Here, American cheese adds creaminess and color while sharp cheddar and smoked gouda add bold flavor. No one type of cheese is ever enough for mac and cheese! A combo will provide the perfect mix of meltability, flavor, and of course, that classic yellow color. What is the best cheese for mac and cheese? No need to boil the pasta before adding to the slow cooker for this Crock-Pot recipe! It cooks right in the creamy base, absorbing great flavor from the milk mixture and releasing just enough starch to help thicken the sauce. Combining it with milk in the sauce creates just enough liquid for a rich, creamy sauce.ĭo noodles need to be boiled before going in the slow cooker? Grease crockpot with cooking spray and combine uncooked macaroni, broth, half and half, milk, salt, and black pepper in crockpot. Evaporated milk has less than half the water content as regular milk. The biggest difference between the two is that evaporated milk is unsweetened and condensed milk has lots of sugar added.

What's the difference between evaporated and condensed milk? Use a sturdy pasta shape-look for one with durum wheat or semolina in the ingredient list-that will hold its shape in the slow cooker. Here's a genius trick: grate the cheeses while cold, then let sit at room temperature while the noodles cook so they melt into the dish easier. A trio of cheeses, including good old American cheese, take this dish over the top. This mac and cheese recipe needs no stovetop boil or oven bake, making it perfect for a decadent Thanksgiving side dish when oven space is tight. Once I have all the ingredients in the slow cooker, I usually top it with an extra layer of shredded cheese.Pure comfort doesn't get much better than slow cooker macaroni and cheese. By the time the pasta is done, I have everything in the crockpot ready to go. To save time when preparing this recipe, I’ll melt the cheese and the butter (see recipe below) in a saucepan while the pasta boils.

Both of these recipes get rave reviews every single time. I almost always make this cornbread recipe to go along with the crockpot macaroni and cheese, it’s a perfect combination. It takes a little work in the beginning, but I make this so often that I have the prep time down to about 20 minutes. It’s a great dish to make on a Sunday, so you’ll have leftovers for easy weeknight meals. I often make this for parties as well, because it makes enough to feed a crowd. You guys, this is one of my family’s favorite recipes! This crockpot macaroni and cheese is perfect to get you through these rest of these winter months.

Crock pot mac n cheese