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Crock Pot Mac and Cheese recipe

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 24 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on February 4, 2025

This Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is super simple, has amazing flavor, and only 5 minutes of prep. NO boiling required — just dump, stir and cook. Super creamy!

a scoop of mac and cheese coming out of a white crockpot.

Don’t have a crockpot? Try these easy cheesy macaroni and cheese recipes instead – Baked Mac and Cheese Cups (gluten free), Healthier Baked Mac and Cheese, and Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese!

Table of Contents

If you’re looking for a side dish that’s perfect for the holidays or an easy weeknight dinner, this creamy Crockpot Mac and Cheese is it!

Everything is made in the slow cooker, so there’s little cleanup and you don’t have to wait around by the stovetop.

The real cheese and rich, creamy cheese sauce make this comfort food hard to resist—no wonder it always gets rave reviews!

a blue plate full of crockpot mac and cheese with fork beside.

Why we love this Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese:

  • Classic comfort food: This recipe takes boxed mac and cheese to the next level, giving you all the nostalgic flavors without any questionable ingredients!
  • Easy to customize: You can stick with classic cheddar or play around with different cheeses to get your own unique flavor!
  • Low effort: The crockpot practically does all the work for you and you don’t even have to boil the noodles beforehand, making it the perfect low-fuss side or main dish. 
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Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese ingredients:

ingredients needed for crockpot mac and cheese in bowls.
  • Uncooked elbow macaroni: Elbow macaroni is a classic, but you can use any other type of short pasta you like! Just make sure it’s not too small or the mac and cheese may end up mushy since the pasta doesn’t take as long to cook.
  • Evaporated or whole milk: adds creaminess. 
  • Low sodium chicken broth: I’ve found if I use all milk that it becomes very thick and doesn’t turn out as smooth.
  • Butter: adds richness and keeps the pasta from sticking.
  • Sriracha sauce: this won’t make the crockpot mac and cheese spicy, but it does add a bit of flavor that helps to cut some of the richness. You can replace it with hot sauce or omit it for a milder dish.
  • Ground mustard: adds a subtle tang and a depth of flavor. 
  • Cream cheese: helps the sauce to thicken and provides a rich, velvety texture.
  • Shredded cheddar cheese: I like to shred my own cheese from a block as it melts so much better!

How to make Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese:

Here are some basic instructions for making this easy recipe! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of instructions.

  • Add the uncooked macaroni, milk, broth, butter, salt, sriracha, mustard, and pepper. Stir to combine.
  • Cover and cook on low heat. Stir and cook until pasta is al dente.
evaporated milk and butter in white crockpot.
Add milk, butter, broth, pasta, spices, and sriracha
white crockpot with lid on full of mac and cheese.
Cover and cook until pasta is done
  • Stir in cream cheese and cheddar.
  • Let it sit, then stir again until cheese is melted.
shredded cheese added to pasta and other ingredients in white crockpot.
Add cream cheese and cheddar
a steel ladle in crockpot full of mac and cheese.
Stir to combine

Tips for making the best Crock Pot Mac and Cheese:

I absolutely wanted this to be a no boil recipe, because if I’m going to pre-boil the macaroni then I’m just going to make a simple stove top mac and cheese recipe or this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese (which requires no other pots or pans!).

Here are a few tips to keep in mind to get the best results:

  • You need to spray your crockpot, and you need to stir it — every hour is best. Otherwise, you’ll end up with one big clump of pasta forever stuck to the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • You need to use cooking liquids that can handle some heat. This is why I choose to use a combination of evaporated milk and chicken broth — they both handle heat well. I don’t recommend using a low fat or skim milk for this recipe.
  • Serving a large crowd? Make a double batch and keep it warm in the crockpot! However, you may need a larger crockpot (6 QT) or two 4 QT crockpots. 
  • If the mac and cheese is done earlier than the cooking time listed in the recipe, turn it to warm. 

Reader Rating

“Oh, my, this is the cheesiest, creamiest mac & cheese!! Homemade is seriously so much better!!” Kristyn

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Variations on this crock pot mac and cheese:

  • If you like more noticeable spice in your mac and cheese, feel free to bump up the sriracha to 1 or 2 teaspoons or drizzle some on after cooking.
  • If you want to make it a full meal deal and bump up the protein, feel free to add some cooked, shredded chicken or some cooked ground beef, homemade meatballs, or a can of chili for a really interesting chili mac twist!
  • If you want to bump up the veggie content, feel free to stir some in with the macaroni or if you prefer your vegetables with more bite, add them just at the end when you add your cheese.

How to store this cheesy macaroni recipe:

Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

Reheat in a small pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warm. You may need to add a splash of milk or cream to get the mac and cheese creamy again!

Can I freeze mac and cheese?

Absolutely! Pop it into an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Before reheating, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Keep in mind that the texture of the pasta will be softer after thawing.

What are the best cheeses for this slow cooker mac and cheese?

Pick cheese that melts well for this and all macaroni and cheese recipes.

I prefer to use:

  • full fat over low fat
  • freshly shredded from the block over bagged, pre-shredded cheese
  • sharp cheddar cheese gives mac and cheese that classic orange color and flavor, but others work well, too: gruyere, Monterey jack cheese, or gouda are also favorites! You can also use a combination of cheeses to get a customized flavor profile. 
a steel ladle in crockpot full of mac and cheese.

Serving suggestions:

Pair this gooey mac and cheese with some Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin and JUICY Air Fryer Chicken Breast for a full meal!

If you’re having a barbecue, you can’t go wrong with some Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs, Homemade Coleslaw Recipe, and this Crockpot Mac and Cheese!

Make the perfect holiday menu by pairing this recipe with a Crockpot Turkey with Garlic Butter, Green Bean Casserole, Loaded Mashed Potatoes, and Crockpot Stuffing!

Looking for more crock pot pasta dishes?

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Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 24 votes
This Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is super simple and has amazing flavor! NO boiling required — just dump, stir and cook. Super creamy! 
close up of a scoop of mac and cheese in crockpot.
Review
Print
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Servings 6 servings
Calories 564cal

Ingredients

  • 375 grams uncooked macaroni (1 box, white with fiber)
  • 354 ml evaporated or whole milk (about 1 ⅓ cups)
  • 1 ¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons butter (cut into small pieces)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon sriracha sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (175g)
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Spray 2.5-4 quart crock pot with non stick spray.
  • Pour in dry pasta, then add evaporated milk, broth, butter, salt, sriracha, mustard and pepper. Stir to combine, breaking up the butter as much as possible but know that it will still be chunky.
  • Cover and cook on low for 1 hour. Stir well (it might be clumpy, but will come apart easily as you stir). Cover and cook for 30 more minutes or until al dente or slightly firm (you don’t want it too soft at this point).
  • Cut the cream cheese into very small pieces and stir into the pasta with the cheddar cheese. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes, then stir to melt.
  • Serve.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 190grams | Calories: 564cal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 431mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 530mg | Iron: 2.9mg
Keywords crock pot pasta, slow cooker mac and cheese

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Ashley says

    Hey Ashley, the recipe sounds amazing! I’m planning on making a bigger batch so would it be okay to just double the ingredients?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  2. Sandy says

    Hi Ashley! I love your recipes! I was wondering if you can use Velveeta cheese instead of cheddar? I want to make this mac and cheese for my brother, but he can’t eat cheddar cheese. It causes him to have migraines. His birthday is coming up and I wanted to make this and your crock pot blackberry cobbler for him to do something special. Thanks for your help in advance!

    Reply

  4. Alicia Vizuet says

    Hello Ashley, I wan to make this recipe but I don’t have a slow cooker. I have an I.P. can I make it in the Instant Pot?
    What kind of slow cooker can you recommend? Thank you

    Reply

  5. Paula A Sadowski says

    I tried this yesterday and it turned out horrible, followed the directions to the letter………made mush.

    My neighbor gave me a box of mini mini shells (I’m thinking maybe the pasta was too small)??

    any thoughts?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Paula, but if you say you follow the recipe to the letter but you use another variety of pasta that’s a different size, that is not following the recipe. Yes, the size and shape of the pasta matters.

      Reply

  6. Cathy says

    Have you made this with regular macaroni, not whole grain? My family hasn’t liked the whole grain so far, and I have a lot of pasta to use up.

    Reply

  9. Valerie says

    Your mac and cheese looks very yummy! I remember the first time I made slowcooker mac and cheese, it was not a success, even the dog didn’t like it. This one is awesome and no preboiling the noodles!

    Reply

  12. Natalie says

    Cheesy & so delicious!! We love this as a main dish or even a side dish, especially at Thanksgiving! Everyone always loves it!

    Reply

  13. Renee Goerger says

    All too often people claim that their mac and cheese is the creamiest. This one really IS! I love it!!

    Reply

  19. Alyssa says

    Just want to start off by saying I love your recipes! First time trying this one tonight and I’m so excited! I had a question about what to do if I double the recipe, I wasn’t sure if I would need to alter the cook time or if I would need to change the setting from low to high? I would love to hear back from you! Thank you so much

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Thank you so much Alyssa! Sorry it’s taken me a few days to get back to you. It will only change the cook time if it’s very full, then it might take a little longer for everything to cook through. Otherwise it won’t change it at all 🙂 I’d love to hear if you try it!

      Reply

  20. Fiona Manoon says

    Thank you!!

    i made it today.very yummy and easy
    Made this for the first time today and it was amazing! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
5 from 24 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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