What makes this The Best Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe you may ask…the secret is in the selection of cheeses. Each cheese is there for a really good reason.
Mac and cheese is a staple on the holiday table. It’s great any day but I usually reserve rich, creamy macaroni and cheese for special occasions. Making this in the crock pot frees up precious oven space for that big ole turkey or ham or whatever delicious huge thing is roasting in there.
This would be great with my recipe for Pepper Jelly Glazed Turkey Tenderloin
I used a 7 quart crock pot, the perfect size for a big family or for when you’re having guests. Boil the elbow macaroni in salted water for 5 minutes before adding it to the crock pot. I’ve tried a few recipes that add the macaroni uncooked but I find it results in a pasty, heavy dish. I’ll continue to experiment with adding uncooked pasta and let you know how it works out.
Each of the 4 cheeses serves a purpose. Sharp cheddar is the old friend we expect to be there. Good quality sharp cheddar is the foundation of this recipe.
Mozzarella is there for the stretch factor. No cheese gives you that stretch factor like mozzarella. Don’t use any fancy handcrafted mozzarella here, it would be much too watery. Regular old grocery store mozzarella is what you need here. Parmesan gives you a sharpness and umami, savory quality that is unmatched and Gruyere adds a nutty-ness and depth of flavor. Gruyere can be hard to find so I included some substitutes to try.
And that my friends is THE BEST Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe I hope you like it. What will you serve with your macaroni and cheese? Let me know in the comments below.
THE BEST Crock pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- salt
- 1 stick of butter 8 ounces
- two 12 ounce cans evaporated milk 24 ounces total
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese whole milk or low fat, shredded
- 1 cup Gruyere Monterrey Jack or smoked Gouda if you want a smoky flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 beaten eggs
Instructions
- Bring a stock pot of water to boil
- While the water in boiling shred your cheese
- Add 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt to the water
- Add elbow macaroni and stir.
- Bring back to the boil and cook for 5 minutes
- Drain the pasta
- Mix all of the shredded cheese together, reserve one and a half cups of the mixed shredded cheese for the top of the macaroni and cheese
- Rub some of the butter around the inside of the crock pot to prevent sticking
- cut the rest of the butter into chunks and put into the crock pot
- Turn the crockpot to high
- Add the drained cooked pasta to the crock pot and stir in the butter
- Add the shredded cheese to the crock pot and stir
- Pour in the evaporated milk, add the paprika, onion powder and garlic powder
- TASTE FOR SALT- the saltiness of cheese varies by brand so taste the mixture and add 1 teaspoon of salt if you think it is necessary
- Mix in beaten eggs
- Sprinkle reserved cup and a half of shredded cheese over the top and cover
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours
The Best Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe
