This crock pot mac and cheese with Velveeta is one of those recipes I’ve made so many times I could probably make it in my sleep. It never fails me. My oldest son asks for it constantly and could probably eat the entire batch himself. It’s ultra creamy, ridiculously easy and always disappears fast whether I’m making it for a holiday gathering, potluck or easy dinner at home. With just 6 simple ingredients and minimal prep, this is the kind of comfort food recipe people come back to again and again.
Original post: 2014 | Updated: October 2023 and May 2026
Why This Recipe Works
There are plenty of reasons I come back to this crock pot mac and cheese with Velveeta again and again, but here are the biggest ones:
- Ultra creamy and cheesy every single time
- Made with just 6 simple ingredients
- Requires almost no prep or hands-on time
- Frees up valuable oven and stovetop space during busy holidays
- Always gets rave reviews from both kids and adults
- Perfect for potlucks, parties, holidays or easy weeknight dinners
Velveeta is the secret to the smoothest, creamiest texture every single time.
This is one of those dependable comfort food recipes that works for nearly every occasion. Whether I’m making it for Thanksgiving, a summer gathering or a random Tuesday night dinner, it always disappears fast.
If you love cozy comfort food recipes, you’ll also want to try my chili recipe.
Recipe Ingredients for Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese
Elbow macaroni
Watch the noodles carefully as they cook to avoid mushy pasta. When stirring, replace the lid quickly to keep as much heat inside as possible.
Milk
Whole milk creates the creamiest texture, but 2%, 1%, oat milk or almond milk all work well. For an even richer result, replace part of the milk with heavy cream.
Evaporated milk can also be used for extra creaminess.
Velveeta
Velveeta is the secret to the ultra smooth, creamy texture in this recipe.
Butter
Salted butter adds great flavor, but unsalted butter works just as well.
Sharp cheddar cheese
Sharp cheddar adds the best flavor, but you can easily swap in mozzarella, pepper jack, colby jack, Monterey Jack or another creamy cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly, but pre-shredded works great for convenience.
Parmesan cheese
A sprinkle of parmesan on top adds extra flavor and texture.
How To Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
- Add ingredients to the slow cooker
Add cooked elbow macaroni, milk, Velveeta, butter, shredded cheddar and parmesan cheese to a 7-quart crock pot.
- Cook on low
Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, until creamy and fully melted. - Stir occasionally
Stir the macaroni and cheese a couple of times throughout cooking for the creamiest texture. Start checking for doneness around the 2-hour mark, since slow cookers can vary.
Avoid overcooking, since the pasta will continue softening as it sits.
Recipe Notes
- Coat the slow cooker with nonstick spray or use a liner for easier cleanup.
- This recipe makes a large batch and is perfect for potlucks, holidays or feeding a crowd.
- This mac and cheese thickens as it sits, so serve it warm for the creamiest texture.
- Add a splash of milk if the macaroni and cheese becomes too thick while cooking.
- Stirring occasionally helps create the creamiest texture.
- Add sour cream for an even richer, creamier result.
- Ham or bacon make great additions if serving as a main dish.
- Garlic powder or onion powder add extra flavor to the cheese sauce.
- Pre-shredded cheddar works great for convenience, but freshly shredded melts more smoothly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Substitute For Milk in Mac and Cheese
Whether you are looking for a different flavor in your next creamy macaroni dish or you just don’t have milk on hand, learn replacements for milk in macaroni and cheese!
What To Serve With Mac and Cheese
Mac cheese is the perfect comfort food! But what goes with it?! This roundup provides 16 delicious ideas about what to serve alongside mac and cheese to create a complete, satisfying meal!
What To Do With Mac and Cheese Leftovers
Delivering you a massive list of 41 ideas for leftover cheesy mac! Whether you have an abundance of leftovers or just want new things to do with this classic comfort food, we’ve got your back.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese FAQ
Yes. Heavy cream, evaporated milk, oat milk or almond milk can all work well depending on the flavor and texture you prefer.
Stir occasionally while cooking and add a splash of milk if the macaroni and cheese becomes too thick.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk to help restore creaminess.
Mac and cheese pairs perfectly with barbecue, ham, chicken, vegetables, salad or dinner rolls.
Use leftovers for fried mac and cheese bites, casseroles or loaded bowls topped with bacon or pulled pork.
More Comfort Food Recipes You’ll Love
If you love easy, cozy comfort food recipes like this crock pot mac and cheese with Velveeta, here are a few more favorites to try:
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“This is definitely going to be my go-to mac and cheese recipe from now on. Soooooo good!”
— Leah“Everyone who ate it LOVED it. Now I get asked to make it for every upcoming occasion.”
— Sally“I made this for a potluck at work and everyone absolutely loved it. It’s my go-to mac and cheese recipe now.”
— Katie
Will you help add value to Pip and Ebby?
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Crock Pot Mac and Cheese With Velveeta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 3 cups milk
- 8 oz velveeta cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup salted butter cut into chunks
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling water 3 minutes short of being al dente.16 oz elbow macaroni
- Place the cooked macaroni, milk, Velveeta, butter and cheddar cheese into a crockpot. Stir and top with Parmesan cheese.3 cups milk, 8 oz velveeta, 1/4 cup salted butter, 3 cups cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Set heat to Low and cook for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally and check for doneness starting at the 2-hour mark.
Video
Notes
-
- Stir occasionally while cooking for the creamiest texture.
- Add a splash of milk if the macaroni and cheese thickens too much.
- Velveeta creates the smoothest, creamiest texture in this recipe.
- This recipe makes a large batch and is perfect for potlucks or holidays.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Megan Porta is a comfort food recipe creator who specializes in easy family meals and Instant Pot desserts, and the founder of Pip and Ebby. She has been cooking for three decades and developing recipes for over fifteen years, helping home cooks make reliable, cozy recipes for real life.
Hi Peg! I can honestly say that soaking the pasta has never occurred to me. I LOVE the idea, though, and might just have to give it a try! If you try it, please let me know how it turns out. Thanks for the comment!
Megan
Hi. Sorry this is a question rather than a comment. I saw on Dr. OZ that you can so pasta in a big of water to presoften. Do you think this would work instead of boiling for 3 minutes? It also resulted in preparation al dente. Spaghetti was soaked for an hour and a half.
Jenine: This recipe is sooo delicious when deep-fried in clumps! 🙂
Elyse: Reheat in the microwave if serving the next day. I recommend making this the day-of. Could you use the timer on your crockpot?
I hope this helps!
Megan
What do you do for reheating purposes? I won't be able to make this the day of serving so I was thinking of doing it the night before and reheating in the crockpot. Thanks!
I love to go to Ireland. Then see when my family is from.oh thanks for recipe sat. Going to help my Hefeweizen work on getting his is Eagle badge so I think the kids will love better than potato salad or coleslaw,I think it will be a hit!!!!!
Made the "new" recipe exactly as written. Was done @2:15 hours in a 4qt crockpot on low. Kids age 12,15,17 loved it. I was worried but it was great! Turn OFF your crockpot when done or it will continue to cook. I did not precook elbow noodles. I used 1% milk. I think if you overcook it could get "mushy or gummy" fast but ours was perfect!!!! Will make again next week as I have 1/2 block Velveeta left.
As for travels, I would like to go to Germany for Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets.
Fast yes, absolutely no nutritional value but maybe that's not important. It's all starch and tons of salt and fat. Velveeta isn't even cheese; it's chemical. Butter and cream cheese, all fat. This is filling and more fat than one is supposed to eat in 2 days and more sodium that one should eat in 3 days. Also putting your email on a public site just invites the spam "bots", which spammers and hackers use to look for and steal any and all email address to hammer all your posters with spam email. Not a good practice. These are "robots" that look for the @ sign in billions of posts, sites and blogs in less than hours. Just not safe to do, period. All respect, Jenine
Katy: Follow the directions and NO mushy noodles! 🙂
DStone: Cook the past for just a few minutes and buy grated cheese! This recipe is great for those times when you might be cooking other things and want a recipe to do the work for you and be done at just the right time. On top of that, the slow cooker just adds a bit of extra comfort to it somehow. Enjoy!
Megan
So you have to cook the pasta ahead of time? And chop/grate all the cheese? Why not just finish cooking the pasta, mix in the cheese and have mac and cheese right away?
Hi there, with the long cook time, don't you find that the noodle would get mushy after pre-cooking it before cooking it in the crook pot? I'm interested in making this, but a bit scared that the noodles would become to soft for my tastes. 🙂
You can make fake cheese velveeta mac & cheese on the stovetop in 10 minutes. My mother did it. I HATE velveeta mac & cheese. HATE IT. gummy gross. This recipe is rather pointless. If you have to boil the macaroni.. then you might as well just make it on the stovetop and get food faster. I am intrigued by the real cheese variation.
If you have never been, you should go to Russia. I would go back in a heartbeat given the opportunity. It was not what I expected. It is a difficult trip. I would equate it to living in the 1950's. All the amenities are there, they just might not be accessible to you. The most amazing thing about Russia is the way the patriotism and national pride just exudes from every ounce of the cities (Moscow, Volgograd), and how the countryside is still largely wild with only a few villages scattered throughout the vastness. I was there for a month in college, and didn't get to see much of the countryside because I was at the university. I hope that someday I can take my kids.
I will be making this tomorrow for dinner while I clean up my apartment (my boyfriend requested mac and cheese and I have heard this was super yummy!). Hmm, a couple places I'd like to go. One, California to go visit my mother's grave. She died when I was 4 and we lived on the East Coast and her body was transported to her home town, so I never got to visit her grave site. And I also want to be able to visit the land of my ancestors, which I am currently trying to figure out how far back I can go! I know Europe so far…
I would come over to your place for Mac n cheese!
My husband and I love adventure and travel. Our wanderlust has taken us all over the world and onto every continent. Our adventure travels took a short hiatus when we had kids. Till our kids were 4 years old, we traveled with them only to closer places like domestic US, Hawaii, Mexico and Canada. Our rule is that once our kids are 4 years old, they get a passport on their birthday and off we go and that's exactly what happened.
Our kids are now 12 and 7 years old. They are seasoned travelers who are used to and enjoy new cultures, foods, people etc. They understand that not everyone lives like we do in the US and that is the beauty of it! This year for Spring Break we went to Nicaragua and to England and Italy during the summer. Friends ask how we choose our destinations and we literally spin the globe and go!
Travel is a priority for us as we want to teach our children flexibility, appreciation/respect for other cultures, and instill in them a sense of spontaneity and adventure! Traveling has taught us so much about this incredible world we live in and made us truly in awe of this planet and it's people!
A dream trip for me would be to visit Iran. I love the middle east and was blown away by the beauty and greatness of Petra in Jordan and the history and vitality of Israel. Would love to visit Iran, a bastion of antiquity with all of the grandeur of the Persian empire. I am fascinated with Iran's ancient ruins, architecture, gardens, courtyards, art, food, dance, bazaars, etc. I long for a time when it is peaceful enough for my family to travel there!
My grandson loves this mac and cheese. I would love to spend time at the outer banks of nc and take my grand to see 5he light houses. Also Charleston SC. I have lived in NC all my life but have never been able to afford to travel much. Now that I have grands I want them to experience the things I haven't been able to.
Hi, I recently made a different recipe than either of these for mac & cheese in the crock pot and it was awful. I am going to try the recipe here posted with the cream cheese & 16 oz elbow pasta. I have read on other sites, that using freshly shredded block cheddar is best, because it doesn't have the crappy cellulose that the pre-shredded pkg's of cheese contain nowadays. Has anyone made this with REAL freshly shredded cheese, cream cheese, and the evap milk, and did it come out ok? I will be making for a party tomorrow. It was so difficult sifting through all of the travel posts to find a good review/alternate suggestions for this recipe.
Hi Megan
I grew up on homemade mac with white cheddar – I like the addition of cream cheese !!!
I think I shall try your original using white cheddar – grew up in New England, so many farms with luscious sharp white cheddar cheese Yummmm
Thanks for sharing !!
PS curious on the evaporated milk addition, is it for flavoring or thickening ???
thanks
Mar
So I tried making this today. It sucks and I don't think my crockpot will ever come clean again. The cheese curdled and it has no flavor. There is about an inch of burnt pasta and cheese around all the sides and the bottom of my poor crockpot.
If I could go anywhere in the world I think I'd like to see Paris. So many things I've heard about that place! It's calm and beautiful, so much to see