Did you know that you can cook Mac & Cheese in the slow cooker or crockpot? Super easy and so tasty too! Here's my Slow Cooker Macaroni Cheese Recipe!
Is there anything better than a big bowl of Mac & Cheese on a cold winter's day? Mac & Cheese has to be my ultimate comfort food and this year I thought I'd try my hand at cooking it in the slow cooker.
At this time of year the slow cooker has to be one of my favourite and most used kitchen gadgets. We cook so many things in it - from a Beef Casserole to a Meatball Soup, a Tomato Pasta Sauce and even a full Christmas Ham!
I always feel too nervous to leave the house with the oven still on but for some reason the slow cooker just seems a bit safer.
I love the fact that I can throw a few ingredients in there and come home a few hours later to a hot meal that's ready to eat!
Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese
This winter I really wanted to try to make Mac & Cheese in my slow cooker. When I searched online most of the recipes were American and used a can of evaporated milk in the ingredients.
I know that this probably isn't an ingredient that most UK families have in their store cupboard so I decided to experiment with my own recipe.
Most stovetop Mac & Cheese recipes also use flour to make the cheese sauce. I didn't need to use any kind of flour or thickening agent in this recipe, making it completely gluten free if you use gluten free pasta.
I should mention that this recipe is very dairy heavy - using milk and three different types of cheeses! This will obviously make it high in calories and saturated fat but served no more than once a week with a side of veggies it can certainly form part of a very balanced diet for your family.
If you try this recipe yourself please do let me know what you think. Or tag me in a picture on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I'd love to see your pictures and hearing your comments about the recipes.
Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese
- Prep Time: 3 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 3 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinnner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Description
Did you know that you can cook Mac & Cheese in the slow cooker or crockpot? Super easy and so tasty too!
Ingredients
- 800ml whole milk
- 1 medium egg
- 100g cream cheese
- 200g grated cheddar cheese
- 50g grated parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 400g macaroni or other dried pasta (normal or gluten free)
Instructions
- Add the milk, egg and cream cheese to the slow cooker and whisk gently.
- Add in the cheddar, parmesan, paprika, garlic, mixed herbs and mustard and mix with a spoon.
- Finally stir in the macaroni and put on the lid.
- Cook on low for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the pasta is soft and the sauce is thick and creamy. Stir a few times to make sure the cheeses are evenly mixed.
- Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Cherrysue says
Best ever kids food !
Vicky says
Thank you, this has always been a favorite recipe with kids, happy yours enjoy it too.
Helen says
The sauce didn't thicken so it didn't feel like macaroni cheese. I used quark which is great for baking but looking at the other comments that might have been the problem as its low fat?
Nancy Smyth says
Very easy and tasty, will make again
Catherine Johns says
Mine is cooking now, still a half hour out but it is super liquidy! Any suggestions
Jackie says
Hi could this also be done using semi skilled milk?
Dee says
Lovely recipe my 3 year old cleared her plate- but we’ve loads left! Can it be frozen?
Thanks!
Ciara Attwell says
Yes it can be frozen!
H M says
DId not taste nice
Rebecca Flynn says
How essential is the egg? My smallest has an egg allergy? Thanks
Ciara Attwell says
It helps to thicken the sauce up but I'm sure it will be ok without out. Let me know if you try it!
Sadie says
This came out brilliantly and despite the fact that it made loads, it all got eaten in one sitting! My husband just kept going back for more. A really good one for when you have people over for lunch in the winter as you don't have to spend all your time cooking!
Sophie says
Giving it ago today let's see how this works my boy loves mac n cheese hope i don't disappoint him
Katie says
These best Mac and Cheese I've ever made. So easy and the kids loved it.
Hannah Hill says
I'm at a loss as to where this went wrong.... I followed the recipe and method exactly. Sadly, by about an hour and a half the whole thing had curdled. I tried to stir the curdle out (is that even a thing?! ????????♀️), but it just got worse and by the time I served it up it had a nasty gritty texture.
I think it was the amount of time for which the dairy products had to be cooked. I would recommend part cooking the pasta for and reducing cooking time if you are going to try this and have no time to cook an alternative if it all goes wrong!
Needless to say my fussy eater refused it. I am hoping that she won't refuse Mac and cheese every time now as she has only just recently added it to her very limited list of things she will grudgingly eat! ????
Ciara Attwell says
Hi Hannah, I've made this recipe several times now and never had that problem. Are you using "whole" milk and cheese? If not that could be the reason that the dairy is splitting.
Hannah Hill says
Yes, I always use whole milk and cheese. I wonder why this happened to me?! Maybe the difference between different slow cookers?
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
I reckon my kiddoes would love, love, love these.
Helena says
Have never thought of doing pasta in my slow cooker, saw your recipe on instagram this morning and did my own version with what I had in. What a winner!! Love your blog!! Thank you xx
Jules says
Havent tried it yet but I usually put cauliflower in mine would it work the same
Nicola says
I am cooking this right now with cauliflower in it so hopefully it works! I blended it into the milk.
Ciara Attwell says
Let me know how it worked out!
lara says
She never let you know