Creamy macaroni and cheese is super easy to make in a crock pot. Cooked pasta, Velveeta and cheddar cheese along with evaporated milk make a rich and delicious side dish for any occasion!
Our Farmhouse Style Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is a family favorite and is also know as liquid gold for good reason!
We serve this mac & cheese with several easy dinners including Oven Baked Pork Chops, Turkey & Bacon Sliders and Farmhouse Ham Loaf.
Crock Pot Mac & Cheese with Velveeta
This is the easiest mac and cheese that I’ve made for our family and everyone loves it! I love making this crock pot mac and cheese with Velveeta recipe because it is fuss-free! Simple ingredients that we always have on hand mix up quickly and easily.
Like our Broccoli with Garlic & Parmesan and Rice Pilaf we have a few favorite side dishes that we make regularly. This mac and cheese is certainly on the list now!
Just cook the pasta and pour all of the ingredients in the crock pot. Stir a couple of times as you cook on low for about 2 hours.
Macaroni and cheese is a canvas that is to easy to customize to so many preferences. We are fans of a plain version, but there are so many ways to amp up this recipe, whether it’s adding more pepper, smoked paprika, minced onion, or bacon bits. We’ve got another great No-Boil Mac & Cheese with Ham recipe too!
Great for Holidays, Parties and Hosting Guests
My sister-in-law shared this recipe and I’ll admit that it was my first time making macaroni and cheese in the crock pot. There are so many benefits! The crock pot version holds so well and stays warm at a party, potluck or family gathering when you don’t know exactly what time the food will be served. This recipe is similar to our classic Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Pasta.
After an hour the cheese is all melted and there is a lot of liquid. Over the next 30 minutes to an hour the pasta absorbs extra liquid and a perfect, creamy consistency remains. Turn to keep warm when the pasta hits the texture you prefer. Just remove the lid and enjoy at your convenience!
This allows you plenty of time to clean up and get ready for the party or travel to an event.
The same sister-in-law that gave us this recipe has shared some of our all-time favorite like Marinated & Grilled Meat and Farmhouse Loaded Potatoes.
Can Mac & Cheese Be Made in a Slow Cooker?
Cooking macaroni and melting the cheeses in a slow cooker is the easiest hands off way to make Mac and cheese for a party or crowd.
I love being able to do the prep ahead of time and just stir the pasta, cheeses and milk together a couple times and almost like magic an easy warm side dish is ready for the potluck, barbecue, cookout or family dinner!
Can This Recipe Be Doubled?
Yes, a double batch of mac and cheese can be made in at least a 6 quart crock pot. Using a 7 or 8 quart will give you more room to stir.
I cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours and stir about every 30 minutes. Then turn to keep warm once cheese has melted and continue to stir often until all of the dish is served.
There is a lot of liquid that will seem soupy. After the Velveeta fully melts and the pasta has time to absorb more of the cheese it will all firm up. Turn the heat up one setting to help firm up more quickly, but continue to stir frequently.
What Can Be Added to Slow Cooker Mac N Cheese?
This mac n cheese would taste great with bacon bits sprinkled on top or small cubes of ham stirred in about 30 minutes before serving.
A reader shared that seasoned salt really ups this recipe.
Cooking dried minced onion into the macaroni adds a more robust flavor, but can easily be omitted for more mild palates of kids and picky eaters.
Serve with freshly ground pepper and smoked paprika just like we do with our Farmhouse Baked Mac and Cheese for an extra flair of flavor at the dinner table!
The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, but you can easily use more types of cheese that equal 1 1/2 cups to make a triple mac and cheese!
What’s Needed to Make Crock Pot Mac & Cheese?
- Cooked pasta – we like elbow pasta, but shells, cavatappi and orecchiette also work well
- Velveeta cheese – makes the pasta super creamy, American cheese can be substituted
- Shredded cheddar cheese – mild or sharp work fine, choose your favorite flavor
- Milk – helps keep the pasta moist
- Evaporated milk – makes a richer sauce. Fat equals flavor and there isn’t very much fat or protein in milk. Milk is mostly water. So evaporated milk evaporates a lot of the water off and leaves the flavorful fat, protein and other nutrients.
- Vegetable oil – keeps noodles from sticking together
- Butter – diversity in rich flavor profiles
- Salt – flavor
- Pepper – optional, sometimes my kids act weird about pepper, other times they don’t even notice it
- Dried minced onion – optional, most adults love the flavor, but sometimes it throws kids
This crock pot mac and cheese recipe is made rich evaporated milk, so it can be without eggs and no flavor is sacrificed.
How to Make Mac & Cheese in the Crock Pot
- Cook pasta and toss with oil
- Pour pasta into lined or greased crock pot
- Measure milk and stir in salt, pepper and minced onion
- Pour regular milk and evaporated milk into the crock pot
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top
- Slice or cube Velveeta cheese and spread over the top
- Cover and cook on low for 2 – 3 hours, stir 2 – 3 times and again just before serving
- Can turn to keep warm for up to an hour while serving
Step By Step Instructions
Cook macaroni 1 – 2 minutes less than the time recommend on the box. Drain well in a large colander.
Add cooked macaroni to a large slow cooker with a liner. Pour vegetable oil into the crock and stir with a large spoon to ensure all of the noodles get a light coating.
Add regular milk and evaporated milk to the pasta.
Sprinkle salt, pepper and minced onion over the top.
Full flavor lovers will enjoy 2 tablespoons of minced onion and pepper, my picky eaters prefer a small amount of those ingredients.
Cut Velveeta process American cheese into cubes that will melt a little more quickly than a large chunk. Spread over the top of macaroni noodles.
Add melted butter. Then sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.
Use a large, long handled serving spoon to stir all of the cheese, seasonings and spices well together.
Place lid on the crock and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir a couple times to help the mixture cook evenly.
Once all of the cheese is melted and mac and cheese reaches desired consistency serve warm and enjoy!
Can This Recipe Be Made Ahead of Time?
I have cooked the pasta the day before and after draining poured into a crock pot liner in a large bowl. Then add pats of butter and vegetable oil and stir well.
Fasten with a twist tie and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the full recipe in the slow cooker.
Other Easy Meal Ideas for Picky Eaters
- BBQ Pulled Pork Crescents
- Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
- Crock Pot Lasagna
- Stromboli
- Air Fryer Pizza Sliders
- Instant Pot Mac & Cheese with Sausage
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Printable Crock Pot Mac & Cheese Recipe
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces macaroni cooked
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes use up to 2 T. for maximum flavor
- 1 1/2 cups Velveeta cheese 12 ounces
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- In a crock pot toss cooked macaroni with vegetable oil.
- Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 – 3 hours. Stir a couple times and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This mac n cheese would taste great with bacon bits sprinkled on top or small cubes of ham stirred in about 30 minutes before serving.
Equipment
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Nutrition
Originally published May 29, 2020 with pictures updated on March 16, 2022.
How do you measure the Velveeta?
Great question! It’s 12 ounces. I just checked and see the package is marked in 2 ounce increments. Hope you love the recipe 🙂
I just guessed and this was wonderful . I took it to a family reunion, it made a lot ! Everyone loved it !! The best recipe ever !!
Hello ! Have you ever made a double batch of this at once ?! How does it come out.
Hey there! I haven’t tried that yet, but I think with a large crock pot, some extra stirring and a little extra cook time it should work well. Please let me know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Hi, I make a double recipe in my large crock pot all the time! It takes a little longer and turns out wonderfully!
This is an amazing recipe. Even my husband loved it and he hates Mac and cheese. My only question is, since I’m watching what I eat, do you know what the portion size is for each person? I know it sounds silly but I’m trying to log it properly.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing the compliment! Portion size is tricky. I’ve seen anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of pasta as a serving. There is more info on dietary guidelines for each person here: https://www.choosemyplate.gov/. I hope this helps!
Curious if this means 8 oz of pasta-cooked or 8 oz of cooked pasta? In other words is the 8oz of pasta measured prior to cooking or after cooking? I typically buy a 16oz box of elbow macaroni, so wondering if this recipe of calling for half the box. Thank you!!
Good question! I use 8 ounces of uncooked pasta, so half of the box. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This recipe is PERFECT! I added a pinch of dry minced garlic. Gave it a nice flavor
So glad you love it! Thanks so much for the kind comments!
Oh my goodness this was so good! I did add a little extra Velvetta just cause my kids LOVE cheese – but this was good and easy! My kids thought I really did something special for them too!
Do you mix the cheese in or leave it all on top and wait till it cooks some then stir
Hey There! You can give it a little stir initially and then come back and stir a couple more times as it’s heating up. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
How many does this serve? I am looking to serve 7 people.
Hey there! Our family gets about 12 servings out of this recipe. If there’s extra the leftovers taste great too!
How many quart crock pot did you use? Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi! We have a 5 quart crock pot shown in the pictures 🙂
This recipe was delicious !! I cooked it in the oven instead of the crockpot.
This is definitely one to saved.
Did you change anything ( like amount of liquids) when you made in the oven? I was wondering how to convert to oven recipe. What did you bake it on and for how long?
If I use an entire box of elbow macaroni will it be too dry?
Hey There! I haven’t tested this recipe using a full box of pasta, but if I were to use a full box I would increase the other ingredients proportionally to keep it nice and cheesy! Hope you enjoy 🙂
sharp or mild cheddar cheese
Hey There! Either works well! My family prefers sharp cheddar, but both taste great!
Have you done this on the stovetop before?
Hey There! I haven’t made this on the stove top. I imagine it would take more stirring and more attention, but I think it could be done! Please let me know if you give it a try 🙂
I have done this on the stove top, you have to stir it more. It’s delicious.
Do you use velveeta blocks of cheese? Or liquid velveeta? I’ve seen the liquid velveeta packets in the store as well as the blocks just making sure i use the right thing. So excited to try this for Christmas!!
Hey there! I use the blocks of Velveeta. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do 🙂
Did you use whole milk? Or does it not matter what kind you use?
Hi There! Great question! I use 12 ounces of evaporated milk and then 1 1/2 cups of 2% or whole, whatever we have on hand is fine. Remember fat equals flavor, so I would avoid the skim milk. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do 🙂
Could you cook on high if needed?
Hey There! I haven’t tested it, but if you do use high I would stir a lot more often to help prevent burning. Please let me know if you give it a try!
Is the pasta supposed to be cooked al dente? I am assuming so that it doesn’t get overcooked in the crockpot but I thought I would ask!
Yes! Good question! Cook pasta to al dente before adding to the crock pot. Hope you enjoy!
Have a quick question about the cook time. In the write up it says to cook for 1.5 hours but the recipe says 2-3 hours. Which one is it? Make it for my son’s stag next week and I don’t want to overcook it.
Hey There! Thanks so much for asking. Cooking appliances vary, so keep an eye on the macaroni and cheese around 1.5 hours, but know that it will likely take 2 – 3 hours. Be sure to stir often to prevent burning. Hope your guys love the recipe as much as we do!
If you use dried minced onions, should it be the same amount as the dried onion flakes (2 tablespoons)?
Hey There! I think this might be the same or a very similar product. You can always add 1 T. early on and taste when almost done. Add more at that time if desired. Hope you enjoy as much as we do!
Hello! Could I make this the day before I plan to serve it?
Hey there! Great question! I haven’t tested this, but I do know that every time I make mac and cheese it reheats very differently than it cooks and I think this recipe would be the same…so it depends what quality you want to serve. We enjoy it both ways, but do tend to prefer a fresh batch for a party or special occasion.
Hope you enjoy!
My Mac and cheese has been cooking for 2 hours, the second hour on the high setting and it still has way too much liquid! I’m sure hoping the 3rd hour on high will take care of this issue. Otherwise, we’ll be having Mac and cheese soup! Lol
Can you think of anything I may have done wrong? I followed the recipe exactly. Thanks!
Nope, the extra moisture absorbs quite a bit in the 3rd or 4th hour. Just keep stirring. Hope it works out well for you!
I’m picky about Mac and cheese, I followed the recipe exactly, I just use white pepper instead of black. I was worried about it being soupy…..I cooked it for 3 hrs. it came out sooo good!!! Really creamy and great flavor….it’s now my favorite!!!
We really dislike KD… no flavour. However this was excellent! We double it and took it to a potluck. Only cooked the pasta for 4 min. Ran under cold water to halt cooking and then added rest of the ingredients. Really creamy and tasty! Lots of positive feedback. Will definitely make this again. Note to self weigh the pasta and for sure add the onion flakes . Thank you!
Curious if anyone knows the process of doing this in an Instant Pot? This is my favorite Mac & Cheese recipe for potlucks & was thinking of trying it out in the Instant Pot for our upcoming potluck.
Once cooked, can it be frozen and reheated?
Hey There! Great question – I might freeze extras to avoid wasting food, but I would not recommend making an entire dish ahead to freeze and serve to a group because the consistency is a bit unpredictable and changes quite a bit based on how the appliance works, how much moisture is added, etc. Hope you give this dish a try and enjoy it as much as we do!
I made this for a family gathering so I doubled the recipe, it was a HUGE hit. I definitely will be making it again. Thank you so much.
Excellent recipe
Hello when doubling the recipe do I simply double each ingredient or cut back on liquid and cheese?
Hey There! I haven’t tested doubling the recipe, but I will say that as the pasta sits it slowly soaks up more liquid. So if you did adjust the amount of liquid and cheese it would change cooking time and the serving time window. If you do give it a try please let me know how it turns out. Thank you!
Hi I doubled the whole recipe so I hope it turns out good. Can’t wait till it’s done cooking up try it.
Question: recipe sounds amazing, will try it for the first time Christmas Eve 2021. I am surprised there is no roux to thicken the sauce. The crock pot doesn’t make it too runny does it?
Hey There! Great question! This recipe slowly and steadily thickens up as it cooks. So if it’s still too runny keep cooking until you hit the consistency you prefer 🙂 Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
This was really good! Made a double batch for a potluck and everyone was saying it was good. Thanks so much for sharing! I used 1 8oz block of cheddar Jack and doubled everything else exactly as written and added a small amount of smoked paprika:)
Crazy question, but do you drain the macaroni after cooking?
Hey There – great question! Yes, I always drain the macaroni after cooking. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do 🙂
Hey just wondering… I see that butter is listed in the ingredients but I’m not seeing when to use it in the instructions. Should I Add it to the top with the Velveeta cheese and let it melt down on its own? Thanks 🙂
Hey There – Great question! I just made this recipe this weekend and decided to clarify the instructions. It really doesn’t matter when you add it, maybe with the oil would be easiest, just be sure to stir well. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Great recipe and so easy! It is a regular request in our home by the kids and adults
Hi! This looks delicious! I was thinking of making a huge batch (6 times the original recipe) for my daughter’s graduation party as a side dish. Do you think this would work in an electric roaster pan, and could I potentially fit it in to 2 roaster pans (three times the recipe in each)? If not, what size crock pot do you normally use for a single batch?
Hey There! Thanks so much for looking at our recipe! We do have several recipes in a roaster and I know a big key to using them is stirring a LOT more often than with a crock pot as there tends more hot spots. While I haven’t tested mac & cheese I’ve heard from other readers that they have doubled this recipe in a crock pot. I would be tempted to double this and use three 6 quart or larger crock pots if possible. I hope you have a great graduation party!! Congrats on the big accomplishment of graduation a kiddo 🙂
I’m looking for a Mac and cheese I can cook in my casserole (9×13) crockpot and was wounding if I could make this recipe in that plus would you double it!
Hey There! I haven’t tested using a casserole crockpot, but I assume it would work fine….just make sure you have plenty of room to stir! I also haven’t tested doubling the recipe, but several other readers have in the comments and say it works great. Hope you enjoy 🙂
Liquid gold – this Mac n cheese is awesome. I usually double the recipe and turns out great every time. My kids love it and I’m a sucker for a good Mac n cheese. Highly recommend.
Will adding milk to the crockpot make it curdle?
Hey there! Great question, since it’s low heat and you stir often it works well and doesn’t curdle. Hope you enjoy!
Anyone have any helpful tips when doubling the batch? I’m planning on doing it this Saturday and I’m nervous. Do I need to add extra time for cooking? Do I double ever ingredient?
Thanks in advance!
I just made this for my husband’s office party tomorrow. I followed the recipe but I doubled it and added Colby jack and parmesan Romano cheese. Used a sprinkling of onion powder and paprika. It came out so good…creamy and delicious.
Wow! This is replacing my homemade Mac and cheese recipe. So so good and creamy. My whole family was blown away and very happy. Thanks for this great recipe!