Happy Easter everyone! Let me know if you try out this recipe, I’d love to hear how it goes for you! Breath mints, classic kid game, burgeoning social media super power. It’s all the same, right? I can’t really blame her. I saw a meme the other day that said, “Used to wonder why my parents couldn’t grasp technology but now anytime I see something new I’m like, ‘I’m not learning that.’” I don’t have a TicTak account (do you??), but lately Eric and I have been committing ultimate simulacra by watching not TikTack itself, but YouTube videos of TikTac videos. (Kind of like Dwight Schrute’s Second Life.) It’s always late at night, when we’ve decided it’s time to turn off whatever show we’re watching and go to bed. Then suddenly our TV is showing us cats doing back flips, and incredibly talented novice musicians singing about the Muffin Man. If it sounds strange, it’s because TikToc is strange. I would know, because I’m not even on the app. You guys, what is this world we live in?? I may be an old fogey who doesn’t understand technology anymore, but the good news is that the older I get, the better my food tastes by default. There is a reason all grandmas have the best kitchen reps, y’all. It’s just because they’ve been cooking for so freaking long. I’ll always be a charlatan at heart, but it turns out all you really need to be good at something is to do it all the time. And I’ve got 4 kids hollering at me for dinner every day, so… WE’RE DOING IT IN THE SLOW COOKER. Yes, for real, it actually works! I was incredibly dubious about this idea for a long time. Readers have been asking me for a slow cooked version of mac and cheese since I posted my favorite baked recipe, Literally The Best Mac and Cheese I’ve Ever Had. I got one step closer when I developed this Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese that is a magical one pot recipe, no need to boil the noodles first. But I’ve figured out all the secrets: A combination of cheeses. Stirring often. And mayonnaise. YES MAYONNAISE SAVES THE DAY trust me on this one guys, read on!
You can use any kind of noodle you like for this recipe. Larger noodles are going to take longer to cook!
Now we’re going to add in some mayonnaise. Now I know what you’re going to ask: What if I hate mayonnaise? Can you taste it? Rest assured, freak mayo-haters. (yes, you are the weird one, mayonnaise is delicious.) But even as a mayo connoisseur I can assure you that this mac n cheese doesn’t taste even remotely like mayonnaise. The same way that your cake doesn’t taste like eggs. The mayo just melds into the cheesy deliciousness of the mac and cheese sauce, making it creamy and smooth, and fending off cheese’s natural tendency to go grainy when cooked. Speaking of cheese. Let’s get down to BIZness. People tend to get so upset about American cheese. “It’s not real cheese” blah blah. But I am here to defend it. American cheese has the perfect goo texture, the stretchy cheesiness that we need in our mac and cheese to make it well, cheesy. It has extra binders in it (just like the eggs in our mayo) that help hold our mac together and not break down into grit. If you use all Cheddar, or all Monterey Jack, or basically any other cheese, your mac and cheese will taste amazing, but it will be slightly grainy. You can use all cheddar in a Baked Mac and Cheese recipe, because you are delicately cooking a white sauce on the stove. But today we are throwing this whole mess into a crock pot and walking away. It needs a little help. American cheese is the answer. If you are still dubious about the American cheese (which is dumb, because I’m pretty sure you eat McDonalds just like everybody else 😉), check out this excellent Serious Eats article, “What is American Cheese, Anyway? Kenji explains that saying American cheese is ‘not cheese’ is like saying meatloaf is ‘not meat.’ True, but I’m definitely still eating it! I like to buy American cheese from behind the deli counter at the grocery store. I think it has better flavor than Velveeta, but Velveeta will definitely work if that’s all you have. Here it is after 1 hour. Here it is again after another 45 minutes or so. Do you see all those bubbles on the side? CHEEEEESE! It’s getting thicker. After a few more minutes and a good stir, here she is: Can you even believe this?? I still am kind of just shocked at how well this works. I mean, come on. LOOK AT THIS!!! I am obsessed with these. OBSESSED. I scrape up every last bit and stir it into the mac and cheese so that everyone gets a little bit in their serving. But if you want to keep your mac super creamy, simply leave them on the edges and let your dishwasher take care of it later.
Important tip! Be sure to pack your cheese into the measuring cup! Loosely packed cheese will not be enough. Pack the cheese in with your fist until you can’t fit any more into the measuring cup. You need 1 and 1/2 cups (6 ounces) of Cheddar and 1/2 cup (2 ounces) of Parmesan.
Avoiding mushy Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Mushy mac and cheese is the worst. Noodles get mushy when they are overcooked, so here are a few things to think about to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Don’t turn the heat to high! It will cook your noodles too quickly. They will over absorb liquid and have a terrible mushy texture. Very old crock pots don’t have great low settings, and tend to have higher heat than newer models, so keep that in mind. It’s also important to check the mac & cheese after the shortest recommended time given in the recipe to test the noodles for the consistency you like. All slow cookers are a bit different, and people’s tastes are different as well, so start with the minimum time and then check in 20 minute increments to get the right level of done-ness. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ve read that sadly, gluten free noodles don’t hold up as well in the crockpot. Be aware and watch carefully if you plan to try to convert this to gluten free.
Freezing also works. It will freeze well in a ziplock freezer bag or airtight container for about 2 months. When you plan to reheat it, you need to make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator first (overnight works great). Reheat low and slow to avoid graininess as much as possible. It WILL separate and will never reach the creaminess level of day one, but it is still super tasty and cheesy.
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Salad. If you want your easy mac and cheese to stand alone as a main dish, add in a big green salad, like this Green Salad with Feta and Beets, or this Pineapple Spinach Salad. Broccoli Salad would be good too! Roasted veggies. You can’t go wrong with serving roasted veggies with easy mac and cheese. Check out this Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli or some Oven Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter. These Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts would be delicious too! Stovetop veggies. 10 Minute Sauteed Zucchini and Squash would be a great light side, and Lemon Dijon Green Beans Almondine would go perfectly with mac & cheese. Coleslaw. My Favorite Coleslaw is made with lemon and fresh herbs, and I’m obsessed with it. Beans. You can’t go wrong with beans and mac and cheese! Try these Santa Maria Pinquito Beans or this recipe for Red Beans and Rice. Holidays!! Macaroni and cheese is an important part of the holidays for so many people. Check out my Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, or Memorial Day/4th of July recipe indexes for great holiday meal ideas to go with macaroni and cheese!
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