Name: Creamy Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb elbow macaroni; 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated; 4 oz monterey jack cheese, grated; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 4 tablespoons butter; 2 (12 oz each) cans evaporated milk; 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

If I could crown a go-to dinner option in my house, Macaroni and Cheese would be king. It is the singular thing that everyone in my family is always happy to see on the table and even the thing that my daughter asks me to make for her birthday, every single year. While she always asks for the bechamel-based baked mac I usually make, I am not partisan when it comes to Mac and Cheese — I love them all. Stovetop, custard-style, four kinds of cheese, just one kind of cheese… there’s room for everybody. And there’s definitely room for this incredibly creamy mac made right in the slow cooker. It doesn’t get easier OR creamier.

What Ingredients Do I Need For Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese?

Elbow macaroni, of course.
Two kinds of cheese: Sharp cheddar for flavor and Monterey Jack for meltiness.
Cream cheese, because we’re shooting for creamiest here.
Butter. Duh.
Evaporated milk: this builds your sauce without needing a roux.
Dry mustard: my mac and cheese flavor go-to.

How Do I Make Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese?

Well, it’s really easy. Almost too easy. Ready?

You take all of your ingredients, and then you put them in your slow cooker, and then you stir them. And then you turn on the slow cooker. You made mac and cheese!

Okay, it’s close to that simple, true, but there are a few other things to tell you.

One — you want to stop by and stir that mac and cheese every thirty minutes or so. It helps the sauce really come together for ultimate creaminess. If you miss a turn or two, don’t fret, it’ll still turn out fine.

Two — It will probably be done around an hour and a half, but don’t let it go longer than two hours. It’ll start to get mushy. While you don’t have to pre-cook the pasta here, you do have to watch out for it sitting around too long. This isn’t something you want to cook while you’re gone at the office for eight hours.

Three — If it gets too thick, you can simply thin it out with a few tablespons of milk.

What Substitutes Can I Use?

You should keep the cream cheese and the evaporated milk as is, but you can change the varieties of cheese to change up the flavor. Gruyere, Swiss, some added Parm are all great options here. Swapping the Monterey Jack out for a harder cheese will change the creamy consistency a bit, so just keep that in mind.

If you’re not into mustard powder, you could change things up with a dash of nutmeg instead, and if you like a little kick to your mac, you could sub in (or add) a dash of cayenne or hot sauce.