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Slow cooker mac and cheese topped with parsley, with a serving spoon in it.
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Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

This recipe for slow cooker mac and cheese is a blend of tender pasta with two types of cheese and plenty of seasonings, all cooked together to creamy and cheesy perfection. It's the easiest crock pot macaroni and cheese ever!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 571kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 lb cavatappi pasta or other corkscrew shaped pasta
  • 1/4 cup butter cut into cubes
  • 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 lb block of orange American cheese cut into cubes (8 ounces)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • cooking spray
  • 2 teaspoons chopped parsley optional garnish

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes less than package directions call for.
  • Coat a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the noodles in the slow cooker and add the butter. Stir until the noodles are coated with butter.
  • Add the evaporated milk, half and half, cheddar cheese, american cheese, salt, pepper, onion powder and paprika.
  • Stir until combined.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes.
  • At the end of the cook time, stir until a smooth sauce coats the noodles. Serve, topped with parsley if desired.

Video

Notes

  1. Cavatappi is sometimes called corkscrew pasta or cellentani. If you can't find cavatappi you can use farfalle or gemelli.
  2. The cook time for this mac and cheese varies a bit depending on your slow cooker. I find that some of the older slow cookers tend to run on the hot side and have less heat settings. If you've got an older crock pot, cook this mac and cheese for about 1 1/2 hours to avoid mushy noodles.
  3. If you've got a more modern crock pot with multiple heat settings, cook on the lowest setting for 2 hours. Either way you'll want to stir the mac a few times during the cooking process. If it looks soupy at the end of the cook time, just keep stirring and it will come together into a smooth sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 571kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 419mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 960IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 654mg | Iron: 1.2mg