Crock Pot Mac And Cheese
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If your family loves Mac and Cheese you have to try this easy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese that is over the top creamy! Tender macaroni noodles smothered in a cheese sauce. It’s the ultimate, classic comfort food. It’s perfect for a holiday side dish, potluck or weeknight dinner.

Sometimes you just need a big helping of creamy, cheesy macaroni and cheese, am I right? When that comfort food craving hits this crock pot mac and cheese is the answer. It’s a really easy way to make a big batch of cheesy pasta goodness – you are going to love it!
Crock pot macaroni and cheese is different from ones cooked in the oven, Instant Pot, or stovetop. The sauce gets it creamy texture from sour cream, condensed cheddar cheese soup and milk — no velveeta cheese needed! And the added richness from butter and shredded cheddar cheese is just *chef’s kiss*. Serve it up with some tasty air fryer hot dogs and your kiddos will go nuts! This easy mac and cheese is a total game changer.
Why I Love Crockpot Mac And Cheese
- The sauce is extra creamy and cheesy!
- I’ve made this recipe so many times and it always works – the pasta comes out perfectly cooked and the sauce has just the right consistency.
- It’s the perfect side dish for so many dinners. For holidays, it’s great with baked ham and turkey! For weeknight dinners, try it with my air fryer chicken legs or baked mini meatloaf!

Ingredients for Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Macaroni noodles – Grab some elbow macaroni noodles to make this delicious mac and cheese.
- Milk – For the most creamy results, use whole milk. You can also use 2% or skim if that’s what you have on hand.
- Sour cream – This is my secret ingredient for the most delicious slow cooker mac and cheese. Don’t skip it, trust me!
- Condensed cheddar cheese soup – A can of condensed cheddar soup makes for the most cheese and creamy mac and cheese.
- Cheddar cheese – For the most melty results, shred your own cheddar off of a block instead of using pre-shredded cheese.
- Butter – Cut the butter into small cubes so that it more easily melts into the dish.
- Ground mustard – A bit of ground mustard adds lovely flavor to this crock pot mac and cheese!
- Salt and black pepper – Season this crock pot recipe with some salt and black pepper.
Helpful Tools
How To Make Crock Pot Mac And Cheese
The first thing you will want to do is par boil the pasta on the stove. To do this, boil the macaroni in water for six minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.
To make the sauce, melt the butter with the shredded cheese on the stove. Once melted, combine the cheese mixture with the sour cream, canned soup, salt, milk, dry mustard, and pepper in the slow cooker.
Add the drained pasta and then gently stir it all together until the pasta is coated.
Cook the mac and cheese on low for two to two and half hours or until it’s hot and the noodles are fully cooked. Stir it occasionally and once the pasta is tender it’s ready to serve.
Be sure to check on it because you don’t want the pasta to overcook – it will turn mushy! Serve and enjoy!




Can I use a different pasta shape?
Timing is everything with this recipe and I haven’t tested it with a different kind of pasta. Depending on the shape it may need more or less time so I recommend sticking with elbow macaroni!
Can I use evaporated milk instead of regular?
Some macaroni and cheese recipes have evaporated milk, but for this one we’re using a combination of the condensed soup and regular milk. I can’t say how it would work with evaporated milk so please let me know if you try it!
Will a different kind of cheese work?
I think you could substitute Monterey jack, Colby-jack, pepper jack, gruyere, American cheese or other good melting cheese in this recipe. It just depends on what flavors you like. My family loves cheddar so that’s what we always use!
Can I double this recipe?
If you are making this for the Christmas, Thanksgiving, or maybe just a large group then you might want to double it. You can absolutely do this with this recipe and the cooking time will stay the same plus you will be able to fit it all in a 6 quart crock pot.
Can I make crock pot mac and cheese ahead of time?
I don’t recommend making this crock pot mac and cheese ahead of time because it has a better texture when it is served right after cooking.
I think it tastes best the day it’s made, but you can keep the leftovers in the fridge and rewarm them. The sauce will be thicker so you can add a little more milk to loosen it up.
Why is my pasta mushy?
If you end up with mushy pasta, you likely overcooked it. be sure to stir and check on it while it’s cooking. I recommend every 30 minutes or so and once the pasta is tender it’s ready to serve. Remember that thinner noodles cook much faster so grab a thicker elbow macaroni or one with ridges!
Each crockpot will cook differently so know your slow cooker and how it heats. If you choose to use gluten-free pasta, that may also effect the cook time.
How to Store Leftover Macaroni and Cheese
Refrigerator: Allow leftover mac and cheese to cool then place in an airtight container or cover baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freezer: Place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container. Place in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you are ready to use the leftovers let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
How to Reheat Leftover Crock Pot Mac N Cheese
The best way to reheat any leftover is in a saucepan on medium heat. We recommend adding a few Tablespoons milk to the pot because the macaroni will have soaked up some of the cheese sauce. Heat it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it is warmed through.
To warm it in the microwave place it in a microwave safe bowl with a few Tablespoons milk. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring between each one, until it’s heated through.
Serving Suggestions
There’s just something about pulled pork and mac n cheese! Make it in your Crockpot or Instant Pot! The kids also LOVE baked chicken legs and mac and cheese so when I serve them together it’s always a hit dinner.
Another fave is our delicious Smoked Ribs that are finger lickin’ good.
I know, I know meatloaf gets a bad rap sometimes, but our baked meatloaf is so good! Or try out famous Mini Meatloaves which are always a hit.
Don’t forget fun topping or additions to your mac and cheese like bacon, green peas, or even broccoli. Could be a fun way to sneak in more veggies!
Pro Tips for The Best Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
- Don’t skip par-boiling the noodles. It’s the best way to ensure that they get fully cooked.
- Crock pots tend to cook a bit differently, so make sure you keep an eye on your mac and cheese as it cooks. It could finish more quickly than the cook time calls for.
- Feel free to season this dish however you want. Add some spice with red pepper or cayenne pepper or extra depth of flavor with other spices!

Are you ready to treat yourself to some serious comfort food? You should make this mac and cheese for your family this week – I know they’re going to love it! Be sure to try some of these other family-favorite recipes, too!
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Spaghetti Pie will be a new family favorite for dinner! The crust is made of spaghetti noodles then piled with cottage cheese, a meat sauce and shredded cheese. It’s one our family’s favorite dinner meals.
- My Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is a quick recipe that you can prep in 10-minutes! It’s the perfect casserole recipe for busy weeknights.
- For a warm and cozy dinner on a cold night, you have to try my easy Instant Pot Chili with all of your favorite toppings!
- Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan is so easy to make and delicious served with pasta on the side!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 2 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 10.75 ounces condensed cheddar cheese soup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Spray Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a saucepan boil the macaroni in water for six minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. You don't want to over cook this!
- Mix butter and cheese over medium high heat in a saucepan. Stir until it melts.
- In your Crock Pot combine the cheese mixture, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper. Add cooked macaroni. Stir to combine mixture.
- Cook in Crock Pot for 2 – 2 ½ hours on low, stirring occasionally. Just until it's hot. If you let it cook to long the noodles will turn to mush!

Staci says
What size crock are you using for this recipe?
Julie Evink says
I used a 6 quart for this recipe.
Mallorie says
This has been my go-to mac and cheese recipe for the past four years!! I love everything about it and I never change a thing. It never lasts long enough for seconds.
I no longer have a crock pot and was curious if this recipe could be baked in the oven instead? I need to cure my
craving!
Julie says
I’m so glad you love it, Mallorie! Yes, I think it would work in the oven! You basically just need to bake it to finish off the noodles and combine the flavors so maybe 30 minutes at 350? Try that and see how it goes!
Anita says
OMG- love this stuff! Used to make Welsh Rarebit using this soup. Nothing boring about it….will try the tip putting the Mac in the last hour so it doesn’t soak up all the sauce!
Julie says
So glad you love it!
B Morning says
Arg ! I messed up and put noodles in uncooked ? Should I just start all over ?
Julie Evink says
Maybe add broth or water and let them cook in the crock pot?!
Momma J says
Made this for a party and it was a hit! Not a single noodle left over.
Julie Evink says
Wahooo! That’s the best compliment you can get!
CC says
I made this a little while ago and I am very sad to say that 2 hours was definitely far too long in the crock pot, and 6 minutes may not have been long enough for boiling the macaroni. I was so excited that it didn’t call for cream or evaporated milk, so I could at least do some lactose-free substitutions (even with the cheddar cheese soup, it means a lower dose of lactaid will be needed to eat the mac and cheese). I could have stopped at an hour if the macaroni was cooked for longer. I’m hoping it will be better next time.
fawn says
I made this for Thanksgiving this year. Doubled it for 11 ( 3 being small kids) and we ran out!! this was sooo good and I was asked to make it again.
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Fawn!!
Jeanette says
Made this recipe two weeks ago and it was such a big hit that I will be making it again for our Super Bowl party (GO BRONCOS!). It was easy and oh so creamy. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Jeanette! Thanks for stopping back to let me know!
Julie says
So if I want to make a big crock pot full for a party do I need to 4x this recipe?
Julie Evink says
The regular recipe makes about 4 cups of cooked pasta. Please adjust according to that and how many people you will be serving.
Reese says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was very skeptical while preparing the butter & cheese mixture, wondering why there was no flour for a roux, & the butter & cheese just separated & seemed weird. But I just dumped it in the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients & hoped for the best. I was very pleasantly surprised! My 17 year old kept eating it out of the crockpot before it was even finished cooking, & everyone said it was the best homemade Mac n cheese I’ve ever made! I used mini shells instead of elbows since that’s what we prefer. It was so delicious & every bit of the leftovers was eaten the next day! Delicious!!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it Reese!
Christin says
Made this for dinner last night and it was SO yummy! To make it a complete meal, I added two cooked, shredded chicken breasts (seasoned) and some broccoli. I was concerned there wouldn’t be enough cheese sauce, but it was perfect! I might play with the spices a bit next time, but overall, this was wonderful. I made it on the stove top this time because I didn’t have time to wait for the Crock-Pot, so I just skipped the milk in the sauce and boiled the pasta till it was done. Husband raved about it! I’ll definitely make this one again…like next week 🙂
Julie Evink says
Great ideas Christin!
John R Edmiston MD says
please add print but ton to print window so that when it is open you can print from it
Taryn says
I literally just dump all but the noodles in the crock on low and it melts into a beautiful cheese sauce. Add the 6 min boiled noodles and hour before you want to eat and voila, done! It’s much simpler and just as amazing.
Julie Evink says
Great tip Taryn!
Katie says
Taryn, how long do you cook it that way? Thank you!
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joan says
If you are going to use canned soup, you might as well make the blue box kind
Julie Evink says
Joan, I have nothing against the blue box and never claimed this was any “healthier” or “better” than that. That is your own preference.