Make creamy crock pot mac and cheese with uncooked pasta—no boiling required. This easy homemade recipe uses simple ingredients and makes a small batch of delicious mac and cheese.
The uncooked pasta cooks right in the crock pot with milk and seasonings. Add the cheese near the end for a creamy sauce without canned soup or evaporated milk.
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Featured Comment from John:
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"Great recipe, fantastic flavor. I doubled it and followed your advice and really kept an eye on the dish at the end"
🤔 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What: Creamy homemade crock pot mac and cheese made with uncooked elbow macaroni. No boiling or canned soup needed.
Why: An easy comfort food recipe that starts with 4 servings and scales easily for larger batches in a 2-quart or larger crock pot.
How: Cook the pasta in seasoned milk on LOW until al dente, about 2 hours. Drain excess liquid, add shredded cheese, and cook another 5–15 minutes until creamy.
Important: Crock pots vary. Check the pasta for doneness rather than relying on cooking time. Overcooking will make it mushy.
🧀 Ingredients
- Elbow macaroni—Use standard uncooked pasta for the most predictable results.
- Milk—The pasta cooks directly in the milk.
- Butter—Adds richness and helps make the sauce creamy.
- Cheese—Sharp cheddar is recommended, but other cheeses will work.
- Pantry ingredients—Dry mustard, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper add flavor.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Uncooked Pasta
1. Add the uncooked macaroni, milk, butter, and seasonings to the crock pot. Mix well.
2. Cook on LOW until the pasta is al dente, about 2 hours. Stir and check after 1 hour, then every 30 minutes or more often as needed. Drain excess liquid. Do not cook by time alone.
3. Stir in the shredded cheese. Continue cooking on LOW for 5–15 minutes until the cheese is melted and creamy and the pasta is tender.
For more details, keep reading. See the recipe card below for complete instructions and to print.
♨️ Crock Pot Size and Scaling
This recipe makes 4 servings and fits in a 2-quart or larger crock pot. You can double the recipe in a 3½-quart crock pot or use a larger one for bigger batches.
- Crock pot size: The milk must completely cover the pasta during the first stage of cooking.
- Scaling: Increase all ingredients proportionally, but don't assume the cooking time will stay the same.
- Cooking temperature: Use LOW. Large crock pots with smaller batches may cook faster.
Important: Check the pasta for al dente rather than relying on cooking time, especially when changing batch sizes.
🍝 Choosing the Right Pasta
Standard uncooked elbow macaroni gives the most predictable results. Different pasta shapes and brands absorb milk at different rates, so cooking times and leftover liquid may vary.
Whole wheat and gluten-free pasta can behave differently and may become mushy more easily. If you substitute another pasta, check for al dente frequently and remove any excess liquid before adding the cheese.
🧀 Choosing the Best Cheese
Sharp cheddar is my favorite for this recipe, but American, Colby Jack, Gouda, Gruyère, or Velveeta will also work.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly than most packaged shredded cheese.
- Add the cheese near the end. Cooking cheese too long or at high temperatures can cause the sauce to separate.
- Adjust to your taste. You can use one cheese or combine several varieties.
❓ Troubleshooting Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Different pasta brands and shapes absorb different amounts of milk. Once the pasta is al dente, remove any excess liquid before adding the cheese. You don't need to drain every drop—just remove the free liquid with a cup or spoon.
The pasta cooked too long or too quickly. Cook on LOW, stir and check after 1 hour, and continue checking until the macaroni is al dente. Do not rely on cooking time alone.
Standard elbow macaroni works best. Other shapes, whole wheat, and gluten-free pasta may need different cooking times and amounts of liquid. Check frequently for al dente and drain excess liquid before adding the cheese.
Cheese can separate when overheated or cooked too long. Add it near the end, use LOW, and cook just until melted. Freshly shredded cheese generally melts more smoothly than packaged shredded cheese.
Crock pots vary in cooking temperature, and batch size and pasta type also affect cooking time. A large crock pot with a small batch may cook faster. Start checking after 1 hour and use the pasta's texture—not the clock—to determine when to add the cheese.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for 2–3 months.
To reheat: Add a splash of milk and warm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally until heated through. Avoid overheating, which can cause the cheese sauce to separate.
📝 More Mac and Cheese Recipes
My Creamy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese uses precooked pasta for more predictable cooking times. It's another delicious option for homemade mac and cheese.
📖The Recipe Card
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Uncooked Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
- 2 cups milk
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup cheese of your choice - I used sharp cheddar
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Combine. Add the uncooked elbow macaroni, milk, butter, and seasonings to a 2-quart or larger crock pot. Mix well.
- Cook the pasta. Cook on LOW, stirring and checking the pasta after 1 hour, then every 30 minutes or more frequently as needed. Cook until al dente, about 2 hours. Do not cook by time alone.
- Add the cheese. Remove any excess liquid, then stir in the shredded cheese until well combined.
- Finish. Continue cooking on LOW for 5–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and creamy and the pasta is tender. Serve promptly.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Notes
- Use standard dry elbow macaroni for the most predictable results.
- Cook on LOW. Crock pots vary, so check the pasta for al dente instead of relying on cooking time.
- Drain excess liquid before adding the cheese. Do not cook longer to "cook off" the fluid.
- Add the cheese near the end to prevent separation.
- When scaling, use a crock pot large enough for the milk to cover the pasta. Larger batches may leave extra liquid to drain.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally published January 13, 2013. Updated with improved instructions, cooking tips, and troubleshooting guidance.
DrDan says
I had closed comments on this recipe last year but Ana has emailed me her experience and since comments are to expand the discussion, I wanted to post that and will leave the comments closed after this.
Dan
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On Oct 20, 2017, at 1:07 AM, Ana C
Hello,
I'm writing you via email as you closed the comments under the recipe.
I wanted to share how it turned out for me.
I doubled the recipe. Used smallest size shells, which were thinner than regular small elbows but about the same size.
I cooked it on high and added cheese once they were fully cooked. There was just enough liquid to make Mac and cheese nice creamy.
And this is where I made the mistake. Instead of transferring it to another bowl (which I'm doing next time), I left it in crock pot which kept it cooking, even though I turned it off. It dried my Mac and cheese although the taste was still good. But visually it kind of looked bit sticky and grainy.
Reason I'm writing is I noticed people who had liquid problems doubled the recipe. I think if the recipe is doubled, it should be cooked on high. Took me about the same amount of cook time. And cheese should be added at the end. No need to keep cooking it after the cheese is added. Just stir and transfer to a cold bowl.
As for shredded cheese, manufactures add some powder to keep each little piece separate. Otherwise eventually they'd all stick back together and we'd have this unsightly weirdly shaped ball of cheese.
Also my son asked me not to add cheese. He said the taste was phenomenal without it. I had him try the pasta to see if it was cooked and he was hooked lol.
Thank you for an awesome recipe that doesn't use condensed milk or can of processed chemicals aka the condensed soup.
Ana
Bachelor801 says
Fallowed the recipe just as it was written. With a tiny exception of a little meat added in. I personally thought it was only ok. More pepper, more salt for sure. Don't feel bad though, I'm a. Chef for a living and i make mac quite often for a personal snack. I'm sure it tastes good to a (loosely put term) not so trained pallette. It was OK for a 1 time meal. But there's a few things I would definitely change if ever again.
John says
Great recipe fantastic flavor. I doubled it and followed your advice and really kept an eye on the dish at the end. I drained out about 1/3 cup of milk at the end and that left just a little bit to mingle with the cheese. I used A bag of Sargento half sharp and half mild cheddar, really good. When I make this next I will go ahead and probably use 3 and 3/4 cups of milk so I don't have to scoop out pasta and boiling hot milk and pour it through a sieve to get rid of the excess. A winner for me, I'm glad I found your site. Tomorrow I'm going to try your BBQ sauce on some crock pot BBQ chicken I like to make.
DrDan says
Hi John,
Thanks so much for the note and rating. Once you get to know your crock pot and pasta, it is easier.
You will love the BBQ sauce.
DrDan
Sean says
I just made this recipe, using triple portions and Barilla's Gluten-free elbows (plus 1 cup each of havarti, sharp cheddar, and jalapeño-sharp cheddar).
I followed the recipe up through the first hour, and then I let the pasta cook 20 minutes longer before mixing in the cheese (and tbh - I would probably cut it at 15 the next time, using this pasta).
P.S. That extra milk at the end is for the cheese -- it should go away once you've mixed everything up together (at which point it's more a cheese sauce than simply milk - and totally welcome to the party!)
Sean says
To be clear, 20 minutes longer means 20 minutes AFTER the first hour - not 20 extra minutes on top of the total time listed in the original recipe.
karlagso says
best Mac n cheese ever!
Susan says
Great recipe. I made this today and it took exactly 90 minutes. Thanks for the heads up on the need to monitor pasta. I've tried other crockpot mac and cheese and all were terrible. I used 2% cheese and it worked just fine.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Glad it worked well for you. When you precook the pasta then cook it again, the results are somewhat predictable.
DrDan
Jill Stearns says
Success! Made an 8 quart and a 6 quart batch for the annual smoked BBQ. Decided not to do a small test batch, as the dynamics of the huge crockpots would probably change things. It was a huge hit. I want to thank you for your recipie and the interactive feedback, and while some changes were made, the confidence to go for it came from you. Changes I made were minimal, but I would like to add one possible insight. On a different cooking site (sorry) one suggestion stuck with me: grate your own cheese. Whatever goes on the pre-grated to keep it from clumping in the package also keeps it from melting together perfectly. I use it all the time, but checked and there are added ingredients. To be honest, I'm not sure if it made any difference, but shredded 6 lbs of Tillmook cheese by hand. The Mac and cheese got as many positive raves as the briskest and ribs.
DrDan says
Great news that it worked so well. Your comment about the cheese has some truth in it. Pre-shredded is more "waxy" to keep it from clumping in the package. Overall in a dish like this I don't think there is much difference but I'm sure a little. So for a special occasion I would use a nice block cheese shredded but for daily use, I'm lazy and use the shredded.
Dan
Jill says
Comparing comments, the uncooked pasta method seems to rely on more variables than the partly cooked in your experience with crock pot Mac and cheese. Your recipes and quality control, as well as some of the reader feedback, is truly helpful. We have a large event each year between Christmas and New Year, and with 5 smokers going, ovens monopolized, and stovetop space at a premium, I needed something that could transition to the crockpot besides beans! Keep your fingers crossed for me, folks. Thanks!
DrDan says
Hi Jill,
That's lots of comments to read but important. I try to read all or most comments of I'm using a recipe.
Might I suggest a small test cooking first. As you have noted, several variables are involved here.
You mentioned the precooked pasta mac and cheese recipes. I have one on this site and I still like it but I like the texture and taste of this one better when correctly done. I feel if you take precooked pasta and then cook it again for several more hours you will have bound to have some texture problems. Having said that, that is the texture lots of people are use to. Now I sound like a snob...
Good luck and watch closely for the al denta end point.
DrDan