Description
Indulge in the ultimate creamy comfort food with this hands-free slow cooker recipe. By cooking the noodles directly in a luxurious blend of milk, vegetable broth, and freshly grated sharp cheddar, this method achieves a perfectly velvety, restaurant-quality texture. It is a reliable, stress-free solution for busy family dinners or gatherings, eliminating the need for boiling pasta or making a complex roux. Using block cheese ensures the smoothest melt, while the slow cooking process gently coaxes out deep, savory flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
16 oz dry elbow macaroni
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block
2 cups whole milk, room temperature
12 oz evaporated milk
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Spray the interior of the slow cooker bowl thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine the uncooked macaroni, shredded cheddar, whole milk, evaporated milk, vegetable broth, butter, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
Stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon until all pasta is coated evenly.
Cover the slow cooker and set to low heat for 2.5 hours.
Stir the mixture once halfway through the cooking time to ensure even heat distribution and prevent cheese from clumping at the bottom.
Check the pasta consistency after 2 hours; add a small splash of extra milk if the sauce has become too thick.
Serve warm once the pasta is tender and the sauce is creamy.
Notes
Always grate your cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded varieties, as pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent a smooth, velvety melt. If the sauce is too thick toward the end of cooking, incorporate a small amount of warm milk until your desired consistency is reached.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 150
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg