Paula Deen's Mac and Cheese recipe is one of my favorite recipes for mac and cheese. When you bite into the mac and cheese you get bites of melted gooey cheddar surrounding creamy cheesy noodles.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
For the beginning of this recipe there is a lot of stirring involved. Once you combine the cheese sauce with the noodles you could actually serve it right there. I think the crock pot is just used to keep the cheese sauce warm and or heat it up more.
This recipe can be made all year long. Not just for Holidays. I like to add some cut-up hot dogs to this or some cheddar wursts. Use your air fryer and cook them at 350 for 5 to 7 minutes. Then slice them up and throw it in there.
Air fry some breaded chicken patties and cut them up to add on top of the mac and cheese. Then drizzle some buffalo sauce over it. It's delicious. 🙂
Looking for more easy cheesy appetizer recipes? Try Crock Pot Potato Soup, Cheesy Hash Brown and Potato Casserole or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
Ingredients List
- Uncooked elbow macaroni - I also like using cavatappi noodles with this recipe.
- Butter - always use unsalted butter to control the salt
- Sharp cheddar cheese - If you really want to be spontaneous try a mix of different cheese like Asiago or White Cheddar
- Large eggs - a lot of people have better results omitting the eggs in the recipe. Check out the comments below. If not made properly the eggs might scramble.
- Sour cream - light sour cream or regular and be used
- Condensed cheddar cheese soup
- Salt - Kosher
- Whole milk - 2% or skim milk also works
- Dry mustard - grounded
- Black pepper - grounded
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make
Step 1: Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes. Drain and set aside in a crock pot.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Slowly incorporate the sour cream, cheddar soup, milk, and spices. Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit. About 3 - 5 minutes.
Step 3: Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and slowly start incorporating them into the cheese sauce.
Step 4: In a slow cooker, combine the cheese mixture and noodles.
Cook on low for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese Tips
If you watch the video on how to properly make this on Youtube (It's a video of her making it on her old show that she used to have on Food Network) it shows her combining all the cheese sauce ingredients into a crock pot that she places on one of her stove top burners. My mind was blown when she did that. 😉
Paula Deen adds in the whisked eggs when all the other ingredients are slowly starting to warm up so that the eggs don't scramble. You can however do all that in a sauce pan like step 2 says.
This is a very popular recipe that is made a lot for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you're wondering what else to serve this with I have ideas below.
This is not a slow cooker recipe you can leave sitting in the pot for 6 hours. The whole entire recipe is made in less than 3 hours. Probably even 2 hours depending how hot your slow cooker gets. It's a great dish to make on the weekend and not during the weekday when you know you are home.
What can I serve with this recipe?
People love to make this recipe as a side dish on Christmas or Thanksgiving.
For a protein, I would also make her Pepper Jelly Glazed Ham recipe which I also love or maybe serve it with Alton Brown's City Ham.
I'd make smoked asparagus, twice baked potatoes, or bacon-wrapped green beans for some vegetable options.
Recipe FAQs
No you do not, if you are worried about the eggs scrambling in the crock pot or slow cooker leave them out.
This depends on how much liquid is in the crock pot that the recipe calls for. I think it is just easier to cook the noodles in a sauce pan prior to making this recipe.
Make ahead by prepping all the noodles and cheese sauce and let it cool down before adding it to a slow cooker. Cover and put in the refrigerator over night. Heat the macorani and cheese 1 to 2 hours in the slow cooker before ready to start serving.
Other Crock Pot Recipes
If you tried this Paula Deen's Crock Pot Mac and Cheese or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries
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Paula Deen's Crockpot Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 2 ½ hrs
- Total Time: 29 minute
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Paula Deen's Mac and Cheese recipe is one of my favorite recipes for mac and cheese. When you bite into the mac and cheese you get bites of melted gooey cheddar surrounding creamy cheesy noodles.Â
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 eggs (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 (10 ¾ ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the macaroni in water for six minutes. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.
- In slow cooker, combine cheese mixture and add the eggs (I omitted the eggs), sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper. Add the drained macaroni and stir again.
- Cook on low for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Notes
My WW Personal Points: 12 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)
If you are planning on serving this at a party plan on heating the crock pot up 1 to 2 hours before serving.Â
Adding the eggs isn't necessary but to stop them from scrambling in the crock pot you need to add them into the cheese mixture when its warm and not really hot.Â
- Category: Medium
- Method: Crock Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 676mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
Keywords: crock pot mac and cheese
Lawrence G Huie says
Could you substitute velvetta for the cheese soup?
Jenna says
You have to stir and stir to keep the cheese from getting like that. Mine was actually a little bit "clumpy" but I kind of liked biting into that lol You can't really see that in the picture but it was.
Memay says
I commented earlier on the recipe. It was a big hit at the potluck! I do have a question, how do a keep the cheese from clumping/breaking? The pics on the web site show it all creamy but that's not how mine turned out. I would post a pic but I don't see a way to attach a photo. Thank you.
★★★★★
Memay says
Made this for a potluck this evening I received tons of compliments! They left just enough for a snack later and I made a double batch!
★★★★★
Rose says
Excellent macaroni and cheese!!!
★★★★★
Jenna says
Thats a good tip for the eggs! Make sure to stir a lot.
Stella Fagan says
I make this and add the eggs every time. I never have a problem with the eggs scrambling. Maybe I am an overzealous stirrer? Not sure. My son requests this every holiday and get together. It goes in a hurry, so I always make at least a double batch!
★★★★★
Sarah says
I roast garlic and add to the mix....a nice surprise...
Jenna says
The eggs can scramble in the crock pot if not made correctly.
Mia says
Why does everyone omit the eggs? The eggs make it so much richer. Is it the taste or are you saving the 10 calories per serving?