Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese (Creamy, No Boil Pasta)

Every family has that one dish that shows up at every holiday, birthday and church potluck, and in ours it is this slow cooker mac and cheese. My sister in law once tried to bring a different side to Thanksgiving, and my nephew asked, in front of everyone, where the real macaroni was. So now I make a double batch, and it is always the first dish scraped clean.

What I love about making mac and cheese in the slow cooker is that it frees up my oven and stovetop for everything else. The uncooked elbow pasta goes right into the slow cooker with butter, milk, evaporated milk, a mountain of shredded cheese and a little cream cheese. A couple of hours on LOW, with a few good stirs along the way, and you have creamy, cheesy pasta that holds beautifully on WARM for a party. You can also cook it on HIGH when you are short on time.

There is no boiling water, no roux and no separate pot of cheese sauce. It is the kind of recipe a busy mom can pull together in ten minutes, and it tastes like the rich, old fashioned mac and cheese from Grandma’s kitchen.

Why this recipe works

• No boiling the pasta. Dry elbows cook right in the milk, soaking up flavor and releasing starch that naturally thickens the sauce.
• Evaporated milk keeps it silky. It has less water and more milk proteins than regular milk, which helps the cheese melt smoothly instead of turning grainy or oily.
• Cream cheese for extra creaminess. A few ounces melt into the sauce and give it that velvety, clingy texture everyone loves.
• A blend of cheeses. Sharp cheddar brings bold flavor and Monterey Jack melts like a dream, so you get both taste and stretch.
• Gentle, steady heat. Cooking on LOW keeps the dairy from curdling and lets the pasta cook evenly without turning to mush.

Ingredients you’ll need

These are everyday grocery staples. Find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.

• Uncooked elbow macaroni
• Unsalted butter
• Evaporated milk
• Whole milk
• Sharp cheddar cheese
• Monterey Jack cheese
• Cream cheese
• Dry mustard powder, garlic powder and paprika
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Ingredient notes and smart substitutions

Elbow macaroni

Classic elbows are my favorite because they cook evenly and trap the sauce inside every curve. Small shells and cavatappi also work well. Avoid thin pasta like angel hair, which overcooks quickly, and very large shapes, which can stay firm in the center. Do not use gluten free or whole wheat pasta without watching closely, since they absorb liquid differently and can turn soft fast.

Cheese

Please shred your own cheese from blocks. Bagged shredded cheese is coated with starches to keep it from clumping, and those coatings can make your sauce gritty and thick. A sharp or extra sharp cheddar gives the best flavor. Monterey Jack can be swapped for mild cheddar, Colby, Gouda or a little Gruyere for a more grown up version.

Evaporated milk

This canned milk is the secret to a stable, creamy sauce in the slow cooker. It is not the same as sweetened condensed milk, so double check the label. If you cannot find it, use half and half in its place.

Whole milk

Whole milk makes the creamiest sauce. Two percent milk works, but the finished dish will be slightly less rich. I would skip skim milk entirely, since the sauce can turn thin and break.

Cream cheese

Full fat cream cheese melts best. Cut it into small cubes so it disappears into the sauce evenly. You can leave it out, but the mac and cheese will be a bit less creamy.

Dry mustard and seasonings

Dry mustard powder will not make the dish taste like mustard. It simply sharpens the cheddar and makes the cheese flavor pop. Garlic powder and paprika add a gentle savory warmth. If you do not have dry mustard, stir in 1 teaspoon of prepared yellow mustard with the milk instead. A pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce is lovely for grownups.

Butter

I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt, since cheese is already fairly salty. If you only have salted butter, cut the kosher salt back to 1/2 teaspoon and taste at the end before adding more.

How to make it

Step 1. Grease the slow cooker

Coat the inside of a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker generously with butter or cooking spray. Cheese sauce loves to stick around the edges, and this makes cleanup so much easier. A slow cooker liner works too.

Step 2. Add the pasta and butter

Pour the uncooked macaroni into the slow cooker and scatter the cubed butter over the top. Add the dry mustard, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and give it a quick stir to coat the noodles.

Step 3. Pour in the milk

Whisk the evaporated milk and whole milk together in a large measuring cup, then pour it over the pasta. Stir well and make sure all of the noodles are submerged. Any pasta poking above the liquid will stay hard.

Step 4. Stir in the cheese

Add the cream cheese cubes and about three quarters of the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Save the rest of the cheese for the end, when it gives the sauce an extra creamy, gooey finish.

Step 5. Slow cook on LOW or HIGH

Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes, scraping along the bottom and sides so nothing scorches and the pasta cooks evenly. LOW is the more forgiving option and gives the creamiest results. Start checking early, since every slow cooker runs a little differently. The mac and cheese is done when the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed into a thick, creamy sauce.

Step 6. Finish and serve

Turn off the slow cooker or switch it to WARM. Stir in the remaining cheese until melted. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash of warm milk. If it looks a little loose, do not worry. It thickens quite a bit as it stands, so resist the urge to keep cooking it. Let it stand for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and clings to the pasta, then serve with a sprinkle of paprika on top.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using bagged shredded cheese. The anticaking powders keep the cheese from melting smoothly and can leave your sauce grainy. Shredding a block takes five minutes and makes a huge difference.
• Walking away for hours. This is not an all day slow cooker recipe. The pasta overcooks if it sits much longer than the recommended time, so set a timer.
• Skipping the stirring. Stirring every half hour keeps the edges from scorching and helps the noodles cook evenly from top to bottom.
• Cooking on HIGH and forgetting it. HIGH heat can make the sauce separate and the bottom burn. If you use it, stir more often and check sooner.
• Adding cold cream cheese in one big block. A large cold chunk takes forever to melt and leaves white streaks. Cube it and let it soften while you gather everything else.
• Using a slow cooker that is too big. In an oversized cooker, the mixture spreads thin and can dry out and burn. A 5 to 6 quart cooker is just right for this amount.

Make ahead and storage

Make ahead. Because the pasta cooks right in the milk, I do not recommend assembling this the night before. The noodles would soak up the liquid and turn soft. Instead, shred the cheese and measure the spices ahead of time so all you have to do is dump and stir. Once cooked, the mac and cheese will hold on WARM for about an hour. Stir in a splash of milk every 20 minutes to keep it creamy.

Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sauce firms up as it chills, which is completely normal.

Freezer. You can freeze it for up to 2 months, though the texture is softer after thawing. Freeze it in individual portions for easy lunches.

Reheating. Add a splash of milk and warm it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until creamy, or microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each one. Thaw frozen portions overnight in the fridge first.

Variations

• Crispy topping. Spoon the finished mac and cheese into a baking dish, top with buttered breadcrumbs and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
• Bacon mac and cheese. Stir in 6 slices of crumbled cooked bacon just before serving.
• Buffalo chicken. Add 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken and a few tablespoons of hot sauce at the end for a hearty main dish.
• Smoky Gouda. Replace the Monterey Jack with smoked Gouda for a deep, grown up flavor.
• Veggie loaded. Stir in steamed broccoli florets or peas during the last 15 minutes for a little extra color.
• Ham and peas. Fold in 2 cups of diced leftover ham and 1 cup of thawed peas at the end. This is my favorite way to use up holiday ham, and it turns a side dish into a complete one pot dinner.
• Pizza mac. Swap the Monterey Jack for mozzarella, stir in chopped pepperoni and add a pinch of Italian seasoning.
• Spicy jalapeno. Swap the Monterey Jack for pepper Jack and add a diced jalapeno for gentle heat.

What to serve with it

This creamy mac and cheese is a natural side dish for holiday dinners, and it is right at home next to baked ham, roast turkey or a platter of fried chicken. In summer, it is the star of every cookout alongside pulled pork, barbecue ribs, burgers and grilled sausages. To balance all that richness, add something fresh and crunchy, like a crisp green salad, a bowl of coleslaw, roasted green beans or steamed broccoli with lemon. On busy weeknights, I serve it as a main dish with a simple side of sliced apples and cucumbers for the kids, and nobody ever complains. For potlucks and parties, bring it right in the slow cooker, plug it in on WARM and set a big serving spoon beside it.