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.
Didn’t work out. The photo and the recipe are totally different. I almost wish we would have just followed the photo. Maybe we will try again. Either way it was a great experience for my 11 year old for her first time making dinner and following the recipe.
I did not try the new recipe unfortunately. I was using the phone app and for some reason could only see the old recipe from the picture with the "4 Cups of milk," which definitely did not work out for me. It came out with way too much sauce for one box of macaroni. I feel that this measurement would probably be best for two 16 oz boxes of macaroni if one had a big enough crock pot for it. Although, I am sure the other ingredients would have to be adjusted accordingly too. It’s a shame, since I was really looking forward to this recipe and using up a few ingredients around the house. It still tastes good – just wayyy too much sauce with the 4 cups measurement from the photo.
It says this recipe serves 10, which is way too much for me as I live by myself. I’m interested in making this, would cutting everything in half make a difference?
Hi Jeanine! Halve the recipe and it’ll still be great! I hope this helps!
Megan
By far the best mac and cheese. It was the easiest, creamiest & yummiest. My family loves it!!!
We added fried kielbasa sausage, it was great. Thank you for ending my hunt for a good mac and cheese recipe that everyone loves!
So glad to hear it, Shantel! I LOVE that you added kielbasa, yum!
Megan
Have you tried putting the elbow noodles in raw and just letting them cook in the crockpot? Just curious if that would work.
Hi Wendy! I’ve tried using uncooked elbow noodles and I think it turns out well. I’ve had people report back that they prefer just slightly cooked noodles over uncooked, but I don’t have any qualms. Give it a try! Let me know what you think!
Megan
We made the first recipe and it was amazing!!! The trick is to for sure NOT cook the noodles all the way when boiling them, as she states 3 minutes prior to being al dente, that way they don’t turn to mush. My mom was over babysitting and said it was the best homemade mac and cheese she has ever had…..so….THANK YOU!! WE LOVED IT!
Oh……and we doubled the recipe. Still cooked it for the same amount of time though, perfection! With left-overs!
I just made this and it was awful. It came out a bunch of gluey paste with cheese. I even added milk still no better. Ill stick to making it the regular way
This was fantastic! I found the original recipe somewhere off of Facebook and made it for Thanksgiving last year. It was a big hit! I make it whenever I need a meal to last a few days or when I need that yummy comfort food goodness. I definitely intend to put this in my recommended recipes list for Thanksgiving on my blog.
Following you to keep up with your recipes 🙂
Jenn
Crescent Moon & Stars
http://crescentmoonandstars.com
Do you use Velveeta cheese or the white Philadelphia cream cheese — The written recipe and photo of ingredients are different. [email protected]
Hi Deborah! There are two separate recipes involved in this post. The photo toward the bottom is the original. The written recipe is updated. I hope this clarifies things!! Enjoy!
Megan
Oooh imma try it!!
If i could travel anywhere it would be Mexico to see my dad! The last time we saw eachother i was 14, now i am 19 and i just had my daughter 2 months ago and im about to get married this weekend and i cant wait for my Dad to meet my family!!
If I could go anywhere it would be Japan….I’d love to go to the hot springs…and the beauty of the cherry blossom trees….awesome
I can’t wait to try both recipes! If I could travel anywhere I would definitely go to Colorado so I could meet my husband’s family members who are unable to travel. We’ve been together 16 years and there are so many I have yet to meet.
In that store to save on time I went by the picture of all the stuff in the Crock-Pot. After buying all that stuff I read the actual recipe… The recipe does not call for evaporated milk or cream cheese… I’m a little upset that the picture doesn’t match the recipe you should pick a different picture as the main one… Just a thought.
The store*
In case anyone was wondering, I tried making this with quinoa pasta and it worked!!! I cooked the pasta as instructed, just before aldenti. I may even try next time to not even cook the pasta before hand because it came out a bit overdone (mooshy). Since it was different pasta, I decided to check it at the hour and a half mark and 15 minutes later, I could have stopped it then, but let it go a little more just to be safe. If you don’t even need to cook the pasta, save yourself from the boiling water and heat, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! Husband approved of the meal too, 3 bowls one sitting! I loved the crispy edges too!
Would it be okay to still at cream cheese to the Velveeta version?
Hi Kassondra! You can never go wrong with adding cream cheese, in my opinion. Let me know how it turns out!
Megan
Thanks for the recipe! Adding cream cheese was great and everyone loved it!
hi!! how long do i cook the pasta before putting it in the crockpot???
Hi Nicole! Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes…3 minutes or so shy of al dente. Hope this helps!
Megan
Hi! I’m having a birthday party and interested in trying this!! Expecting 50 people at the most. Would doubling the recipe be enough or should I triple it???
Hi Laura! For fifty people, I’d honestly have two double-recipe crockpots cooking just to be safe. Good luck and I hope the party turns out great!
Megan
This was the best mac and cheese I’ve had and so easy. The next day I just added a little more milk and velveeta and reheated! So creamy! I’m not a fan of the gritty tasting roux types with bread crumbs but to each is own. Thanks for a keeper!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Robin! Thanks so much for the comment! I agree with not loving the bread-crumby versions.
Megan
I know it’s been a while since you posted this… but I’m adding my comment for places to travel even at this late date. I just got back about 2 months ago from a trip across northern Europe. I will go again. Mont St. Michel, in northern France, is outstanding. Amsterdam is to die for. Emden Germany, a Harbor Town in Ostefriesland on the North Sea is charming and definitely worth visiting again. My next trip will be a bike tour at Tulip Time in Holland. The landscape is beautiful and absolutely perfect for biking… No Hills! And if pictures are anything to measure the beauty of all those beautiful blooms it should be a fantastic experience.
P.S. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Ive made this recipe a few times..did my own twist to it by adding heavy cream 2 cups and 1 cup milk 1%..and I also used a mild cheddar cheese and a sharp, its a lot more creamy. Precook your noodles just for a little it makes a difference..and for adding meat, bacon but precook that as well..