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.
Hi Megan! Apologies if this has already been answered, but will the dish be as good if made the night before and reheated?
Hey Megan, can I add the velvetta cheese to the original recipe along with the other cheeses? Would I need extra milk if I add it?
I made the revised version yesterday at work and everyone loved it!!! It was a test run…I will be making it for my Daughters baby shower this weekend!! It’s a delicious, no fuss, easy mac n cheese!!
Sheila, I am going to make this tomorrow….did you cook the pasta before?
Thanks
Hi Stacey! I’d recommend cooking the pasta first even if it is just for a couple minutes. It’ll turn out just fine, though, if you don’t have time to pre-cook. I hope it turns out great!
Megan
Oh good, Sheila! I’m so glad it was a hit! Thanks for the comment!
Megan
This has probably already been answered, but does the pasta need to be cooked first? I’m bringing this tomorrow for an office Thanksgiving lunch and need to have everything ready to toss in when I get to work. Thanks!
Sorry, my bad. I see it now.
Sorry, just seeing this, Andrea. I hope you got it figured out AND that it turns out great!
Megan
I’ve read the comments because I had the same question, and seen where the noodles were uncooked
Hi! I just saw this recipe this morning on Pinterest and without opening the page, I was confused because the picture showed cream cheese, then I read Velveeta further down. Now it makes sense, you changed the recipe. I know you said folks weren’t happy with it, any particular reason why? Just not orange enough? I know kids can be finicky, but I have gotten my family off the overly processed foods this year, so I intend to try the original recipe, since I have those ingredients on hand. Actually instead of the grated parm, I have an Italian cheese blend I will use.
The original recipe looks great, to me!
Hi Sabrina! The main complaint I heard from people about the original recipe is that it cooked too quickly and if not watched, dried out. If you keep a close eye, this shouldn’t happen. I love the original! Let me know what you think if you give it a try!
Megan
I made this tonight and it was awesome! I went by the original recipe, put the noodles in UNCOOKED, the only things I changed was just based on what I had open and wanted to use up. I used 6 oz cream cheese cut into chunks, about 1/2 cup of shredded Italian cheese blend, and used heavy cream in place of the evaporated milk. Kept everything else the same. Also added 3/4 tsp salt and some white pepper.
I stirred everything at first and then every hour. It was perfect after 2 1/2 hours on low in my Crock Pot brand slow cooker that has the timer.
Will definitely make this again, maybe for Thanksgiving!
I just might make this exact version on Thanksgiving myself, Sabrina! Thanks for sharing what you used and what worked.
Megan
Could you set the crockpot on high to cook in a time crunch?
Hi Mariah! I’d worry about scorching the pasta if cooked on high heat. I always like to keep this recipe on low just in case. If you do cook on high, be sure to check for doneness often!
Megan
The original recipe photo you have posted at the bottom shows 4 cups of milk, but the photo I’m seeing on Pinterest shows 2.5. It looks like it’s the original recipe because all the other ingredients are the same, but the amount of milk is wayyyy off. Can you clarify?
4 cups of milk is correct for the original recipe, Paige! Enjoy!
Megan
Hi,
What kind of milk should I use? Skim, 2%, whole??? Thanks!
Hi Maryanne! I always use 2%, but any variety would work great. You’ll get a thicker, creamier mac with 2% or whole!
Megan
Does this recipe fill a 6 qt crockpot? Or should I double it?
Hi Caryn! I use a 6.5-quart crockpot and it doesn’t fill it to the brim, but I’d say two-thirds full. I wouldn’t double and try to fit it all in this size crockpot. I hope this helps!
Megan
I am 64 and have always loved mac and cheese. I grew up in a hour of little to no money. We always had enough food but mom made everything from scratch as back then we couldn’t afford pre-packaged. My mom was an awesome cook. She used to let me make mac and cheese as she thought that would be easy for me to learn to cook and develop a recipe. I always used 3-5 different types of cheese, milk or evaporated milk or cream, butter, elbow macaroni. Always cooked it slow because it was so creamy it would scorch if you weren’t very careful. My parents and brothers loved it so that was always my job to make the mac and cheese. To this day my husband, my daughter, son in law, and my 2 grand children want nothing but grandmas "homemade" mac and cheese. My grandson is 6 and autistic and says "grandma I want yours not that "yuck" from the blue box". It always makes me feel so good that they love mine best. I know I do to. Yours looks and tastes almost the same but, they still know it isn’t mine. it must be the love we put into it that makes it uniquely our own don’t you think? Great post, Thanks, Beth Dishong of Palm Bay FL
This comment was so heartwarming, Beth! I love that you honed your mac and cheese recipe as a kid and that your family loves it so much. How cool! And you are so right, there IS something about the way certain people make food (the LOVE they put into it!). I feel the same way about some of my mom’s recipes. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Megan
I am going to make this next weekend for my thanksgiving feast with my family. Can’t wait
I hope everyone enjoys it, Karen!
Megan
Hi Megan…I am trying your recipe tonight. In the edited version, can I use 4 cups of cheddar cheese and no velveeta?
Thanks!
Go for it, Dena! Yum! Should be great (although maybe not quite as creamy)!
Megan
Megan…my question is…which way did YOU like it better? The one with Velveeta or the one with cream cheese?
Hi Amy! I love both, but my revised version wins out by a touch. 🙂
Megan
So wait! Velveeta and no cheddar or cream cheese? What about Velveeta AND cheddar AND cream cheese? I’m so torn between which recipe to use (ugh I’ve got the pickiest hubby). Going to try this tonight as its very soft on his toothache but adding sausage or beef last 30 min.
What did you choose, Mamatink7?
Megan
If im making this as a side dish for a babyshower do you think just by doubleing the ingridients would work?
Hi Sarah! Make sure you have a 6.5-quart crockpot or larger and this should work fine! Good luck!
Megan
This mac & cheese is amazing! I’m a terrible cook and I managed to make it with no troubles, and even got a compliment from the hubby! Thanks for the awesome recipe! 🙂
What is the serving size? 1 cup?
Hi Allyce! Serving size is around 1 1/2 cups!
Megan
Hello. What drew me to this recipe, initially, is that it called for cream cheese. Could I still make your NEWER recipe but substitute 8oz of cream cheese for the 8oz of velveeta?
Hi Avree! Cream cheese is welcome in ANY recipe, in my opinion! 🙂 You can definitely add cream cheese to the newer recipe. Maybe start with 4 oz and see how it goes. ENJOY!
Megan
Thank you for the advice! I appreciate your getting back to me so quickly! 😀 Should I still include the velveeta or is it safe to omit when using cream cheese?
Hi Avree! You could omit the Velveeta, but leaving some in wouldn’t cause complaints, I’m sure. 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!
Megan
Oh my gosh I can’t get over some of these comments! The one about fixing your recipe by the end of the week made me spit out my coffee! I’m sure they’re all good intentions though, just very serious haha!
Can’t wait to try this out tonight!
Robyn, you are officially my favorite commenter ever. 🙂 Glad you found some entertainment! I hope your mac and cheese turned out yummy!
Megan
If I double the original recipie will it still fit in the crockpot??