This Slow Cooker Alfredo Macaroni and Cheese doesn’t require pre-boiling the macaroni and tastes like a cross between your favorite Italian Alfredo pasta and traditional macaroni and cheese.
I’d been wanting to try a macaroni and cheese in my slow cooker for a long time. Both my kids (like most kids it seems) love macaroni and cheese but I actually don’t make it very often from scratch. I’ll be honest I usually rely on store brands to keep on-hand for when the macaroni and cheese craving strikes. Especially the single-serve microwave pouches. They are so convenient!
But sometimes I want macaroni and cheese for dinner and I felt like it should be just as convenient as the store varieties. Using a slow cooker seemed like the obvious solution but most recipes I’d found require boiling the macaroni first. And that just seemed like a fussy step to me. Do you agree?
So I found THIS recipe and modified it to my own tastes to make it more like an Alfredo cheese sauce. Plus I found that 12 ounces of pasta is really the right amount – at least for my slow cooker which is 6-quarts and runs on the hot side. You can save the last 1/4 box of macaroni for later and toss it into a pasta salad.
I wanted a good base that I could offer mix-ins with. Serve this Slow Cooker Alfredo Macaroni and Cheese with some roasted broccoli, grilled chicken, crumbled bacon, chopped tomatoes… the possibilities are endless. It’s a such a simple and family-pleasing dinner solution!
- 12 oz. macaroni pasta
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups (8 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (4 ounces) sharp white American cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (4 ounces) Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh basil, chopped
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the evaporated milk, milk, salt and garlic powder. Stir in the pasta, cubed butter and shredded cheese.
- Cover and cook on low setting for 3 hours. Be sure and stir the macaroni and cheese after the first hour of cooking.
- Serve topped with chopped fresh basil.
Kristen says
You know my daughter LOVES mac and cheese. WE have to try this!
foodtasticmom says
I think you’ll like it!
P. Walsh says
Where do you find the sharp white american cheese?
foodtasticmom says
I find it in my deli at the grocery store – where I get meat sliced.
Mary says
I was wondering if I could make this the night before and put in fridge and then heat it up the next day. Need to provide a lunch for a group of women but won’t have the time in the morning to make it that day.
foodtasticmom says
Unfortunately I think the time reheating it in the slow cooker would be too much. Pasta swells and can overcook very quickly so I would not advice this. Not sure if it suits your tastes but my Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs would be a better recipe to make ahead and reheat the next day than this mac and cheese. Sorry!
Mary says
Thank you!
foodtasticmom says
You’re welcome
Nikki says
You think I could prep everything except the macaroni in my crockpot the night before then cook everything on high for half the time the next day?
foodtasticmom says
I think that might work. Because the only issue in preparing ahead is over cooking the macaroni. Sorry for the late reply! Let us know if you tried this method!