Description
A thick, creamy, velvety slow‑cooker macaroni and cheese that avoids grainy texture and delivers maximum cheesiness.
Ingredients
- 1 (16‑oz) block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 oz American cheese
- 1 lb (16‑oz box) dried elbow macaroni (uncooked)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 (12‑oz) cans evaporated milk
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Spray or prepare your crock‑pot/slow cooker.
- Add uncooked elbow macaroni, shredded sharp cheddar, American cheese, melted butter, evaporated milk, whole milk, dry mustard, and salt into the crock‑pot.
- Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Cook on LOW for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to promote even melting and prevent scorching—adjust time based on your slow cooker’s performance.
- Once pasta is cooked al dente and cheese sauce is smooth and creamy, switch the cooker to the WARM setting and serve promptly. If sauce is too thick, stir in a bit of warm milk.
Notes
- Avoid grainy texture by shredding cheese yourself rather than using pre‑shredded varieties, which contain anti‑caking agents.
- Stirring occasionally helps ensure even heat distribution and prevents burning along the edges.
- Keep an eye on cook time—slow cookers vary, so testing around 2 hours and monitoring pasta doneness is key.
- If sauce seems too thick at the end, loosen with warm milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx)
- Calories: ≈688 kcal
- Sugar: Estimate varies
- Sodium: Estimate varies
- Fat: High (rich in cheese and butter)
- Saturated Fat: High
- Unsaturated Fat: Moderate
- Trans Fat: Negligible
- Carbohydrates: High (from pasta and milk)
- Fiber: Low
- Protein: Moderate to high (from cheese)
- Cholesterol: High (due to dairy)