Yes, uncooked pasta. Great taste, wonderful creamy texture in the easiest slow cooker mac and cheese you will ever see. You can make this tonight. No blue box for you.
Just put that uncooked macaroni in the crock pot. Yep, uncooked. Add some milk and spices. Cook. Then add cheese and in a few minutes you’re done. No can of soup needed. Serve FRESH today.
My previous slow cooker mac and cheese has been well received. It is consistently in the top 10 on a Google search, and it made my top 10 recipes for last year. But still something bothered me, and I keep experimenting to the point I feel like American Test Kitchen here. I have lost count, but I’m in the high teens here.
So what bothered me so much? The precooking of the pasta, the effect of heat on the cheese making it separate some and last (and the real thorn in my paw) was that can of soup. I HATE recipes that call for highly processed this and that. I do them occasionally, but home cooking shouldn’t be that way. You shouldn’t need a can of soup or a package of mix to make something. And crock pot cooking seems to be the epicenter for this, cream of _____ soup is everywhere or the mandatory onion soup mix. Some recipes use 3-4 pre-made things. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY…
My Rating
I never thought I would rate a mac and cheese a five, but this is it.
Notes on Uncooked Pasta Mac and Cheese:
I went through a lot of trial and errors here. A lot of mac and cheese was eaten, and a lot went down the sink as not worth of a reheat. They were OK but just not worthy… But the stove-top mac I did last month convinced me that I did not need to pre-cook the macaroni, I just had to do it right.
First the heat. This must be done on low. This is NOT a recipe you should cook on high and cut the time in half. The cheese will be more likely to separate some, and the macaroni will either be over or under cooked.
Second. American made shredded cheese that we all buy does not like long or high heat. It is waxier than block cheese, and it just won’t take it. I’m sure a better cheese like a block of Cabot would do better but are you going for a $10 cheese for this? So the cheese should not cook for long periods. Put it in near the end and let it melt and deliver its creamy goodness.
Third, a little fat is needed. I have only fat free milk usually. So since I was using that, I added a tablespoon of butter. That is enough fat to equal just over 2% milk. So if you use whole or 2% milk, you may not need the butter, but I would keep it for taste. Or even leave it out with 0% for health reasons but the texture will suffer a little.
Feel free to vary the cheese type and spices to your taste. This is a “Crock Pot for Two” recipe. A double recipe would still be fine in my 3.5 qt. cooker or use a large crock pot for larger batches.
Update Feb. 9, 2013: Many are having issues ( and many are not) with liquid being left at the point of the pasta being al denta. My initial cookings had almost no liquid at this point. The variations could be due to the cooker or the pasta. While cookers vary a lot, I have corrected for that by picking the al denta point, not a specific time. The pasta is the remaining issue and I believe is the trouble maker here. I have adjusted the recipe to eliminate this extra liquid at the al dente point. Don’t drain it in a strainer, just remove any free standing liquid, the liquid on the pasta should be enough.
Update August 26, 2013: It has been suggested to have a specific warning about the type of pasta. Since the comments are getting a bit long, it is a good idea. Many failures seem to be related to whole wheat or other non-standard pasta. I don’t believe these non-standard pasta are a good idea in this recipe. If you have made this with a non-standard pasta and did well, please post the brand and any specific modifications you did.
Whole Wheat report: See comment by Katie January 18, 2014, for whole wheat pasta technique.
Things you already have. Opps… I left the salt out of the picture.
Dump 2 cups milk, 1 cup standard (not whole wheat or other non-standard) macaroni, 1/2 t dry mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t each of pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, and l T butter into a smallish slow cooker. I used a 3.5 qt one. Mix well.
Cook on low. Stir well at 1 hour into the cooking and check the texture. Cook until pasta is al dente, another hour or so for me. Slow cookers vary some your time may vary some. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ONLY HERE.
When the pasta is al dente, drain any free fluid, add 1 cup of shredded cheese. I used sharp cheddar this time.
Mix very well.
Continue on low until cooked to your taste. About 5-15 minutes.
This is the crock pot after the meal. My wife scooped it all out into bowls within 30 seconds of her first bite. I think she liked it.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 small servings or 2 large | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 140 minutes |
|
|
| Yes, uncooked pasta. Great taste, wonderful creamy texture in the easiest slow cooker mac and cheese you will ever see.
|
- 1 cup Standard Macaroni
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup cheese of your choice I used sharp cheddar
- Dump 2 cups milk, 1 cup standard (not whole wheat or other non-standard) macaroni, 1/2 t dry mustard, 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t each of pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, and l T butter into a smallish slow cooker. I used a 3.5 qt one. Mix well.
- Cook on low. Stir well at 1 hour into the cooking and check the texture. Cook until pasta is al dente, another hour or so for me. Slow cookers vary some your time may vary some. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ONLY HERE.
- When the pasta is al dente, drain any free fluid, add 1 cup of shredded cheese. I used sharp cheddar this time. Mix very well.
- Continue on low until cooked to your taste. About 5-15 minutes.
Please read the post! There are a few traps in this technique. This is a touchy recipe, and if you double or triple, you will have lots of fluid left. Be sure to watch for the al denta end point and drain as instructed. If you cook it to mush, it is your fault.
________________________________
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated. Rating is done by clicking on the stars above.
Last Updated
July 3, 2016
Related Posts:
Hi All, I’m DrDan and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two. We present some of the best recipes with easy to follow step by step photo instructions to make your everyday cooking needs easier.
Stephanie Parker
going to give this a try tonight – looks delicious and EASY
Gail
I made this today, added cooked, chopped bacon and a little bread crumbs (Italian), and it was soooo good! Doubling up this recipe for next time. TY
DrDan
I love the additions. Everything is better with bacon and bread crumbs…
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Chris
Yeah, I have to give this one a try! Going to pin this.
Dr Dan
I hope this works well for both of you. I love to simplify a recipe.
Sarah
Going to try this tonight! I ill probably have to hold myself back from adding more cheese though. 1 cup isn’t a lot compared to my standard recipe.
Dr Dan
More cheese should be fine… I’m sure 1 1/2 should be fine. I’m not sure about 2 cups.
ln14k
Would the times be the same if I doubled or tripled the recipe in a larger crock pot?
Dr Dan
I never cook that big but I believe it should be approximately the same. As I have said, slow cookers vary so the time is not exact. Check for an ah dente texture then add the cheese.
Alyson Ballew
Tried this with whole wheat macaroni as it’s what we eat, and it didn’t work. The elbows became mushy before the milk was absorbed.
Dr Dan
Sorry it didn’t work but not too surprising… To me whole wheat pastas are somewhat “a different animal”. A lot of my cooking failure have been whole wheat pastas. I don’t think I would even try my other crock pot mac and cheese with whole wheat. Not enough gluten in whole wheat to withstand this abuse
Leathersoup
Another way to deal with the extra milk is to sprinkle some flour over the mixture and stir it in. Sort of a backwards roux. It thickens the milk up and when you add the cheese and mix everything up it will become a nice cheesy sauce. Of course the amount of flour is going to depend on how much milk is still left. It works though.
DrDan
Thanks for the suggestions. I have never had good luck thickening in a slow cooker with flour. To the point of just removing the liquid to the stove top in all my recipes. I think my cookers is a little bit lower temp and it just has not worked for me.
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
B KP
Why not just partially boil the pasta in water as normal, drain and add a lesser amount of milk and cheese at the end. I don’t see the need for a crockpot with this type of recipe. I don’t think it saves time as a crockpot is normally used for a meal to be ready when you come home from work. I very much dislike mushy pasta and I think this would be a hard one to get right since crockpots are so different, but boiling water is the same everywhere.
silverfox2951
This is an excellent recipe for the crock pot. It saves me from having to clean two saucepans plus cleaning my cooktop if I had to boil the macaroni! Even better yet I used a liner in my crock pot so I only had to wash the lid. How much easier can you get!! Ya can’t please everyone and it’s not worth trying. Thank you for a delicious well tested recipe!!!!
btmaxwell
Totally agree. The primary reason I am trying this right now (its cooking as I type) is the fact that it sounds SO easy. Love love love that I don’t have to cook the pasta separately.
Lorraine
is a 1.5 qt crockpot too small for your recipes? I’m so happy to have found your site!
Dr Dan
B KF- you are correct in many ways but this is another way and a bit simpler. It has great taste and texture if done correctly.
silverfox2951 – Thanks for the defense.
Lorraine – I believe it would be fine in 1.5 quart. A crock pot should not be more than 75% full. There is about 3 cups total material and the 1.5 quart is 6 cups.
t7135jt
you forgot to list the cheese in your ingredients.
V Joanne Heyob
Do you have a rendition of this for just the stove top and not a crockpot? Could you email me if you do?
Dr Dan
t7135jt – My bad and fixed.
V Joanne Heyob – Yes, my One Pot Stove Top Mac and Cheese on Dec 20 2012. It actually inspired the crock pot recipe. If that doesn’t do it for you try Plain Chicken blog. See the blog roll. It is the go to blog for Mac and Cheese.
WaltersJ
I tried this today and the cheese clumped and never melted nice. I used the same brand shown in the picture. I wonder if it is because I quadrupled the recipe and had too much milk? It seems like it is too milky. Taste was excellent and luckily my diners ranged in ages from 1-5 and they loved it!!
tmelrose
How long would this take to cook if doubling the recipe?
Angela
Same time. I just made this and it was yummy!
Dr Dan
WaltersJ – Quadrupling is brave. What type of pasta did you use? It may be related to too much liquid left at the point of adding the cheese. Maybe the pasta didn’t absorb it well… There is only a little free fluid left at that point usually.
tmelrose – I would cook it the same. But remember that you cook to a dente then add the cheese.
Meagan
Mine also turned out super milky and I had to drain it before adding the cheese. Going to attempt baking it for a while to see if that fixes it.
cmj
Mine was milky so I left in on low for another hour. Once the milk had absorbed the noodles were practically unrecognizable. I probably won’t try this again. I think I’m gonna stick to cooking pasta dishes the normal way and keep my crock pot for other things.
Dr Dan
I did a double batch today at my daughters house. Different pasta and cooker. It also had almost a cup of free liquid when the pasta was done. I drained off about half but should have drained most of it before adding the cheese. Do Not continue to cook to try to get the liquid to absorb, you will have an over cooked mess. I’m adjusting the post to drain this excess liquid that I believe is due to variations in pasta and cookers.
tried it once
I tripled the recipe, had the same problem as most people, too much milk. which is weird because the ratio should uphold. Probably will not try this again, as I wasted a lot of milk and cheese :(
Maureen Fiorellini
This worked for me, I just added 30 minutes cooking time before adding the cheese because the milk was not completely absorbed. I think every crock pot is different and you just have to experiment until you get the right setting for yours. I love that this was a “mini” recipe, calling for only one cup of pasta. My family loved this. Normally I have one pot to boil the pasta, one for the cheese sauce and then one to serve. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Dr Dan
Thanks for the comment. Did the pasta over cook or was it al denta at the point you added the cheese? I’m more concerned about the texture of the pasta than all the milk going in the pasta. That is why I have added the instruction to eliminate any free fluid at that point.
ELizabeth
Strange. I can understand some people liking this dish but not me. Cooked on low until al dente and then drained off the left over fluid. Stirred in cheese and let it melt. The texture was weird. I like the store bought Mac & Cheese better.
Mindi
I tried this tonight and the overall dish was just ok. I apparently didn’t drain off enough liquid, because it was still quite watery after adding the cheese and it had a watered down taste. But it was still edible and my son and I ate it. I used Anthony’s Hidden Veggie Macaroni noodles and they were well done after 90 minutes. I also made a double batch in a 4-qt slow cooker. I would suggest to anyone who wants to try this recipe is to make the regular recipe (and don’t double) the first time you try it. I would also make it as a side dish and not the main entree the first time in case it doesn’t work out. I might try a single recipe again, maybe with a more traditional macaroni noodle.
Sue McMillen
Both my husband & I liked it! Wished I saved a bit of the drained milk to add back after adding cheese. Will definetly make this again!
Michelle Davis
I made this recipe the other night in my 1.5 quart crock pot and it turned out PERFECTLY! I am so happy to have to have found your site – thanks so much for the great recipe and step by step instructions. I just finished writing it out to add to my recipe box
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the note. I’m glad it works in 1.5 qt.
CatheMarie
Okay fellow cooks, when DrDan says do not cook by time alone, he knows what he’s talking about. My smallest crock pot is the average size with removable crock. My noodles were probably close to done at the one hour mark. I was busy not paying attention, read the instructions again went to check . . . Yep, sort of gluey. Okay, real gluey. Flavor is great. This is the type of Mac & Cheese I always wanted, but never knew how to make. Take care & you will have delicious gooey Mac & Cheese!
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the note. I try to read all the comments before I do a recipe so hopefully they will pay attention to your experience.
Bonnie
It’s in the crock pot right now :) Thanks so much for all your testing…my concerns about other recipes were exactly the same as yours–I can’t wait to try it!
Dan Mikesell
I just had to vent a little about the processed stuff… I hope it works for you.
Keodara April Vixaysack
Hello. I liked (and was very successful)with the other recipe for crock pot mac and cheese because of the use of the condensed cream of cheddar soup. I was unsuccessful with another crockpot mac and cheese recipe that did not call for cheddar cheese soup (and i think there was an egg involved). However I really like to convenience of not having to cook the pasta before hand. Has anyone tried the other recipe (https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/creamy-crock-pot-mac-and-cheese/) with the uncooked pasta? Thankyou.
Dan Mikesell
Yep I’ve tried it and it was not good. Now having said that, many of my early experiments were on cooked on high and and had the cheese added at the beginning. But I remember trying it on low just before publishing that recipe and it didn’t work well. I think just not enough free liquid to cook and absorb into the pasta.
If I wanted to try uncooked macaroni but with that recipe, I would skip the sour cream, increase the milk to 1 1/2 cups then add everything but the shredded cheese including your uncooked macaroni. Cook on LOW until al dente and then remove any free liquid and add some cheese to finish. In other word, this recipe but sub the can of soup for 1/2 cup of milk.
If you try it, let me know.
Sheldaine
Great recipes! Got a 2 qt ‘pot’ today and can’t wait to try some of those you’ve posted. I like the clear directions and pictures. THANKS!
BTW:
Second. American made shredded cheese that we all buy does not like long or high heat. It is more waxy then block cheese and it just wont take it. I’m sure a better cheese like a block of Cabot would do better but are you going for a $10 cheese for this? So the cheese should not cooked for long periods. Put it in near the end and let it melt and deliver it’s creamy goodness.
*it’s* should be *its* (it’s = it is OR possession)
Update Feb. 9, 2013: Many are having issues ( and many are not) with liquid being left at the point of the pasta being al denta. My initial cookings had almost no liquid at this point. The variations could be due to the cooker or the pasta. While cookers vary a lot, I have correct for that by picking the al denta point, not a specific time. The pasta is the remaining issue and I believe is the trouble maker here. I have adjusted the recipe to eliminate this extra liquid at the al dente point. Don’t drain it in a strainer, just remove any free standing liquid, the liquid on the pasta should be enough.
*correct* should be *corrected*
Dan Mikesell
I’m so busted… You should not read any more recipes because there will be at least a could of ops in each. I’m a very poor proof reader. But really, thanks for the corrections.
On the the recipe, be sure to watch the fluid and post how it turns out.
Katie
I just made this tonight. It was DELICIOUS, but I wasted a ton of milk… I ended up having to drain more than half of it out before putting the cheese in. Will not use as much next time.
DrDan
There is a little trial and error for your pasta and the crock pot involved here. As you will see with the comments, some people have no extra liquid and some do. Get to know your situation and cut back the milk if it seems appropriate.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Shelia
Wow…really? You have nothing better to do?
Dee
To: Sheldaine. I realize that this comment is a bit late, but it’s never too late for you to learn something. In case you didn’t know… it’s considered very poor etiquette to correct someone’s grammar. Only do it if your motives are vicious and you actually WANT to present yourself as a douche or bitch. Never do it if you’re outside a classroom setting or if a grown person didn’t ask you. Keep how smart you think you are to yourself…..unless, of course, you absolutely must display your intellect or risk a meltdown of some sorts. No one should have scrape you up off the floor.
Allison C
Made this tonight. It was a huge hit! I doubled the recipe so we would have plenty of leftovers for lunch. It was a lot like Stouffer’s Mac n Cheese (which is one of my guilty pleasures)!
Jessica Mcclanahan
I just finished making this and it’s amazing! Thanks for such a delicious recipe!
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the comment…
Laura D
Hi, have you ever made this the day before and then reheated?
Dan Mikesell
I have never tried it but it should reheat like any other mac and cheese.
Leilani Lee
Recipe worked well, but the macaroni cooked much quicker than I thought it would and so it was somewhat mushy by the time it was finished. I also added about 1/2 cup finely chopped onions. I drained off the extra liquid, added a bit of flour, warmed it briefly in a small skillet until it thickened, and then and put it back with the pasta. Will try again and not cook it quite so long. Wonderful on a hot day like today not having to fire up the oven!
Dan Mikesell
It does make you wonder a bit about recipes that call for precooked pasta and then cooks it another 2-4 hours… Glad it eventually worked for you. It is that old “your crock pot may vary” but once you work out your method you will be golden.
Jaime Heath
Thanks for the recipe! I tried it tonight. I enjoyed it, but the kids didn’t so much.
The only thing is this would have to be a weekend/day off kind of recipe since it does require stirring and checking and only cooks for a short amount of time. (I work during the day, starting tomorrow, and kids go back to school on Monday).
Here’s my blog post:
http://justaddlaughter.blogspot.com/2013/08/crock-pot-macaroni-and-cheese.html
Dan Mikesell
Well at least you enjoyed it… You are correct the timing on this is not a weeknight for a working person recipe. Some attention is needed. I don’t believe you can get a good crock pot mac and cheese without the attention. I really tried…
Meghan Beasley
I made this last week and it was definitely a winner. I’m glad that I read through the comments, because I went ahead and checked it several times to see if it was done. I don’t normally do this because I live at altitude and I’m accustomed to it taking longer to cook pasta on the stove. I’m so glad I did! It ended up being done about thirty minutes before I thought it would be. My boyfriend, the self proclaimed “mac & cheese snob”, loved it so it’s definitely going in my rotation of recipes.
Dan Mikesell
Well if “the snob” liked it, I’ll take that as good. I’m glad people are reading the instructions and comments. It is so important to get the end point of the macaroni correct or it will be a total failure.
Michelle
So, I only read a couple reviews before starting this recipe and I didn’t get down to the whole wheat pasta comments until after it was already in the crock pot. I put in about half whole wheat half “regular” pasta. I checked the noodles about an hour in and there is a big texture difference between the two. Perhaps a note in the recipe about avoiding whole wheat pasta with this cooking method is warranted. I hope the dish is still edible in another hour.
Also, I have made the other crock pot mac and cheese recipe from this site using whole wheat pasta and it worked fine.
Dan Mikesell
I think enough people do substitute that a specific warning in the recipe is a good idea… I’m going to suggest only standard pasta, no whole wheat and not gluten free. At least the other recipe did ok for you.
Michelle
I’m back. Despite using some whole wheat pasta, I still ended up with an edible dinner. I drained a lot of leftover liquid at about 90 minutes (doubled the recipe, which I didn’t mention above, and had about 2 cups liquid that didn’t absorb). I added the cheese in and then about a half cup of the liquid (which I had reserved) back in. I know this would have worked even better for me without the whole wheat pasta. The flavor was great. Here’s hoping for perfection next time.
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the report. Others reports with whole wheat were not good. It is the end point of the pasta cooking and the liquid that is important for success for my point of view. I would try the whole wheat thing but my wife now refuses to eat whole wheat pasta. I have done it to her to many times I think.
Shirley Gray
Made is Mac and cheese tonight, and it was excellent. I tripled the recipe and made sure to check it often and it was the best, thanks for a great recipe that I will use over and over again.
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the report. I’m glad it worked tripled as long as the end points are watched.
Natalie
Made this tonight – used mini shells which were done at the 1 hour check time! (bonus!!) I had upped the garlic powder a bit, just because that is how I roll! Fantastic recipe – thanks so much for sharing!
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the note
Unknown
I’ve made this several times. Somehow I’ve never noticed the note to drain any leftover liquid, so I’ve never done that and not planning on doing it on tonights since it’s always been good.
Also, I’ve only used whole wheat noodles (as I would in any recipe) and never had any trouble. We usually buy Whole Foods brand but today I have Nature’s Promise brand.
Dan Mikesell
Thanks for the note and the brand you use. Others will take note and try it…
btmaxwell
I tried this recipe for several reasons. Like a lot of other people, I feel like I don’t have a lot of time to cook (and since I dont particulary enjoy it, I don’t make the time for it). Well what I LOVED about this recipe was that it called for very simple ingredients that I always have on hand. And, I loved that I didn’t have to cook the noodles first.
I used Barilla White Fiber shells. I definitely had a lot of liquid left over, but I also added some diced red onion so perhaps that was why (that was my only modification). But I just drained some and it turned out great. I will most definitely make this again, I will just try a different pasta. It had great flavor, great texture, and was SO easy!! Thanks for sharing.
Dan Mikesell
Great. It is a recipe tor the “lazy” in all of us…
Yehudit
Since the idea(besides adding some flavor) is to absorb liquid, I threw in a handfull of dried onion. Accidentally used hot, smoky paprika but it was quite nice. And its nice to have a “dump everything in the crockpot together and ignore it “meal. Particularly since I can bribe my boys to do anything if it involves mac and cheese at the end.
Ci
Love this recipe.. thank you so much for sharing!!!
Vli
I doubled this and used wheat penne. Cooked the noodles in the milk and spices for 1 3/4 hours on high – watch carefully for noodles to get to texture you prefer. Added 6 cups of cheese and 8 ounces of sour cream. Left it on warm for four hours before serving. Rich, cheesy and delicious!
DrDan
Thanks for sharing a variation. Have a great holiday.
DrDan
Blind
Caution I let this stay on warm too long and it became mushy. This may be avoided by undercooking pasta initially or using white pasta
Lisa
Just made this and it is soooo good. :) Can I double the batch? Thank you!
DrDan
If you read all the comments (there are getting to be a lot) several people early on had trouble with double batches. That was BEFORE I put the recommendation in about removing the extra liquid if any when the pasta was al denta. I think the double batch left more fluid and people either left it or tried to “cook it out” by over cooking to mush. I would just double everything and be sure to drain the liquid if any at the proper point. Please report back if you do this…
Dan
Hazel
For folks who want “bigger” or “double” the portions, here is my feedback.
I also wanted to double your original recipe listed above, however, based on the comments about having too much liquid, I only doubled the macaroni, and not the milk. Turned out great!
I just had to switch from low to warm so as not to burn through the liquid too fast.
DrDan
Thanks for the tips.
DrDan
Julia
LOVE this bold recipe! I’ve never thought to use a slow cooker to make mac and cheese – especially with uncooked macaroni! From looking at your pictures, it looks like a real crowd pleaser.
SQUIRRELLY
I have not tried this as we don’t eat much macaroni & cheese, but I have a suggestion about the cheese sauce. Somewhere I read that using a processed cheese, such as Velveeta prevents the sauce breaking (curdling). Using this info, I have tried making cheese sauce with processed milk – evaporated milk – and regular, cheaper cheese. Works great
Jeanie
I am looking for recipe for my grandkids and this one was easy and fun. definitely had to drain liquids before adding cheese and I was at home in the country and blizzarding so couldn’t make it to the store so used velvetta cut up instead of the shredded cheese that I didn’t have. worked just time. thank you
Joann Herr
Thank you so much for this recipe! We are truck drivers. The crock pot is our only cooking device, so we can’t pre-cook the noodles. It’s difficult to get into most grocery stores with a big rig, and running low on supplies (tiny fridge and not much storage) I was having a hard time coming up with dinner. Due to the low supplies, I had to do a lot of modification and this still worked great. I wanted to share in case it would help your future experiments.
I made a large batch, using a full box of pasta, so increased everything. I was out of milk. Instead I mixed about 4 c water with 8 oz sour cream and 2 Tbs butter. This worked, but I will warn you, it really multiplies the “sharp” of your cheese. Thankfully, we love a good sharp cheese, but even so, I made a few last minute adjustments. I used minced garlic in a jar instead of powdered, and also substituted gulden’s mustard for the powdered. I couldn’t think of anything to use for paprika, so had to omit it. I was looking for more of a meal, so also added 2 cans of tuna and a can of peas. After tasting, I added a second can of peas to tone down the sharp a little. I had a decent block of meunster that I cubed and added at the beginning (about 6-7 oz) but took your advice and added the last 4 oz of shredded sharp cheddar in the last half hour. The only problem we had was we cook as we drive, then I time it to be ready when we stop. We were delayed about an hour. I turned it down to warm for the last hour, but it got a bit mushy. Still tasty, just lost the texture it had right as it finished. Next time I’ll take it out of the crock and reheat in the microwave.
I wanted to pass along an idea I’ve been using. I normally start with some sort of roast with carrots, onion, potato, maybe a few extras like mushrooms. We have that for dinner. Then I pick the bones and / or break up the meat and save the rest for something like soup the next day. Uncooked pasta has worked quite well, as long as I remember a few simple things. Heat the rest up first, get it to simmer a little if you can. When you add the pasta, stir well to make sure it’s well coated with liquid and you don’t get pasta lumps. Then take a utensil and push the pasta down so it’s covered by at least 1/4 inch liquid. Add more liquid here if you absolutely have to, but keep in mind, it lowers the temp drastically. Try to add the pasta quickly and get the lid back on for the same reason. The pasta I have used would be al dente in about 9 -12 minutes stove top, in the crock, it takes roughly an hour, sometimes I put it back on for another 15 minutes. This has worked wonderfully for everything from a very liquid soup like chicken corn soup to something much thicker like chicken cacciatore. I have only done this with “standard” pastas, so I do not know how it would work with wheat or gluten-free.
Thanks again for your hard work. You obviously came up with a very versatile recipe if I could abuse it that badly on the first try :-)
DrDan
Thanks for probably the most interesting comment I’ve seen in a while. You’re doing great with all the limitations you face. I have never though of the truckers cooking in crock pots in the truck.
I’m doing more uncooked pasta dishes. I just did a ziti this really good but may be too complicated for “truck cooking” but I have a really good crock pot pizza casserole that I will publish after Christmas. But you may get too much pizza on the road anyways.
Have a great holiday and be safe
DrDan
Joann Herr
Keep ’em coming :-) Generally, a complicated recipe just means that it’s the meal I make right after we go shopping so I don’t have to store a lot of stuff. Or it means I get to be creative. Thankfully, my crockpot has been quite forgiving, the only recipe I’m still not happy with is a good apple pulled pork, but I’ve only tried twice, I’ll figure it out. And thanks to the crock pot, we only get pizza when I’m feeling lazy. We use about 1/4 of the canned food we used to as well.
DrDan
Sometimes I think the crock pot is making me a lazy cook. If you get that apple pulled pork working, send my a copy please….
Joann Herr
You got it ;-)
ninicooks4one
I read all your comment section in the hopes of finding a question I have, and I guess I am the only one with this question. I have a regular sized crock pot, it is actually a very old one, which is rectangular in shape and the pan is metal, the lid is plastic. It makes fantastic pot roast. I just put a cut of beef chuck shoulder pot roast boneless in the pan, and add a package of Lipton’s onion soup. No water. You may cook on low if you’re not in a hurry, or even on the higher temperature, if you want to have it ready sooner. It will still take about 3 hours to get ready on the higher temperature. You need to be careful, though, because the juice it produces might dry out. I usually scoop out the gravy from the pot and thicken it with one Tablespoon of flour, and also I like to add half a package of gravy mix, if you have gravy lovers in the family. Thought I’d contribute to your recipes. Now, going back to my original question, will a bigger pan work for your mac’n’cheese recipe? I don’t want to double it, since I am alone. I am afraid of cooking this and the pan being too big. I am not sure of the size of this pan, probably 4 qts…
DrDan
I use a 3.5 qt. so if it is 4 qt or so, just go for it and watch the end point. Even if it is in the 6 qt range, I would still try it since the recipe depends on getting the end point right, it should work. At most you will loose about $2 in materials. Once you determine the time for your pot, future cooking’s should be easy
ninicoooks4one
Oh, I am so glad you got my comment, I had already given up because I got an error message on my side!!! Thanks for your reply, I guess with a bigger pan I won’t have the extra liquid problem… I will try it for sure, I need to get better at cooking just for two, because I end up not eating all the leftovers, as it gets tiring eating it all on your own. But it seems so hard to cook smaller portions, you always think it won’t turn out right…. BTW… I tried your oven baked filet mignon. It was yummy, although I over did it on the salt mix. Loved the mix also. I had an odd shaped end piece of mignon of about 8 oz size. I live by Sam’s… I will be looking more for the mignon that is marked down. Now that I have a go to reliable recipe. I get tired of eating the cheaper cuts because they just don’t taste right. I wonder how your filet mignon recipe would do if I tried it on a outside skirt steak? I love those too, and I usually end up burning it if only pan fried.
DrDan
I almost always get my filets at Sam’s. I’m frequently there about 8 AM and the previous days are marked down. There is nothing like filet. We rarely do skirt steak and my wife is the cook then, I did not grow up with it so I don’t think of it. It is a total different thing but I suspect the technique might be similar after a good marinade.
Carol Harris
Hey, great recipe, I always change things, and I did here too…. but what you have works, people just need to quit worrying and do what you have to do. You know humidity, altitude and many other factors will change a recipe a bit. I merely cooked the milk and pasta on high til it got hot, cut it to low and did not worry about the excess milk, it just made the “cheese” cheesier… LOL I love playing around with recipes and did like this one a lot… thanks…. :)
DrDan
I also have a hard time doing a “straight” cook… it is just to tempting to change things. Very much like where this recipe came from to begin with. I just “knew” the pasta should be able to be cooked in the milk and that the cheese was being destroyed by over cooking. In defense of the “to much liquid” people, I did a double recipe on my daughters crock pot and way too much liquid was left. That was the first time I drained and I left to much. I was way too watery and not very creamy. I want creamy…
Thanks for the comment
Happy Holidays
DrDan
mariah
It turned out to starchy and kinda glue like.
DrDan
Sorry it didn’t work for you. The only suggestion I have is that the pasta is probably the issue. Too much powder on it or just the type of pasta. Try rinsing it or a different pasta.
Early in my experiments for this recipe, if I over cooked the pasta it was a bit pasty.
DrDan
Katie
WHOLE WHEAT TIPS –
I used whole wheat pasta and I absolutely loved this recipe! I doubled the recipe. I actually used original (not vanilla!) unsweetened almond milk instead of the milk too since that’s what I drink. My husband loved the mac too and it’s one of our favorite recipes now! After I’ve cooked it for the first hour on low and stirred it, I only leave it in there for another 1/2 hour instead of hour before draining. I think that’s the trick when it comes to making this with whole wheat, or for those of you who’ve had this become mushy. Like it says in the instructions, don’t go just on time, but check to see if it’s al dente. For me, that was at only 1/2 hour. Also, don’t completely drain out all the milk because you’ll need a little bit to mix with the cheese and make it creamy.
This is such an easy way to make mac&cheese, and so much healthier than whatever chemicals are in the box. I love that I can use whole wheat and almond milk too (and no weird cheese powder). I add some cut up hot dogs to it for mac&dogs (a family tradition) then steam some veggies or serve with a salad and you have a very kid friendly dinner in no time. :)
DrDan
GREAT REPORT… For you whole wheat people, you now have detailed instructions. You are so right about the al dente end point. I still get complaints about this recipe when people cook by time alone or “cook off” extra liquid.
Again a great comment that will help others.
DrDan
PS I’m editing the report to point down to your comment for whole wheat people.
Katie
One more thing- Even though after the first hour and 1/2 of the second hour my whole wheat pasta was al dente, there was a lot of milk left. Part of this might be because I doubled the recipe. Don’t wait for all the milk to be absorbed because the whole wheat pasta will just get mushy. Once it’s al dente, just drain drain it and move onto the next step. If you’re doubling the recipe, you don’t really need to double the milk. I think it works well using just enough to cover the noodles. That way, you don’t feel like you’re wasting a bunch of milk if you have to dump a lot out.
Jeanie
Hi! I am looking forward to making this tonight or tomorrow! Wanting to add frozen broccoli to it. Any suggestions on how to add this in? Cook broccoli in crockpot or boil it and add in as final step?
Thanks!
DrDan
Ummm. I suspect both would work. But I suspect the add at the end is safer to not over cook the veggie. Give one a try a come back and report if you would please
DrDan
Amber Olson
Wanting to make this right now, for dinner but want to put Kielbasa in it and not sure when.. during the pasta cooking step or after the past has cooked?
DrDan
I would put it in with the pasta. You want it to cook some. If put in the with the cheese, it might not even get hot. The paste may take a little longer to cook due to the increased mass but you are cooking to an endpoint NOT time.
DrDan
Meshya
I would love to make this for my husband who is lactose intolerant. I would use lactose-free milk and Cabot cheese since it is 100% lactose free. I’m just wondering if you had a recommendation on using a block of Cabot cheese. Could I cube it put it in from the start, or shred it still add it at the end? You mentioned Cabot in your post so I thought you might have a better idea then me. Thanks.
DrDan
A lact-aid (lactose free) milk should be fine. I mentioned Cabot just as an example of a high quality cheese (I do love Cabot’s though) I was implying that a good quality cheese might tolerate the abuse of prolonged crock pot cooking better than the cheaper mass market cheese you usually see me and others use.
I have never tried it and would not abuse my Cabot cheese that way. Most “eating” cheeses should not have prolonged crock pot cooking but mozzarella and a few others tolerate heat. Also as a doctor with lots of lactose intolerant patients, I tell patients the harder the cheese, the less lactose. I’m not sure if Cabot is 100% lactose free but it may be close. But I’m a little off topic here. I definitely would still add the cheese at the end.
I may sacrifice some Cabot’s just to try it…naw… I will just eat the Cabot’s.
DrDan
Meshya
Thanks! Cabot’s website claims they are 100% lactose free…. but who knows! All I know is that my husband loves it and it doesn’t destroy his digestive tract :)
DrDan
I would believe Cabot’s about the lactose. But some other hard cheeses are probably very close to 100% lactose free.
DrDan
Diane Manuel
I liked the sound of this recipe from the start and plan to try it soon. As I am also lactose intolerant, I plan to use lactose free milk and a lactose free cheese such as Go-Veggie. I (and I am sure many others) would love to see a Lactose Free category on your website.
DrDan
Your adjustments seem fine. Lactose free is not that hard usually but of course you know that. I haven’t done much lactose free other than some dairy free due to my son’s milk allergy. Most of those would be lactose free since I usually do soy as the substitute.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
merigen
this was delicious! thanks for sharing this :)
DrDan
Glad it worked for you
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
Bonny Lee
My understanding, and I don’t remember where I read, or heard, it, is that pre-shredded cheese is coated with something – I guess to keep the shreds from sticking together. This is the reason, supposedly, that it doesn’t melt as well as freshly shredded cheese.
I’m going to try your recipe since my son loves Mac and Cheese. I may have to try out my old Amish Mac ‘n Cheese recipe, in the Crock Pot. It is made with uncooked pasts and is slow baked in the oven. It has only 4 ingredients – butter, uncooked macaroni, shredded cheese, and milk. I add sauteed garlic and some salt to it, also.
Thanks for the inspiration. Your recipe may become my go to.
DrDan
I think it is just more waxy to begin with but with this recipe, any hard cheese should work since you just basically melt it in at the end so you can’t damage it. It is long cooking of cheese that sames to make it separate.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Joyce Berry
Sounds good..Can I use Cracker Barrel chunk cheese cut into pieces since I do not have a shredder.. Thanks
Joyce Berry
waiting anxiously for reply
DrDan
I would think so… I have never had/used Cracker Barrel cheese. As long as it melts reasonable well I would use it. The chunks should melt and may take a little more mixing…
Let us know how it worked.
DrDan
Andrea
With a few easy changes this is a great baby food recipe! I used orzo and added an extra 1/2 cup of milk to make more sauce. Did not add dry mustard (didn’t have any) or paprika but it was still tasty. My 13 month old son inhaled it! Orzo was just a little overlooked after one hour (perfect for baby food). I cooked this in my rice cooker which also has slow cooker function. But it heats up much faster and retains more steam than a crock pot, which might explain the fast cooking time along with the tiny pasta. This will be a regular for sure! And so easy to add some diced or puréed veggies, shredded meat…now the wheels are turning! Thanks for sharing!
DrDan
Quite some modifications… I don’t know a rice cooker could do that. The crock pot is very slow getting up to temp and of course the small pasta would cook faster. With the additions you are suggesting, you could have endless variety for the little dude…
Thanks for the ideas.
DrDan
Stephanie
This actually worked quite well using a corn-based gluten-free orzo with pepper jack and seriously sharp cabot (probably more than 1 c total). Also cooked diced zucchini and broccoli, cooked separately. I heated the milk (2 c), added pasta after it was steaming (1 cup, probably about 7 or 8 oz) and some marjoram, then stirred every 15 minutes or so. The pasta cooked for about an hour, then I added cheese, and turned off the heat; cooked veg and mixed together. No butter, just because I didn’t get it out.
I find that corn based pastas are tolerate more than rice-based pastas, so that may be why it worked despite being GF.
DrDan
Thanks for the comments Stephanie. Nice discussion of possible modifications.
DrDan
Note to readers: Check out Stephanie’s blog Sustainable Cooking for One. I highly recommend her take on the SNAP program – the second article on the home page.
Pat
Great recipe. Tried it yesterday and will definitely make again. Easy. Love your site and looking at your recipes. Thanks
Heather
Excited to give this one a try! All the homemade mac and cheese recipes seem to use flour as a thickening base and I’ve only tried a couple before decided to give up on homemade mac and cheese forever. They always turn out gritty and without a very strong cheese flavor. Was happy to see this one didn’t have any flour, and it looks great!
Agos
I made this last week to try out my new crockpot. Made 1.5 of the recipe in a 2-quart crockpot, and it fit perfectly. The times were as specified, but I did have quite a bit of leftover liquid. Anyway, it was so good! My only complains is that the servings (3) were a little small; I’m sure calorie-wise they’re full meals, but they don’t pack a lot of volume. We may or may not have had to order ice cream afterwards :P
brandy
I loved this recipe and it worked great! My son has a milk protein allergy. I used soy milk and DAIYA (dairy, lactose,casein, gluten and soy free cheese) I added half of the cheese with the pasta then added the rest at the end. I quadrupled the recipe and used have whole wheat macaroni and half whit rotini( cause that’s what I had) . I had no extra liquid and everyone loved it.
Chrissy
Awesome! I made a variation of this tonight. I used a whole 16oz package of macaroni, which measured out to 3.5 cups of pasta. I multiplied everything the recipe by 3.5. After 1 hour when I stirred the pasta, milk, and spices, I added some frozen broccoli florets and cubes of ham (refrigerated, not frozen). After 30 minutes more, I thought the pasta tasted done, and I poured out tons of extra liquid (from both too much milk and the frozen broccoli, I would guess). I left just a little liquid in. I shredded a 8oz block of sharp cheddar,and stirred that in along with the remainder of a package of shredded italian cheese we had in the fridge. After 20-30 minutes, it was warm, creamy, cheesy, and delicious! With leftovers for tomorrow. Thank you! And I love that it was all stuff we already had, no canned soups or heavy cream, etc.
DrDan
The key is the liquid. Especially when increasing the recipe, it seems to be critical to get rid of most of it. Outside of that it seem that a lot of variations have been done.
That can of soup in the last version (and it seems mandatory in crock pot recipes of any type) just had to go.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Caroline
I made this last night and it was AMAZING. I ended up using 2 cups milk, 2 cups pasta, and kept everything else the same. After an hour, just a tiny bit of milk was left, but as I stirred in the cheese and let it sit about a half an hour longer, it turned out to be the perfect texture and consistency. Thank you!
DrDan
Great to hear. I so glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Tiff
I made this today for our late Thanksgiving Dinner. My family loved it! My husband said and I quote ‘This is the best mac & cheese I’ve ever put in my mouth!’ And that’s a pretty big deal considering that he’s pretty picky.
I changed it up just a little. I doubled the recipe. However instead of doubling the milk, as I saw excess liquid was an issue, I only used about 2 3/4 cups of milk with double the pasta. Along with the garlic, salt, pepper, and dry mustard I also added onion powder. At about the one hour mark my pasta was already cooked. I still had some liquid left, but not as much. I drained off most of it and left a little to make it creamy. I added about 2 cups of Kraft Triple Cheddar Cheese and mixed it in well. Then I added a layer of cheese on top that I did not mix in. After about 15 minutes it was done. The top layer of cheese was perfectly melted and made it taste awesome! I would have taken a picture of it, but my family attacked it before I had a chance haha
Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely be making this again :)
DrDan
I always say a recipe is like guidelines and not rules. Great modifications.
Thanks for sharing and the rating.
DrDan
T Hartwig
I love it! Turned out perfectly; thank you very much, and Happy New Year to you.
DrDan
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Angela
I made this tonight. I doubled the recipe in my 3.5 quart Crock Pot. I used half Half&Half and half Whole Milk. I added onion powder, white and cayenne pepper. A bit of Worcestershire sauce. I also used 1/3 Sharp White Cheddar, 1/3 Baby Swiss and 1/3 Extra Sharp Cheddar cheeses. I did not need to drain the pasta after 2 hours. I added the cheeses and it was creamy and luscious. Plenty of leftovers for me. Makes me happy! Thanks so much for this recipe!
DrDan
Thanks so much for the notes and modifications.
DrDan
Grace H
I am going to try this recipe but just wanted to mention that the reason some results had more milk left than others could be the shredded cheese. If cheese is pre-shredded at the factory, corn starch is added to keep the shreds from sticking together in the bag. This corn starch could have the effect of thickening up the sauce for the readers who used pre-shredded cheese. Also, just heat the cheese gently at the end and let it melt. If you bring it to a boil, it will curdle. Mac’n Cheese… yum!
DrDan
All good points. The cheese goes in at the end here to avoid some of those issues. On a Mac and Cheese obviously the handling of the cheese in extremely important for the final outcome.
Thanks for the observations, comment and rating.
DrDan
Emily
I’m so excited to try this! Tomorrow at work my team is having a mac n cheese party that came about from a random Facebook conversation some of us were having. It started as a joke, but then it became a real thing, and I’m making all the mac n cheese. :) I have one of those 3 pot crockpots that you can use for parties, so my idea is this: do this recipe as written, just plain for those purists in the group. In one of the others, I’m going to add bacon and green chiles, and in the other, some buffalo sauce and cut up cooked chicken and serve with blue cheese crumbles on the side. I know, right?? The best part about this is that I can just take all the ingredients to the office and throw it all together in the mid morning so it can be done by lunchtime. I’ll give it a test run today in my own kitchen so I know the quirks of my crockpot, though. As a side note, I do have one vegan on my team, so I found another version somewhere that will accommodate her and I’ll do that in my stand alone crockpot. Wish me luck–I’m no expert on vegan cuisine that uses non-dairy cheese….
DrDan
A trial run is a wonderful idea… It does look like a good “take to work and cook” idea. Now non-dairy cheese I’m not to sure about. Hopeful it melts correctly for you.
DrDan
Emily
Yes, the vegan version is completely different. It involves nutritional yeast and a few other ingredients that aren’t called for in your recipe. We’ll see how it goes! It’s not my thing, that’s for sure. But I do want to make sure that the person with dietary restrictions has an option. Teambuilding!
Emily
SUCCESS! Each type (bacon/green chile, buffalo chicken, and plain) had too much liquid, so I drained and all was well. Next time I’d probably put an extra cup rather than an extra 2 cups of milk when doubling. My team of seven all raved about it. I brought everything into the office in ziploc bags, dry separate from wet, and threw it all into different crockpots at 10am; it was done by 12:30. Thanks for a great recipe!
Dani
I tried this with a 7 quart crock pot. I stirred after an hour and a half hour later the noodles were done and I did not have to drain any liquid. I also decided to add a cup and a half of extra sharp cheese instead of 1 and I added a title bit of bacon. It turned out pretty good, but I thought it was missing something.
Marti
My son is home sick today and I’m headed there as well, so I wanted to make something easy that did not require touching a lot of stuff. This was amazing. Came out perfect. I will make this again. Cheers!
Marie
Just made this and it partly worked. Here’s what I did: I doubled the recipe in a 7 Qt crock pot. I used uncooked regular macaroni. I’m lactose intolerent so I used lactose free 2% milk and lactose free cheese (NOT the light kind, like most are), just a normal white cheese. Problem is, it kind of melts like mozzarella so I knew that might be a problem but I tried anyway. I also left out the garlic powder because I can’t digest it proprely either and I substituted the mustard powder for bottled mustard. I stirred after an hour and 25 minutes later, the pasta was almost overdone. There was so much liquid. I tried to remove most of it and added my cheese, roughly 2 cups and a half. After 5 minutes, it was all melted but it still looked like a soup. I added about 3 pinches of flour and let it cook for another 5 minutes. The sauce thickened but there’s just way too much.
I did enjoy the experiment though and LOVE that I could find a recipe that doesn’t require canned cheese soup, which I cannot have.
In the end, it’s super delicious but next time, I would either add more pasta or reduce the amount of milk.
Bev
This is a great recipe. What I found was using whole milk really made the macaroni really rich. If you like your Mac and cheese super rich, using the whole milk was good.
I think I’m going to try to use half milk half water. Maybe start the cooking process with water and then the rest with milk. Did anyone else try it?
Also, instead of draining the fluid before adding the cheese, I found that turning it up a notch and taking the cover off, helped a lot of excess liquid just evaporate.
Jena
I made this tonight + I doubled the recipe. Lol I made 2 mistakes. First I didn’t quite read putting it together. I did mix in 1/4 c four. First mistake I mixed everything together including the cheese. Second error some how after the first hour on low my slowcooker some how got unplugged. I think hubby did it accidentally. So I put the Mac and cheese in the Microwave power level 7 for 5 minutes stirred put in for 4 minutes. Turned out better then I thought. I don’t think hubby liked the paprika.
DrDan
I have those days too.
Thanks for the note, the laugh and the rating
DrDan
Jake
I’m not really sure what is wrong with this recipe I fallowed it exactly as it said and it came out absolutely gross I would prefer Kraft Mac and cheese over this recipe anyday. It was like eating mush covered in cheese. Will not be making it ever again.
DrDan
Sounds like it got over cooked… it should never be mush…
Sorry you had a bad experience.
DrDan
Val Logan
OMG. This did not turn out well at all. Currently I’m trying to salvage the milky cheese pasta soup I made on the stove.
I used regular pasta not whole wheat.
The milk for this needs to halved to start perhaps with hot milk added as needed.
DrDan
Did you drain any free fluid before adding the cheese? I have done this may times and the various pastas seems to absorb various amount of fluid. Some pastas need that amount of fluid. By draining, it corrects for what your pasta did not absorb. If you “know” your pasta well then cutting down the fluid at the beginning may work well for you.
Hope that helps and sorry it didn’t work for you.
DrDan
Trisha
Wow, this did not come out well at all. I had to scoop out 99% of the milk I put into it, and the cheese just clumped up instead of spreading around the noodles. I followed the recipe to the letter and it’s a soupy, bland mess. I’m so disappointed. Back to the canned cheese soup. Sigh.
Beth W.
I tried this recipe today (a double recipe). I let the peanut gallery (my husband) weigh in on whether he thought the noodles were “al dente.” At that point (total cook time of 1 hour, 40 minutes) there was just a little bit of liquid remaining and I wanted to add the cheese. Instead, I let him convince me they were “gummy/undercooked” and NOT yet al dente, and I should’ve ignored him. 5 more minutes in the crock pot before adding the cheese, and a few minutes waiting for the cheese to melt turned the noodles pretty soft (I will not say mushy, that would be unfair).
It still had a good flavor, and we still enjoyed it. I read the article and recipe, along with a handful of comments before beginning, so I realized it wasn’t a “crock and forget about it” recipe. I would say the second time around I’ll watch the last few minutes very carefully. By the time we scooped it into our bowls, waited for it to cool a bit and dug in, it had soaked up the liquid even more and was approaching dry.
Overall, I’m giving it 5 stars. I can tell it will be fantastic next time when I know what I’m looking for. Much better than the other crock pot mac n cheese recipes I have tried. Well done Dr. Dan!
DrDan
Thanks for the write up.
As you have noted, some are having trouble with this but many are not. This is why I have left the comments open. Over cook and you have mush… just like if you over cooked pasta on the stovetop. When I was testing with precooked pasta (like lots of recipes), it was always too soft.
I like that you pointed out that for you, it was drying. Many others get way too much liquid left. But here you have the variables of different crockpots and different pastas. So it is not a simple thing to do. But there does need to be some liquid to combine with the cheese.
Thanks again for the notes and hopeful it will help somebody.
DrDan
Shanna
I’ve just made it, I tripled the mixture in a big crockpot. I watched it, stirred it, kept checking, and your times were PERFECT! After 1.50 it was still a bit wet, 10 minutes later pasta was al dente and hardly any liquid. Put mature cheddar and parmesan in, 7 minutes later – done! It’s absoloutely beautiful and the whole family loves it. Nice work a great recipe!
Susan
Question: I am doubling this and bringing it for Thanksgiving (after I do a trial run this weekend). If I leave it in the crock-pot on “warm” for several hours after cooking it as directed, would it possibly get “mushy” or should “warm” generally keep it from overcooking? Trying to figure out the best way to cook it at home, transport it for an hour and half, them keep it hot for a couple of hours while we have appetizers and drinks.
DrDan
I think this would be mush if you try it. I would look for an oven based recipe and transport cold and cook there.
DrDan
Liz
I tried this yesterday and it was the very best crock pot macaroni cheese I have ever tasted. The instructions are perfect. I didn’t need as much milk as I put in to begin with, but following your advice, I drained it off before I added the cheese. Living in the UK, Cheddar is a staple hard cheese and melted into the remaining milk perfectly. I might try a mixture of cheeses next time, but it would be hard to improve on the perfection I achieved yesterday! The only thing I can think of that will improve it is doubling or trebling the quantities so there is more :-)
What I like about this recipe is not having to pre-cook the pasta. So many recipes instruct you to part cook the macaroni first – it just makes more washing up! This is a prince among crock pot recipes.
DrDan
Thanks of the note Liz.
Dan
Jen
I followed this recipe exactly as written. My macaroni (Kroger brand, if I can say that) went flat and gummy after 45 minutes. I had to drain off at least 75% of the milk. I don’t know why I still tried to add cheese and resuscitate this recipe, but it didn’t work. By the time the cheese melted, the noodles broke apart as I stirred it and I was left with a pot of cheesy mush. Very disappointed.
DrDan
Hi Jen,
Sorry it didn’t work for you… I guess we know Kroger macaroni many not be a good choice here.
DrDan
Ravenmama
I tripled the recipe and ended up with very mushy pasta and lots of liquid left. I sort of saved it by cooking some pasta on the stove and adding it in with the cheese, but that sort of defeats the purpose. I think an edit to the instructions to check pasta at the 1 hour mark when you stir would have helped me, as I suspect it was done at that point. If I try it again I will do that and also cut back on the milk. I like the one-pot idea, but I also like to “set it and forget it”, which you can’t do with this. Great flavor though!
DrDan
I put some edits in but there is so much variation with crockpots, I put some stronger warning in about overcooking and problems with double and triple recipes.
Thanks for the note
DrDan
Jill
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
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
Jill Stearns
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
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
Susan
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
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
karlagso
best Mac n cheese ever!
Sean
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
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.
John
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
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
DrDan
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