A creamy, tasty mac and cheese recipe that is ultra-simple and this will become your favorite comfort food recipe. As easy as boiling water, it is a delicious alternative to the blue box. And good enough to make my "in-house mac and cheese expert" go back for seconds.
Introduction
Many people consider mac and cheese the ultimate comfort food. For years, I have not been one of them but my wife has converted me. I have now overcome my years of the evil blue box and powdered cheese.
Most recipes are relatively simple. The science part of me takes hold. I decide on what to make. I read many recipes and other information if needed (data collection.) I select a model recipe if one is close to where I'm going and apply changes I think will improve the process and results. Then, I test until I'm convinced it is "reproducible" for you.
This one didn't quite go smoothly. I was inspired initially by a Trisha Yearwood show on Food Network. Very interesting. Then a Paula Deen recipe. Then many more. I made charts of ratios of cheese and milk to pasta. I listed spices, and I saw cooking times from 2 to 5 hours. Basically, they were all over the place.
I started with the Paula Deen recipe since it seems to be the most popular. I made some changes but mainly it was more of a cut-up casserole due to the eggs. My wife had a small serving, but ultimately it was trashed. Taste adequate, texture very wrong. She wanted creamy and cheesy. Nothing else would do.
So I read comments and looked more. I decreased the egg and a few other changes. Still, a no go but improving. THE EGG HAD TO GO! Almost everyone had the egg.
This is basically the Paula Deen recipe without egg with some simplification. It is extraordinarily creamy with great texture and if you can boil water, you can do this recipe.
My Rating
This is a 4 or a 5. My wife gave it a 4.5 as it stands. She has plans.
📋Ingredients
The pasta
Since this pasta is being cooked a second time essentially by the crock pot, you need to undercook it a bit to begin with. I suggest the al denta level at most or a little less.
Also, a good brand of standard pasta is recommended. You can use whole wheat but it has less gluten and is less tolerant of the crock pot treatment. In other recipes, reads seem to have issues with the generic and non-standard pasta.
Since I don't use gluten-free pasta, I will not comment on those products. But use with care.
The cheese and dairy products
The cheese should be a brand name. Some of the cheaper/generic types of shredded cheese will separate with heat and make a mess. Also, outdated cheese may do the same thing.
But choose the cheese you love for this recipe.
The milk can be any fat level. There is enough fat around already from the other dairy.
This recipe uses sour cream. I suggest full or light sour cream but not fat-free.
I have never like cream cheese in mac and cheese or other casseroles. It belongs in frosting or cheese cakes. But if you like the taste, you can replace the sour cream with cream cheese. But please not the fat-free version which is disgusting.
The soup
I have never been a big fan of using a can of soup as an ingredient, but in this recipe, it provides a lot of the thickening and creaminess. Other recipes will call for "cream of _____" but the cheese soup work well and provides more flavor.
Spicing
The main spicing is salt and pepper along with dry mustard. That is very standard for homemade mac and cheese.
Of you are not feeding children, I have added an option for cayenne pepper which I believe most adults will enjoy.
Add any other spices you enjoy.
♨️Crock Pot
This fits nicely in a 3-quart crock pot. A double needs to be 5-quarts or larger.
Crock pots can vary in temperature greatly so as they say, "your mileage may vary" in cooking time.
⏰Time
I defined the end time as starting to get some browning. This was a little under two hours for me. A bit undercooked is better than overcooked and burnt. All you really need is some simmering to get the flavors combined well.
If cooking this recipe as written in a large crock pot, it may also cook a bit faster.
📖Related Recipes
Uncooked Macaroni Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Start with a pan of hot water over high heat.
Once the water is boiling add 2 cups (about 8 oz) and cook for about ⅔ of the minimum time. Mine said 9 minutes, so I cooked for 6 minutes.
Combine in a medium crock pot: 1 cup milk, ½ cup sour cream, 2 ½ cups cheese ( I used sharp cheddar and a little Cojack. Use what you want/have), 4 tablespoons butter cut into several pieces, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and dry mustard and one can (10 ¾ oz) cheddar cheese soup. The option of ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper.
Drain the pasta well and combine in the slow cooker. Mix well. Turn on low.
Stir the pot about 20 minutes into cooking when the butter is melted. Mix very well. Stir again several more times. Just a light stir is good.
It's done when you are getting some browned cheese on the side of the pot and some light browning of some of the pasta on the edge. Or the macaroni is tender. About 2 hours.
📖Recipe
Creamy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 ½ cup shredded cheese - your choice
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 10 ¾ oz cheddar cheese soup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
Instructions
- Start with a pan of hot water over high heat.
- Once the water is boiling add 2 cups (about 8 oz) and cook for about ⅔ of the minimum time. Mine said 9 minutes, so I cooked for 6 minutes.
- Combine in a medium crock pot: 1 cup milk, ½ cup sour cream, 2 ½ cups cheese ( I used sharp cheddar and a little Cojack.) Use what you want/have), 4 tablespoons butter cut into several pieces, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and dry mustard and one can (10 ¾ oz) cheddar cheese soup. The option of ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper.
- Drain the pasta well and combine it in the slow cooker. Mix well. Turn on low.
- Stir the pot about 20 minutes into cooking when the butter is melted. Mix very well. Stir again several more times. Just a light stir is good.
- It's done when you are getting some browned cheese on the side of the pot and some light browning of some of the pasta on the edge. Or the macaroni is tender. About 2 hours.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This fits nicely in a 3-quart crock pot. A double recipe will need a 5-quart or bigger crock pot.
- A standard good quality standard pasta works best here. Cook it to al dente or a bit less before adding to the crock pot. You can use other pasta and they may or may not work.
- Use the cheese you like but generic, cheap, or outdated cheese can separate.
- If you like cream cheese, you can substitute it for the sour cream. Don’t use fat-free versions of either of them.
- Be sure to stir a few times while cooking.
- When the edge of the crock pot is a bit brown or the pasta is tender, it is done.
- Serving size is about 1 ½ cups.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and frozen for about 3 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published August 14, 2012. Updated with expanded discussion and options. Photos have been refreshed and a table of contents added to help navigation.
Dee
Recipe sounds good. I plan to make it for our family reunion this upcoming weekend. I was looking for a recipe that I could make in a crock pot and put together in our room at the lodge for a carry in meal. I will be using gluten free macaroni.
Do you have any "gluten free" recipes?
DrDan
I don't cook gluten free but most of my recipes are meat... And gluten free products can frequently be substituted as you know in many of the other recipes. I have no experience with gluten free pasta and think I should try it just for experience some day.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Patricia Donkers
I had the best lobster Mac and Cheese at a restaurant in Santa Monica, CA where I live and keep dreaming about it! What do you think Dr. Dan? I have a feeling you have cooked lobster tails before!
Please email me your updated version (minus the cheddar cheese soup) and if you devise a lobster-Mac version!
Patricia Maria
Go LA Kings!
DrDan
I have never really been a lobster type guy and my wife is not a big fan. So no lobster mac at this time. The updated version is at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/easiest-and-greatest-crock-pot-creamy/
Thanks for the note and good luck finding a lobster version.
DrDan
joyce
Do you cover the crock pot while cooking for 2hrs? Thank you
DrDan
Yes
Angela
Delicious. I quadrupled the recipe for my son's 3rd birthday party. It was ALL GONE!! Everyone loved it. NO EGGS!! :) Thanks for the recipe. I'm making this for my daughter's 1st birthday in March now. :)
DrDan
The eggs make a more "custard" texture which is not what my wife and I like. Thanks for the comment.
DrDan
Sandi Lugo
I used your recipe at our New Years dinner for the family (8 people) and everyone was pleased. Last week I tried the new version and could not get the texture of the noodles quite right, they were gummy- for lack of a better word. Saturday I made this recipe for my daughters Engagement Party (50 folks, 6 x recipe and added 1/2 cup dried noodles per batch when boiling, made 2 batches in each crock pot, 2 hrs cook time) and it turned out perfect! Everyone there raved over the mac and cheese and wanted your recipe. The only thing I did not double per crock pot was the cayenne, because I knew some would think it too spicy. It was wonderful to spend a few minutes boiling noodles and dumping a few things in the crock pots and not having to worry about it for 2 hours. I used the crock pot liners that reynolds has out now and cleanup was a breeze.
Thanks for the work you put into your recipes!!
Dr Dan
I just did an experiment this morning working on a new version. I did not precook the pasta and it worked fine. (not the same recipe) This has failed for me before. I think the "but" here seems to be this time I didn't add the cheese until near the end after the pasta was done.
My previous tries of not precooking were with the cheese going in at the start. I think the cheese way over cooked by the time the pasta was reasonable.
Also I don't really like using things like the soup in this. That will be gone in the new version.
KBGR
FYI I used uncooked elbow macaroni instead of cooking the pasta. Turned out great!!
Dr Dan
Thanks for the hint... I think I will just leave the egg out.
mrlemm
the egg needs to be tempered in for it to mesh well with the ingredients. if the egg overcooks it will have a pasty feel to it.
mrlemm
you have to temper the egg in. Ive done it with the egg with my own variation and it works.
Unknown
Ah, you validated my suspicion about eggs in the mac and cheese. Thank you! I made a recipe with eggs and really didn't like it at all. Next try is your recipe/the Paula Dean recipe. Thanks.
ReginaS
Your recipes are AMAZING!! My fiance and I love them!
ReginaS
I have tried your mac and cheese and shredded chicken recipes and they were AWESOME!!!! I look forward to trying more :)
Chris
I have to keep this one in mind because our go to recipe for mac and cheese is labor intensive and messes up a boatload of pans.