Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese Without Evaporated Milk

4.80 from 5 votes
This slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe is made with real cheddar cheese (and no evaporated milk) which results in a creamy and cheesy side dish that everyone loves.
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This homemade Crock pot macaroni and cheese is made with real cheddar cheese (not Velveeta) and regular milk (instead of evaporated milk) resulting in a cheesy side dish that everyone loves.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Whether it’s a Super Bowl party, holiday dinner or a summer BBQ, this crock pot mac and cheese recipe is a staple at my house.

Made with real cheddar cheese (and without evaporated milk), it’s oh-so cheesy and there’s never any left at the end of the meal.

Plus, you can make it a couple of days ahead of time, which is always a bonus when you’re entertaining.

And because it’s cooked in the crock pot, it’s not taking up room in your oven when you’re trying to cook everything else. (Especially important at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner when oven space always seems to be at a premium.)

Ingredients

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slow cooker macaroni and cheese ingredients

Here’s your shopping list:

  • pasta – 1 16-ounce package of elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)
  • dairy – ¼ cup (or ½ stick) butter, 1½ cups milk or half and half, 2 pounds (16 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese. Don’t get pre-grated cheese. It has additives that keep it from sticking in the package, and those also prevent it from melting properly in the dish.
  • liquids – 1½ cups chicken broth. Since the recipe does not call for additional salt, this should contain some.
  • vegetables – 1 small onion
  • baking supplies – 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour.
  • flavoring – a few drops of Tabasco sauce. This is optional but does make the mac and cheese less bland. And it’s not enough to make the dish spicy.

Supplies

You’ll need:

  • couple of pots – one to boil the pasta and one to make the cheese sauce
  • 5 to 6 quart crock pot
  • slow cooker liner – this is optional but it makes clean up much easier.

How to make slow cooker macaroni and cheese

Prep work

macaroni pouring into a pot of boiling water

Boil the uncooked pasta in a sauce pan for 6 to 8 minutes until it is just getting soft (a little less time than what it says on the package). It will cook more in the crock pot so don’t overdo it here. When it is done, drain the water and set the pasta aside.

Finely chop 1 small onion.

Grate the cheddar cheese. A food processor with a grate attachment makes this a breeze.

Line the crock pot with a slow cooker liner if you have one. This is totally optional, but will make clean up so much easier. Just lift it out of the crock pot and throw it in the garbage.

You could also spray the inside of the crock pot with cooking spray.

Make the cheese sauce

Melt ¼ cup (or ½ a stick) butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. The pot will need to be big enough to fit all of the cheese sauce plus the macaroni.

Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir it in. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add about ½ cup of the chicken broth to the mixture and stir until combined.

Then pour in about ¾ cup of milk and stir until combined.

Stir in another ½ cup of the chicken broth, mixing until combined.

Repeat with the rest of the milk and then the rest of the chicken broth.

Turn the heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly.

Add a few drops of Tabasco sauce.

Remove the sauce from the heat.

Immediately add in half of the grated cheese (about 3 cups) to the pot and stir it until it has melted.

Finally mix the cooked pasta into the cheese mixture.

Put the macaroni and cheese together

Now pour half of the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture into the slow cooker.

Sprinkle half of the remaining grated cheese (about 1½ cups) over it. This will make the mac and cheese extra cheesy.

Then pour the rest of the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture into the crock pot.

And sprinkle the rest of the remaining grated cheese over the top.

Store for later (optional)

If you’re making it in advance, the dish can be stored in the refrigerator (for up to 3 days) or the freezer (for up to a month) at this point.

If you freeze it, take it out of the freezer the night before you plan to cook it so that it has a chance to thaw.

Cook

A spoonful of slow cooker macaroni and cheese

Cover and cook in the crock pot on low heat for about 2 hours.

The cheese will lose its texture if it is cooked too long at too high of a temperature.

I have found that my old crock pot is much hotter (even on the low setting) than my newer one.

So the mac and cheese is done in about an hour and a half.

The moral of the story? Every slow cooker is different. So you’ll need to look at it occasionally to see when it’s done.

When the cheese is completely melted and starts to get a little thicker around the edges, turn the slow cooker down to the Warm setting.

Serve

slow cooker macaroni and cheese on a fork above a bowl of it.

I like to leave the mac and cheese in the slow cooker without stirring so you get those layers of extra cheese when you dig in.

However, you can stir it if you prefer to have the melted cheese evenly distributed.

It can be left in the crock pot for 2 to 3 hours like this before the cheese starts to lose its texture.

Again…the amount of time that the cheese will stay good depends on how hot your crock pot is. You may want to turn it off (rather than keeping it on the warm setting) if it runs hotter than most.

Crock Pot Macaroni And Cheese

FAQs

Can I make slow cooker macaroni and cheese ahead of time?

Yes. Make it all the way up to putting it in the slow cooker. It can be stored in the refrigerator like this for up to 3 days. Or frozen for up to a month. Take it out of the freezer the night before so it can thaw before heating it in the crockpot on the day you want to eat it.

Why is the cheese gritty?

The cheese will curdle if it has been cooked too long at too high high of a temperature. Make sure to cook the macaroni and cheese on the low temperature of the slow cooker.

Check the amount of time it takes for your crock pot to cook. Some are hotter than others (especially older ones). And you may need to turn it off rather than keeping it on the Warm setting if it stays too hot.

Also, don’t use pre-grated cheese. It contains additives to keep it from sticking in the packaging. And those additives will also affect the texture of your mac and cheese.

Why are my noodles mushy?

They were probably cooked too long in the pot before being mixed in with the cheese sauce. The pasta should be al dente (soft but firm) when removed from the boiling water.

Other slow cooker recipes you might like

crockpot macaroni and cheese

Crock Pot Macaroni And Cheese

4.80 from 5 votes
Servings: 16 servings
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 2 hours
Total 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 16-oz package of elbow macaroni or any other small pasta
  • 4 tablespoons (or ½ a stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • cups chicken broth
  • cups milk or half-and-half
  • 4 drops Tabasco sauce
  • 2 lbs sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 cups finely shredded cheese)

Equipment

  • medium sauce pan (large enough to boil a package of macaroni noodles)
  • large sauce pan (large enough to hold 5 cups of pasta and sauce with room for stirring)
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • 5 to 6 quart crock pot
  • slow cooker liner (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, cook the macaroni until it is al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes (usually a little less time than is in the instructions on the package).
  • Drain and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat.
  • Add the chopped onion and saute until softened, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the flour and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, whisking constantly.
  • Gradually add the chicken broth and milk in alternate batches.
  • Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly.
  • Add the tabasco.
  • Remove from the heat.
  • Add half the cheese (about 3 cups) to the sauce and stir until it melts.
  • Stir the cooked macaroni pasta into the cheese mixture.
  • Pour half of the macaroni and cheese sauce mixture into the crock pot.
  • Sprinkle half of the remaining grated cheese over the macaroni.
  • Pour the rest of the macaroni and cheese sauce into the crock pot.
  • Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese over the top.
  • At this point, you can store the dish in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to a month.  If you freeze it, take it out of the freezer the night before so that it thaws before you cook it.
  • To cook, cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for about 2 hours.

Notes

  • Don’t use pre-grated cheese. It contains additives that prevent it from sticking to the package which also affect its consistency when it is cooked.
  • The macaroni and cheese can be left in the crock pot on the warm setting for 2 to 3 hours after it has finished cooking.
Nutrition Facts
Crock Pot Macaroni And Cheese
Amount per Serving
Calories
268
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
14
g
22
%
Saturated Fat
 
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Cholesterol
 
40
mg
13
%
Sodium
 
270
mg
12
%
Potassium
 
148
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
 
24
g
8
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
12
g
24
%
Vitamin A
 
414
IU
8
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
240
mg
24
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

authorWanda Simone
courseSide Dish
cuisineAmerican
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This post was originally published on November 2, 2014 but was updated with new content on March 19, 2024.


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2 Comments

  1. Looks delicious. I have to make Mac and cheese for the concession stand at my granddaughters basketball game, but need a larger amount. Can this recipe be doubled without changing the recipe directions? Should I cook it longer?

    1. Wanda Simone says:

      Hi Susan…I haven’t tried doubling it, but since all of the ingredients are cooked before you put them in the crock pot, I think it should be fine. You might want to add some extra cook time but check it occasionally so you can turn it down to warm if it starts to get too crispy around the edges.