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
Will you help add value to Pip and Ebby?
If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!
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.
Doneness is a gauge of how well cooked a meat is, not a way of gauging Mac and cheese. Pip and Debby please adjust within the week your instructions. Thank you, Jen
Jen, you definitely gave me a good laugh by giving me till the end of the week to make the change! 🙂 Thanks for the giggle. I must say that I chose the word "doneness" carefully and like it just where it is. Thanks for reading!
Megan
oh and can you add cooked ham? will that need any changes in the recipe?
Hi Kelly! It really does turn out a lot better if they are precooked by even just 5 minutes. The recipe also works with uncooked noodles, but it can dry out a bit quicker, so keep an eye on it closely! Adding ham would taste GREAT!
Megan
why do you have to precook the macaroni?
Or almond milk…sweet or unsweetened?
Do you think I could use vanilla soy milk instead of reg milk?
Hi Mike! I think that would work just fine! If you try it, will you report back? I hope it works great!
Megan
I was about to add the elbow macaroni and realized that the bag I bought was only 12 ounces. I was hosting a large gathering at my house and didn’t have time to run to the store to buy more elbow pasta. I had a 16 ounce bag of penne in my pantry, so I used that instead of the elbow macaroni. Other than that I made the original recipe exactly as written. It was a huge hit. If I had used the 12 ounce bag of pasta it would have been too soupy. Long story short, check the bag of pasta to make sure that it’s 16 ounces.
Why does 1 recipe call for 1 more cup of milk and 12oz of evap milk?
Hi John! That’s because the noodles are uncooked in that version. I hope that makes sense!
Megan
For the velvetta version I boil the noodles still? Thanks!!
Yes, boil the noodles for a few minutes first! Enjoy!
Megan
If i double this recipe in my crockpot, should i cook it for longer? Also do you think it will fit? I have a 6 qt crock pot
Hi Kara! I would think doubling the serving would fit in a 6-quart crockpot, but I wouldn’t cook too much longer. Keep an eye on it and begin checking for doneness at the 2-hour mark. Let me know how it turns out!
Megan
my family loved this mac and cheese we added a little cumin seasoning and Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor was delicious.
I’m a Worcestershire fan and I can’t believe I’ve never thought to add it to this recipe. What a great idea!! Glad you loved the mac and cheese!
M
i’m thinking about compromising between these two recipes as so:
1/4 cup butter
3 cups milk
16 oz elbow mac
12 oz evap milk
8 oz cream cheese
3 cups cheese
i’ll try and let yall know how that goes
How did this recipe go, Matthew? I’m curious to know how it turned out!
Megan
Just finished making this recipe!! This is delicious and will definitely be one to keep for the book!!! Thank you so much for sharing. The only thing I added while it was in the crock pot was salt and pepper. I felt it gave it that missing flavor while still cooking. Also, I cut the recipe in half since it makes so much. Turned out great and just enough for my family of 3!!
Loved it!!! Perfect recipe!!
Can you use both cream cheese and velveeta? 4&4?
I wouldn’t use a full serving of both, but half of each serving would be great!
Megan
Ok I’m gonna make this tonight . It is the only recipe I keep coming back too. I think it is because it has Velveeta cheese in it. Thanks for making it easy to follow for a newbie cook like myself. And I would take my husband to Jamaica for a proper honeymoon after being married for 20yrs.
I will not eat Velvetta except in one recipe I have for carrots — That being said, I love Cream Cheese so I went back to that recipe — used four ounces CC and 4 ounces smoked gouda — Oh my — Yum!!! I also like tomates in Mac and Cheese so next time I will add a can of drained diced tomatoes.
I have cooked this receipe before and my family love it. We would like to travel to Ireland one day being that my grandfather is from Dublin. But any woo, its freezen here in Michigan.
Thank you!
Will definitely try this !
I am making this tonight but in on a small time crunch!! Is there any harm in putting the crock pot on high?
What kind of cheddar is best?? Sharp, medium, mild?? Does it matter?
Hi Lanie! I always prefer sharp cheddar, but any variety will work great!
Megan