Description
This Crock Pot Mac and Cheese recipe offers a rich, creamy, and cheesy comfort dish perfect for holidays or feeding a crowd. Using a slow cooker, it simplifies the cooking process while yielding perfectly cooked pasta and velvety cheese sauce with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Liquids and Dairy
- 1 cup water
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
Dry Ingredients
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
Fats and Cheese
- ¼ cup butter (cubed)
- 16 oz shredded cheese (about 4 cups, a mix such as cheddar or your preference)
Instructions
- Prepare Crockpot: Spray the crockpot with olive oil spray or rub it evenly with butter to prevent sticking.
- Mix Liquids and Seasoning: In the crockpot, combine water, whole milk, heavy cream, sour cream, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly to ensure an even base.
- Add Pasta: Stir in the elbow macaroni until fully incorporated with the liquid mixture.
- Top with Butter: Distribute the cubed butter evenly on top of the pasta mixture inside the crockpot.
- Cook Pasta: Cover and cook on low setting for 1 to 1.5 hours. Check at 1 hour for al dente pasta—be careful not to overcook it to avoid mushiness.
- Add Cheese: Once the pasta is al dente, add the shredded cheese. Stir gently to combine cheese with the pasta and sauce.
- Melt Cheese: Cover the crockpot again and continue cooking for an additional 15 to 30 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and creamy.
- Serve: Stir the mac and cheese once more before serving it warm for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- This recipe is the ultimate crock pot mac and cheese, known for its creamy texture and cheesy richness.
- Slow cooker preparation makes it ideal for keeping warm during holiday gatherings or parties.
- Be sure to monitor cooking time closely to avoid overcooked pasta.
- Feel free to customize the shredded cheese with varieties like sharp cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack to suit your taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.75 cup
- Calories: 302 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 367 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
