Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese is creamy, comforting and perfect for potlucks, camping and parties. Best of all, everything comes together in just one pot. No boiling required in this slow cooker recipe — even the pasta!

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Once fall rolls around, hearty comfort foods happen regularly around here. And I can’t think of anything more comforting to my kids, than a classic baked macaroni and cheese.

But since fall is all about EASY, this stovetop version and now this crock pot macaroni and cheese (plus an instant pot version coming soon) totally fits the bill.

It’s super creamy, comforting and the best part is how easy everything comes together in the crock pot. Since this is a no boil recipe, I love that you don’t have to dirty up an extra pot to cook the pasta.

This mac and cheese cooks up super creamy.

There were so many recipes out there that called for Velveeta, American cheese and condensed cheddar soup. So I seriously ended up testing this recipe more than a dozen times just to get the consistency right.

Now, I normally don’t use condensed soups but in the end, the condensed cheddar cheese soup produced the creamiest results WITHOUT having to boil the pasta first.

However, if you are NOT a fan of using cheddar cheese soup, feel free to swap it out with another cheese. I can’t guarantee the texture will remain the same though.

Or you can even try to make this mac & cheese with a homemade version of condensed cheddar soup if that’s what you prefer. Just melt some cheddar cheese with butter and flour and then add it to the slow cooker.

But like I mentioned, I tried to keep this crock pot macaroni and cheese a truly easy dump-and-go one pot recipe this time. So everything cooks right in the slow cooker – even the pasta.

And, you can certainly boil the pasta first if you prefer but I chose to keep things simple by throwing the uncooked macaroni together with the rest of the ingredients.

For the cheeses, I used sharp cheddar, Mozzarella and added some Provolone near the end.

Important Tips on How to Cook this Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Different slow cookers vary by brand and size and each one cooks at a different heating level.

I used this 6 quart slow cooker which I find cooks evenly. No matter which model you use, be sure to keep your eye on this dish and stir often so the pasta cooks evenly.

Just for reference, my macaroni and cheese was perfectly al dente around 90 minutes in a 6-quart cooker.

Once your macaroni and cheese is finished cooking up – be sure to serve the entire batch or scoop everything out of the crock-pot into another casserole dish. This prevents the mac & cheese from overcooking and drying out.

This crock pot macaroni and cheese is perfect for camping, potlucks or those busy days when you don’t want to be tied down in the kitchen.

Serve hot with some freshly chopped parsley and toasted panko crumbs.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

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Ingredients

2 cups uncooked dry elbow Macaroni (or Cavatappi pasta)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

1 (10 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup

2 cups half and half (or 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream) (plus more to thin out as needed)

2 cups (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese + ½ cup reserved for topping

1 cup (4 oz) shredded Mozzarella cheese (or Monterey Jack)

½ cup sour cream

1-2 teaspoons salt (plus more to taste)

½ teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)

½ teaspoon dry ground mustard

1½ teaspoons garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

2 slices of Provolone cheese (optional - for extra gooeyness)

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Toasted panko crumbs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Spray a 5-6-quart slow cooker with non-stick spray.
Add the dry pasta to the slow cooker. Dot with cubed butter then stir in the condensed cheddar cheese soup, half and half, shredded cheddar, shredded Mozzarella, sour cream, salt, black pepper, mustard, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire and evaporated milk.
Add the dry pasta to the slow cooker. Dot with cubed butter then stir in the condensed cheddar cheese soup, half and half, shredded cheddar, shredded Mozzarella, sour cream, salt, black pepper, mustard, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire and evaporated milk.
Stir to combine, making sure that the pasta is covered in as much liquid as possible.
Cover and cook on low heat (about 1½ - 2½ hours but total time will vary according to your slow cooker - mine was done at 90 minutes). Check pasta after 30 minutes and stir. Cover and continue cooking. Check and GENTLY stir sides every 30 minutes until pasta is tender and liquid is thick and creamy. Top with Provolone cheese and remaining ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed. Turn off slow cooker and cover for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Serve immediately with freshly chopped parsley and toasted panko crumbs, if desired.
Transfer any remaining pasta from the slow cooker into a separate casserole dish or pot. If any pasta is left in the slow cooker, even when it's off, it will continue to cook and dry out.
Heat any leftovers on low (either on the stove or slow cooker) and add more milk as needed for a creamier consistency.