This crock pot mac and cheese with Velveeta recipe is cheesy and delicious, with such a creamy texture. This comfort food comes together quickly and easily, requiring only 6 ingredients and minimal prep time. It is a great recipe for a holiday meal or for a busy week night. It’ll get devoured by adults and kids alike!
Original post: 2014 | Updated: October 2023 and August 2024
Why This Recipe Works
There are about a million reasons why I adore this crock pot macaroni and cheese recipe made with Velveeta, but I’ll limit my list to just a few:
- You know those meals that can be made for nearly every holiday meal, no matter what time of the year it is? This slow cooker macaroni and cheese is it! I make it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July and so many other occasions in between.
- Dump only 6 ingredients into your slow cooker while saving oven and stove-top space for other recipes.
- It’s such an easy recipe that the whole family will love!
- This slow cooker mac and cheese recipe gets rave reviews without fail, no matter the season or time of year.
- Crockpot Velveeta mac requires very little attention while it cooks.
- It produces the creamiest macaroni and cheese every single time.
- Picky eaters adore this pasta dish!
- This classic recipe is a great family dinner any night of the week as well as the perfect party food for a large crowd.
- Any time your oven is being used (busy holidays) or when you don’t have an oven to use (potlucks) is a great opportunity to make this delicious crockpot recipe.
Recipe Ingredients for Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese
Elbow macaroni – If you opt to use uncooked elbow noodles, please be sure to watch it carefully while it cooks. Nobody likes mushy noodles! When removing the lid to stir the noodles, do this quickly in order to trap as much heat inside as possible.
Milk – Any variety of milk can be used, including whole milk, 2%, 1%, oat milk or almond milk. Replace a portion of the milk with heavy cream for an even creamier end result.
Evaporated milk can be used in place of regular milk when twice the amount is added.
Velveeta – Velveeta is the start of the show in this perfect mac n cheese recipe. Learn more about its shelf life and how long Velveeta lasts after being opened!
Butter – I love the salty flavor that salted butter adds to the already delicious recipe, but unsalted butter is a great option, too.
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar is my favorite variety to add to the mix, but feel free to replace with an equal amount of any of the following:
American cheese, pepper jack, mozzarella, colby jack, cream cheese (this will produce a sweeter homemade macaroni and cheese), provolone, monterey jack or any type of creamy cheese.
Use pre-shredded cheese for ease or shred a block yourself.
Parmesan cheese – Grated parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top adds fantastic flavor and texture! Consider using shredded parmesan instead if you have it on hand.
How To Make Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Velveeta
Step 1
Add the following ingredients to your 7 quart crock pot to make this Velveeta crockpot mac and cheese:
- Elbow macaroni noodles that have been pre-cooked in a large pot 3 minutes shy of al dente (approximately 5 minutes total)
- Milk
- Velveeta cheese
- Butter
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
Step 2
Set the crock pot to low heat and set the cook time to 3 hours. Allow all of those yummy ingredients to cook and melt together!
Give the mixture a stir a couple times throughout with a wooden spoon, and start checking for doneness starting at the 2-hour mark for best results.
Depending on the crockpot, the dish will be done somewhere between 2-3 hours.
My crock pot produces perfect results after 2.5 hours of cooking time and with two good stirs in the middle.
Recipe Notes
- Give the crockpot a good coating of nonstick cooking spray or consider using a slow cooker liner to make cleanup easy peasy.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- This makes a large batch of mac and cheese! It will easily feed 8 hungry people as a main dish or 12 people as a side dish or party food. It is a great dish for pot lucks!
- Consider adding 1/2 cup sour cream to add even more creaminess to the dish.
- Add cooked ham or bacon bits to add flavor and protein when serving as a main dish. This is a great way to use up leftover ham!
- Sprinkle the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper just before serving!
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder would be great additions to the cheese sauce.
- If you add uncooked dry pasta to the slow cooker without pre-cooking, give the mixture a good stir every 30 minutes or so and keep a close eye out for doneness.
- If the mixture is dry at any point during the cooking process, toss in a splash of milk and stir.
- Pre-shredded cheddar cheese makes the recipe extra easy! For added freshness, consider shredding your own.
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.
How Long Does Mac and Cheese Last
If you have leftovers and you are wondering whether to toss or eat, read this article for information about how long mac and cheese lasts.
How To Reheat Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese leftovers are inevitable since most recipes make huge batches. Learn how to reheat mac n cheese, while retaining moisture and flavor!
Mac and Cheese Recipes for Thanksgiving – 13 Delicious Ideas!
Mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving staple! Read on for some scrumptious mac and cheese recipes for Thanksgiving that you can make this year! You’ll find a ton of options to choose from in this roundup.
Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
- Baked mac and cheese bites are a super fun finger food idea to serve to kids and adults.
- Instant Pot mac and cheese is a dream come true! Done in 20 minutes, this side or main dish cooks to absolute perfection every single time!
- Baked mac and cheese is a great holiday side or weekday main dish. Everyone will devour it!
- Add pumpkin to your next batch of mac n cheese so it’s even more delicious and more creamy. This pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is 100% kid-friendly and done in 30 minutes.
- This chili mac recipe is the perfect marriage of two of the most comforting comfort foods of all time. Delicious way to use up leftover chili!
What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“Made this tonight for new years! This is definitely gonna be my go to mac and cheese recipe from now on! Soooooo good!!” ~Leah
“Hi, I made this Mac and cheese. My family loved it !! I cooked my noodles let them cool. Then I followed the old recipe with 4 cups of milk and cream cheese. I used American cheese instead of Velveeta. Next time I want to try pepper jack cheese. I put every thing in my crockpot and mixed it. I covered it and cooked for 30 minutes on high. Then turned down to low for 1 1/2 hours stirring in between. All times vary according to your crockpot. “ ~Connie
“I made the original recipe, doubled the recipe and put in one big crock pot. It was filled to the brim but it did fit. Everyone who ate it LOVED it. Now I get asked to make it for every upcoming occasion. Thanks for sharing this simple, quick and tasty recipe. “ ~Sally
“I made this for a potluck at work and everyone absolutely LOVED it. I never even got to have any because they ate it all. At the second potluck we had, everyone begged me to make it again. I’m not the biggest fan of velveeta so I did switch that out for mozzarella but it’s still a fantastic recipe and it is my go-to Mac n cheese recipe now. “ ~Katie
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Crock Pot Mac and Cheese With Velveeta Recipe
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
- Give the crockpot a good coating of nonstick cooking spray or consider using a slow cooker liner to make cleanup easy peasy.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- This makes a large batch of mac and cheese! It will easily feed 8 hungry people as a main dish or 12 people as a side dish or party food. It is a great dish for pot lucks!
- Consider adding 1/2 cup sour cream to add even more creaminess to the dish.
- Add cooked ham or bacon bits to add flavor and protein when serving as a main dish. This is a great way to use up leftover ham!
- Sprinkle the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper just before serving!
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder would be great additions to the cheese sauce.
- If you add uncooked dry pasta to the slow cooker without pre-cooking, give the mixture a good stir every 30 minutes or so and keep a close eye out for doneness.
- If the mixture is dry at any point during the cooking process, toss in a splash of milk and stir.
- Pre-shredded cheddar cheese makes the recipe extra easy! For added freshness, consider shredding your own.
Making this tonight. Thought it would be great on this snowy day in Southern Missouri. I opted for the velvetta version. So far so good. Super easy prep! Very excited to see how it comes out. Will update later.
Is there a way to make this on the stove instead?
Hi Sonia! Sure, you could make this on the stovetop. Combine all ingredients with noodles not fully cooked through (boil before adding, but stop a few minutes shy of al dente). Stir until mixture is heated through! Hope this helps!
Megan
I have been craving Mac & Cheese, so I am going to use this recipe tomorrow. What is the texture, dry or real wet? I am anxious and excited to use this recipe.
Patty
If you use the "new and improved" version, it’s more wet. The original recipe is a bit on the drier side. Ultimately it depends on how long you cook it. Keep checking it throughout the cooking process and pull the plug when it’s to your liking! Good luck!
Megan
I am making this tonight. Question if you don’t have the evaporated milk on hand could you add more milk?????
Colleen
Hi Colleen! Yes, milk is a good replacement! I hope it turns out great!!
Megan
2 month trip to Europe, to visit the lands of my ancestors.
How do you determine if it is done?
Hi Amber! You’ll know it’s done by taste-testing it. The noodles will be cooked through, but not overdone and chewy. I hope this helps!
Megan
In the crockpot now, going to add cooked ham at the end.
Can you omit the Parmesan and have it come out ok? I want to make it tonight. Thanks!
Hi Lisa! Yes, absolutely omit the Parmesan and it will be just as delicious!!
Megan
Add salt an d pepper an d my husband an d I thought it was great.
I would go to Alaska, our nephew is serving in the military there, an d loves it….Alaska we can see him an d the land he thinks is so beautiful. He loves Mac & cheese so maybe we could putt it into the crock pot while we go fishing for salmon to serve with it.
Anywhere in Great Britain!! Went to England and Scotland as an exchange student. Would love to see the rest!!
Why did you remove the cream cheese? Just curious! I love velveeta and will try that recipe but am curious what it would taste like with cream cheese also!
Hi Jenna! Some people were saying that they thought the cream cheese made it too sweet. If you are a cream cheese lover like I am, keep it in! Cream cheese makes everything better in my opinion. 🙂
Megan
I HAVE BEEN MAKING MAC &CHEESE BUT NOT TO PLEASED NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE CROCK POT SO THAT IS MY NEXT TRY SO WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT
I just made this, and it is the best I have made and I have tried so many different ones! My family was very pleased!! Thank you!!
Bali….
Hawaii!!
I can’t wait to try this. I always use my mom’s recipe–which is perfection–but I like occasionally trying variations and this looks like a winner.
Places to travel: I’d like to follow Marie C to that magical carb land and eat mac and cheese forever, but then, when and if I’ve finally been sated, I’d be off to New Zealand!
I have to try this! Will hopefully report back with a success story using Barilla GF pasta!
I would travel to the magical carb land. Where I could eat as much Mac and cheese and other pastas as much as I want without my butt getting bigger.
people need to remember when a recipe goes wrong, i can for any number of reasons. the #1 i can think of is a matter of taste! what tastes wonderful to this person, might not taste wonderful to the next. i dont like onions, yet in Florida everyone throws onions in the food, even in their Cole Slaw! please keep that in mind when the recipe calls for an ingredient you dont like, dont have, or wish to replace. the crockpots may not be the same, or even the same age, even different geographical areas (above/below sea level, cold/warm weather, city/country) can make your milk and cheese taste different!
my point? work the recipe until it is what you want. ive made over 500 different mac n cheese recipes, and i still cant find anyone who makes it like my mother did. she has Alzheimers and never gave me the recipe. im 49 and cant make mac n cheese (in my mind, though hubby says they are all delish), and miss my mommas!
I tried a recipe like this last night and so disappointed that I got a gluey gluggy grainy mess!! I followed the instructions and got pasta that was way overcooked and the sauce was more like glue. I was so looking forward to a great tasting mac and cheese. I use Lactose free milk but cannot believe that this is what would have made the difference. The recipe I had did not have butter in it. Any suggestions??
Lactose free milk does NOT cook or bake the same at all….. it makes a huge difference. I’ve learned it the hard way. I ALWAYS use real milk otherwise the recipe Never comes out the same….