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!
1/2lbblock of orange American cheesecut into cubes (8 ounces)
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonpepper
1/4teaspoononion powder
1/4teaspoon paprika
cooking spray
2teaspoonschopped parsleyoptional 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
Cavatappi is sometimes called corkscrew pasta or cellentani. If you can't find cavatappi you can use farfalle or gemelli.
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.
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.