I always use Barilla pasta (for all my cooking) and have never had it be mushy. I’ve never found this to be lacking in flavor even without additional spices, but I do also use sharp Cabot cheddar which could be a difference there (it is readily available in 2 lb blocks at a reasonable price in my area). I don’t use velveeta, and simply use more monterey (I’m sure it would be even better with cream cheese, but I don’t usually have that on hand).
It took me awhile to find this “reasonable” crockpot recipe for mac & cheese that didn’t require boiling the pasta or a lot of tending! (Isn’t that the point of a crockpot?!) I double it and cook it on low for ~3 hours, stirring only once or twice – it could probably be cooked a little less, and stirred a little more often, but that’s how the scheduling works out for me and it is good anyway. I make this several times a year for potlucks after church. Too long in the slow cooker, and the pasta will definitely be overdone. While this is a slow cooker recipe, it’s not necessarily a “fix it and forget it” recipe.
Mix it all together and season with the salt and pepper.
To the pasta, add the heavy cream mixture, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and the processed cheese food (like Velveeta). Tips on Making This No Boil Mac and Cheese RecipeĮasy No Boil Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is a very easy recipe, but there are a few tips to getting it right. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). That’s it! Just put the lid on your slow cooker, turn it on low heat and set it for 2 hours.
Like I am so freaking excited to tell you how to make crock pot mac and cheese!! Let’s go! I feel like if you are going to do this step, it’s just as easy to bake the mac and cheese…why involve the slow cooker? So, my idea was to develop a recipe that you could throw all your ingredients in the Crock-Pot slow cooker, turn it on and walk away. You can use any type of breadcrumbs you have on hand, or crushed ritz crackers. I have tried macaroni and cheese recipes in the Crock-Pot slow cooker before, but they always require you to boil the pasta ahead. Breadcrumbs and Butter: We’ll mix breadcrumbs with melted butter and more cheese to create a crunchy topping for our baked mac and cheese with velveeta. This easy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is a little different from your average slow cooker meal… this one only takes a few hours, which makes it perfect for entertaining, game day, or whipping up in the afternoon when you forgot to plan your dinner ahead of time! No Boil Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is creamy, easy and delicious! But, the next best thing in my mind is having a warm meal ready at home for everyone, so depending on what time we all walk through the door we can make a plate. Sometimes we can’t all be home to sit around the dinner table together, which is definitely a shame. On weeknights, especially in the fall when my family seems to be going in different directions all the time, the Crock-Pot slow cooker is a life saver.
I use my Slow Cooker on a pretty regular basis, and have a bunch of slow cooker recipes here on my website.