Classic creamy crockpot mac and cheese that uses Velveeta cheese. This homemade slow cooker mac and cheese is ready in 2 hours! Toddler, kid and husband approved!
Easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese Recipe
You’re going to love this crockpot macaroni and cheese recipe because it’s super creamy, ultra-cheesy, and ridiculously easy! This homemade mac and cheese is made with Velveeta and uncooked noodles—meaning almost no prep. Just toss everything into the slow cooker, hit the cook button, and let the magic happen!
My kids are obsessed with mac and cheese, so this dinner always gets rave reviews. And to make it a full, comforting meal, I love serving it with a side of fluffy dinner rolls—because what’s better than buttery, soft rolls to scoop up all that cheesy goodness?
If you’re feeling nostalgic, try pairing this with stewed tomatoes—it’s a classic combo that gives the dish a cozy, old-school diner feel. Or, for an easy twist on your mac game, my 15-Minute Velveeta Mac and Cheese with Broccoli is the perfect way to sneak in some greens (and trust me, it’s just as creamy and irresistible!).
And if you really want to shake things up, give Tomato Macaroni and Cheese a try—it’s tangy, cheesy, and absolutely unforgettable.
No matter how you serve it, this crockpot mac and cheese is about to become a new family favorite. Let’s dig in!
Can you cook dry pasta in a slow cooker?
Yes, you absolutely can cook dry pasta in the slow cooker! The elbow noodles for this recipe are cooking in a liquid made up of milk and butter, so the noodles will cook during the 2 hours the slow cooker is on. There’s no need to cook the noodles first!
How long does mac and cheese take to make?
In the slow cooker, mac and cheese takes around 2 hours. After 2 hours check the noodles. If they still aren’t done, cook for 30 minutes more.
What cheese is best for mac and cheese?
I recommend Velveeta for this recipe because it makes a super creamy (and nostalgic) mac and cheese!
Don’t like Velveeta cheese? Well, we can’t be friends. Ok, ok, use (2) 8-ounce bags of shredded cheese or (2) 8-ounce blocks of cubed cheddar cheese (yellow or white).
How to Make Mac and Cheese in the Crockpot
Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Add uncooked elbow macaroni, whole milk, melted butter, evaporated milk, Velveeta cheese, salt and pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard and paprika in the slow cooker and stir.
Tip: Please don’t skip the evaporated milk, it’s going to make the mac and cheese really creamy without the extra fat and (heavy feeling) that heavy cream does.
Cover and cook on LOW. Test the noodles—cook longer if needed.
Serve and enjoy your creamy macaroni and cheese! I like serving it next to a green vegetable like peas or broccoli.
Can I bring this to a potluck?
While this crockpot macaroni is great for family dinner, you can also bring it to a potluck because it’s a great easy dish! You can even double the recipe for more people! Simply keep the slow cooker on the “warm” setting when serving.
Want to make broccoli mac and cheese?
Add one bag of frozen broccoli to the slow cooker to make broccoli mac and cheese.
Important Recipes Note
Elbow Noodles: Make sure to use regular elbow macaroni for this recipe. Do not use pre-cooked noodles.
If you want to use gluten-free noodles, it might take longer – closer to the 2.5-3 hour range.
Pin for later:
Crockpot Mac and Cheese (with Velveeta)
PrintIngredients
- 16 ounce box elbow macaroni uncooked
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 5 ounce can evaporated milk
- 16 ounce block Velveeta cheese cut up into cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Spray a slow cooker with nonstick spray on the bottom and slides.
- Add all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and mix.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours, stirring once or twice while it cooks. After 2 hours test the noodles. If noodles aren't done, cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy this crockpot mac and cheese!
Crysta says
Can I use cavatappi pasta?
Pamela Reed says
Yes, this should be fine!
Shauna says
Made this as one of the sides for my son birthday party over the weekend and HOLY MACARONI! Everyone loved it. People were coming out of the house with 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths of this! I will be keeping this recipe!
Samantha says
Looks good, but the Velveeta alone has over 6700mg of sodium, so adding another teaspoon of salt is just crazy!
Arianna Taggart says
This turned out very good! My husband is pretty picky about his Mac n cheese too. However, it took much longer for mine to thicken/cook. I turned it to high as time went on and I needed it to be finished. Perhaps it just needs more like 3.5 hrs on low.
Dawn Gilliland says
If I double the recipe how much extra time is needed?
Theresa says
Hands down the best homemade Mac and cheese! I doubled the recipe, and there was nothing left! It was so yummy!!
Jamie Tyler Goodin says
What if you need to get done in under 2 hours can you turn on high four 30 minutes, then low for 1 hour?
Mary says
Do you taste the garlic? Was wondering why it is needed?
Bob says
So good ,definitely will make again I made it with rotini tri color that’s what I had in the cupboard
E Dubs says
I have made this several times now ! It’s our go to dish for tailgates & such! Everyone raves about it ! Love that it’s simple & you don’t have to cook the pasta first! I do add white cheddar because I’m partial to that !!
Cindy S says
Love this recipe! Easy to make and great for work parties!
Joni strand says
This was amazing! Easy and quick to put together. I’ve had 3 little bowls. I did add more milk tho. Delicious so impressed with recipe. Thank you for posting it.