2019 is the year of the Instant Pot and the slow cooker around here, and this month I’ve been stocking up on easy, family-friendly, mostly-healthy dinner recipes to make getting dinner on the table more doable. This Crock Pot Mac and Cheese is not totally hands off, but it’s a dump and go crockpot recipe that only requires a little stir here and there, so I’m adding it to my list of “doable dinners”. Plus, who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese?!
Tips for making the best Crock Pot Mac and Cheese:
I absolutely wanted this to be a no boil recipe, because if I’m going to pre-boil the macaroni then I’m just going to make a simple stove top mac and cheese recipe or this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese (which requires no other pots or pans!). Here are a few tips to keep in mind to get the best results:
You need to spray your crockpot, and you need to stir it — every hour is best. Otherwise, you’ll end up with one big clump of pasta forever stuck to the bottom of your slow cooker. You need to use cooking liquids that can handle some heat. This is why I choose to use a combination of evaporated milk and chicken broth — they both handle heat well. I don’t recommend using a low fat or skim milk for this recipe. Why chicken broth? I like to use some chicken broth because, well, that’s just the way I like my mac and cheese. I’ve found if I use all milk that it becomes very thick and almost difficult to get done. The sauce doesn’t turn out as smooth. If you want to go all out, feel free to substitute the chicken broth for whole milk. Why cream cheese? The cream cheese in this recipe helps the sauce to thicken. If you prefer a thinner mac and cheese, you can omit or reduce the cream cheese, but it will be quite saucy! Please note that the sriracha in this recipe will not make the crockpot mac and cheese spicy, but it does add a bit of flavor that helps to cut some of the richness.
What are the best cheeses for this slow cooker mac and cheese?
Pick cheese that melts well for this and all macaroni and cheese recipes. I prefer to use:
full fat over low fat freshly shredded from the block over pre-shredded, bagged cheese cheddar gives mac and cheese that classic orange color and flavor, but others work well, too: gruyere, monterey jack, or gouda are also favorites!
Variations on this crock pot mac and cheese:
If you like more noticeable spice in your mac and cheese, feel free to bump up the sriracha to 1 or 2 teaspoons or drizzle some on after cooking. If you want to make it a full meal deal and bump up the protein, feel free to add some cooked, shredded chicken or some cooked ground beef, meatballs, or a can of chili for a really interesting chili mac twist! If you want to bump up the veggie content, feel free to stir some in with the macaroni or if you prefer your vegetables with more bite, add them just at the end when you add your cheese.
Looking for more crock pot pasta dishes?
Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper Recipe {Slow Cooker} BBQ Chicken Chili Mac Spinach Ricotta Slow Cooker Lasagna
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