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 out Paula Deen's Corn Casserole, Paula Deen's Corn Salad with Fritos, Banana Pudding Cake (Not Yo Mama's) Crock Pot Potato Soup, Cheesy Hash Brown and Potato Casserole or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes.
Ingredients Needed for Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- 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 Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
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
Make this mac and cheese fancy by adding some lobster to it. Try Lobster Mac and Cheese or make Alton Brown Stovetop Mac and Cheese.
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 to serve Crock Pot Mac and Cheese?
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
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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
- Category: Medium
- Method: Crock Pot
- Cuisine: American
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.
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.
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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 676mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
Lynn Bloom says
I was so excited to make this recipe. But the cheese was like small soft granules. The only thing I can think of is that I used great value cheese instead of a name brand.
Could that be the issue? And what brand cheese do you like to use?
Thank you.
Lisa Scott says
I made this several times now and its so delicious! So good . i actually used nacho cheese soup the first time because the store was out of regular cheese soup and it was amazing! Had an extra kick to it. Regular cheese soup was ok but i liked the nacho cheese soup better. This is my go to mac & cheese recipe
Quinn says
Unless I did something wrong. I had a problem with melting the cheese with the butter. If I where to make it again I would melt only the butter then add the shredded cheese in the Crock-Pot and then let the cheese melt there.
Barb says
Can one freeze this recipe ?
Jenna says
Thank you!
Mariya says
Jenna, this is such a delicious meal! I love making it for the family !
Patti Reece says
This is my go to recipe and always requested at pot lucks! I do not use the eggs and I mix Muenster cheese with the chedddar. I have also mixed with smoked Gouda. This is the creamiest Mac and cheese. Although it was said that you can use bag cheese, block cheese is better (melts better!) I have also done this for the oven, baking at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Jenna says
Yes you can. Let the mac and cheese cool completely first. Sorry if I didn't answer you on time.
Jen says
Trying this for first time. Also wondering if I can make tonight and warm tomorrow. I saw others asked the same but never saw an answer. Maybe I missed it!
Thanks for posting. Can’t wait to try it!
Jenna says
No you can use whatever type of cheese or sour cream you like.