Is there anybody who doesn’t absolutely love mac and cheese?? We’re not talking bland macaroni and cheese, we’re talking amped up, cheesy, gooey goodness that both fills and warms you up.
The stuff that dreams are made of and that has every single person who tries it begging for the recipe so they can recreate the goodness anytime the craving hits. Well. One of our favorite ways to make mac and cheese is a little more involved than we felt like making it the other day – normally we make a roux-based, creamy, cheese sauce. We cook the pasta and then the sauce, then stir the pasta into the sauce, then make a crispy, butter breadcrumb topping and pop it all in the oven.
This time we needed something quick and easy – and we hit it out of the park, if we do say so ourselves! If you can cook your pasta so it’s al dente and pour ingredients into a slow cooker, you can make amazing macaroni and cheese; that’s the beauty of this recipe. So, what are we using here to achieve the ultimate creaminess? Plenty of cheeses – four to be exact – sour cream and evaporated milk, and lots of seasoning so your dish packs a punch.
Add them to your slow cooker, along with the pasta, then turn it on and walk away. That’s it! If you can stir your pasta mixture halfway through cooking, great, if not, even more yummy, crispy edges for you to enjoy later on. Trust us, it doesn’t get easier than this, and this mac and cheese gives any traditionally-baked version a run for its money. We love it!
Slow Cooker Macaroni And Cheese
15 minutes active; 2+ hours inactive to prepare serves 8
INGREDIENTS
1 (16 oz.) package elbow macaroni, cooked
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup provolone cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup sour cream
1/2 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according until al dente, 3-4 minutes shy of directions on packaging. Drain and set aside.
Lightly grease slow cooker with non-stick spray, then place macaroni in the bottom.
Add cheddar and provolone cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, onions powder, dry mustard powder and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper.
Pour evaporated milk on top of ingredients, then stir everything together.
Cover and cook on low for 2 hours or on high for 1, stirring occasionally.