Description
Creamy mac & cheese crockpot magic brings comfort and nostalgia to dinner tables across America. Cheesy noodles melt together with rich ingredients, creating a simple yet irresistible dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (300g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (100g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (100g) Gruyere or Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 16 oz (450g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 4 cups (960 ml) whole milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground mustard (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Vessel Preparation: Spray or butter the crockpot interior thoroughly to prevent sticking and facilitate seamless serving.
- Ingredient Assembly: Combine uncooked macaroni, dairy elements, melted butter, and cheese varieties (cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyere) in the crockpot. Incorporate seasonings including garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and black pepper, ensuring comprehensive flavor distribution through meticulous mixing.
- Cooking Process: Secure the lid and set crockpot to low temperature. Gently fold contents every 30 minutes to prevent pasta clustering and guarantee uniform heat penetration, allowing ingredients to meld and transform gradually.
- Texture Evaluation: After 2-2.5 hours, verify pasta tenderness and cheese integration. The mixture should present a creamy, glossy appearance with no liquid separation, indicating perfect culinary harmony.
- Finishing Touch: Switch crockpot to warming setting. Optionally garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or chives to enhance visual appeal and introduce a subtle flavor complexity before serving hot.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Clumping: Stir every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent macaroni from sticking together or burning at the bottom of the crockpot.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Use a blend of cheeses with different melting properties to create a smooth, creamy texture without graininess or separation.
- Moisture Management: Avoid adding too much liquid initially, as pasta releases moisture during cooking; start with minimal liquid and adjust as needed to prevent watery mac and cheese.
- Dietary Adaptation: Easily modify the recipe for gluten-free diets by using gluten-free macaroni, or create a lower-fat version by substituting some cheese with nutritional yeast and using low-fat milk alternatives.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2-3 hours
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg