of servings it makes
I tried the recipe but my pasta came out kind of chewy/over-cooked. Any suggestions?
What size cans of evaporated milk do you use? I’m planning to make this recipe soon but stumbled upon two sizes of evaporated milk at my grocery store.
Tried this today and it was overcooked and mealy in texture. The flavor was good but it was difficult to look at. I cooked it exactly, no substitutions or tampering.
I made this last night. WOW!! Turned out perfect!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you