Description
This Crockpot Mac and Cheese is a creamy, cheesy comfort food classic made effortlessly in a slow cooker. Using a blend of cheddar, eggs, sour cream, and cream mixed with cooked elbow macaroni, it delivers a rich and velvety texture with minimal hands-on time, perfect for cozy family meals or entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaroni
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni (or any short shaped pasta)
Dairy & Cheese
- 4 tbsp salted butter (cubed, ½ stick)
- 3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese (pepper jack or white cheddar also work)
- ½ cup light sour cream (plain Greek yogurt also works)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
Other Ingredients
- 3 large eggs (beaten)
- 10.75 oz condensed cheddar cheese soup (1 can)
- ½ tsp dry mustard powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a 2-quart saucepan of water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook for about 7 minutes or until tender but still slightly firm (al dente). Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter and cheese: Return the saucepan to the stovetop, add the cubed salted butter and shredded cheddar cheese, and melt them together over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: In the slow cooker, mix together the melted butter and cheese, beaten eggs, light sour cream, condensed cheddar cheese soup, heavy cream, milk, dry mustard powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until thoroughly combined. Stir in the cooked macaroni until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Cook the mac and cheese: Set the slow cooker on low heat and cook the mixture for 1½ to 2 hours. Stir occasionally during cooking to ensure even heat distribution and prevent sticking. The mac and cheese will thicken and become creamy during this time.
- Serve: Once cooked through and creamy, serve the mac and cheese warm and enjoy this comforting, cheesy dish.
Notes
- For a spicier twist, substitute cheddar with pepper jack cheese.
- Make sure not to overcook the macaroni in the boiling water to avoid mushy pasta in the final dish.
- Stir occasionally while cooking in the slow cooker to prevent the cheese from sticking to the sides and burning.
- You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream for a tangier variation.
- Adding a breadcrumb topping and broiling for a few minutes after slow cooking creates a crunchy crust.
