This meal is every kid’s dream. Forget about store-bought ready-to-make mac and cheese, this is the real deal, and your kids will love it. Paula Deen Crockpot Mac and Cheese are easy to make, cheesy, and delicious.
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There’s something about slow-cooking food that makes it taste better than food cooked on the stovetop.
- The best thing about mac and cheese is that you can add anything to it, and it will taste amazing. Lobster, shrimp, jalapenos, you name it.
- The best thing about crockpot mac and cheese is that you don’t have to keep an eye on it, you can’t burn it. You can vary the amount of milk to make it more or less cheesy.
So make some Paula Deen Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese and enjoy the smiles, hugs, and kisses from your kids.
For more mac and cheese recipes, check our Beer and Bacon Mac and Cheese, Cajun Mac and Cheese Recipe, and The Best Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese.
Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- Elbow pasta – is the classic pasta shape for mac and cheese, but you can use any small pasta shape you like.
- Butter – keeps melted cheese from turning solid again. The extra fat makes it more meltable. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fully combine with the cheese.
- Cheddar cheese – I like to use sharp cheddar and shred it myself. Pre-shredded cheese has added fillers that make it not melt properly. Please buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself.
- Mozzarella cheese – doesn’t provide much flavor, but it does provide that delicious cheese pull because mozzarella melts differently than cheddar. You can omit it if you don’t like it.
- Sour cream – adds creaminess to the dish and makes the flavor a bit mellower.
- Cheddar cheese soup is very useful for providing flavor and helps keep the mac and cheese from becoming too hard and stuck together.
- Milk – its use makes mac and cheese less or more cheesy. For a softer, more runny result, add more milk, and for a more heavy and cheesy result, add less milk.
- Mustard and paprika – add flavor and color to mac and cheese. Mustard adds a lot of flavors, and paprika adds a beautiful orange color.
The full recipe and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How Do You Make Paula Deen’s Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese?
- First, cook the elbow pasta according to the package directions. Do not overcook the pasta. Keep it al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, melt the butter, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese. Do not worry if they don’t completely incorporate and make a hom*ogenous mix. It’s ok if the fat separates a bit.
- Add the cheese/butter mix, the cheddar soup, and sour cream to the crockpot. Mix them.
- Mix in the cooked pasta, milk, mustard, salt, and paprika. Stir all ingredients together and cook on low for 2 hours.
What To Serve With Mac and Cheese?
I would add protein. Either chicken or beef is the protein of choice in my house. Kids, of course, prefer chicken, so I often make Mustard Fried Chicken Wings or Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe.
For a healthier chicken dish, check out How to Make Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Wings or Cilantro Lime Chicken. If they are in the mood for beef, Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe is a great option. They love Easy Tex-Mex Meatballs.
Additional Add-ins & Toppins
- Make it grownup style by adding chopped lobster meat or shrimp and adding a bit of cayenne pepper.
- Chopped red and green bell peppers and jalapenos with taco seasoning make for a great Mexican-style mac and cheese.
- Italian-style breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese are a great topping for a more crunchy version.
Can Mac and Cheese Be Made Ahead?
You can add all ingredients into the crockpot (including butter and cheese) and keep it in the fridge the night before.
On the day you plan to serve the dish, cook it on low for 3 hours but give everything a good mixing after the first half-hour of cooking. Mix the cheeses with the soup and milk first, so they disperse and don’t clump up.
How Long Does Crockpot Mac and Cheese Last?
You should serve it immediately for best results, but you can store leftovers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips
- Shred your cheese. I can’t stress this enough. Pre-shredded cheese does not melt properly.
- A few minutes before the two-hour mark, check the consistency of the mac and cheese. Add a bit more milk if you feel it’s getting too sticky.
- Always check for seasoning and add salt accordingly.
- Serve immediately. As time goes by, it will harden and stick together.
Crockpot meals are easy to make, and if you’re looking for more, I think you might enjoy these:
- Paula Deen’s Crockpot Potato Soup
- The Best Trisha Yearwood’s Crockpot Pork Tenderloin
- Crockpot Ravioli Casserole
- Crockpot Cheese Tortellini and Sausage
- Crockpot Beef and Broccoli
Paula Deen’s Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Paula Deen Crockpot Mac and Cheese is easy to make, cheesy, and delicious. There’s something about slow-cooking food that makes it taste better than food cooked on the stovetop.
5 from 246 votes
Print Save Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 488kcal
Equipment
Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked elbow pasta
- 3 ½ tablespoons butter
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 - 10 ¾ oz can cheddar cheese soup
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Cook elbow pasta according to the package instructions and drain. While the pasta is cooking, using a large skillet, melt the butter, Cheddar, and Mozzarella cheese
Place cheese and butter mixture, cheddar cheese soup, and sour cream into the pot of the slow cooker
Add the cooked macaroni pasta, milk, mustard, salt, and paprika to the pot. Stir everything until well combined and cook on low for 2 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 30g
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Reader Interactions
Comments
I have made this several times and it was always a big hit!
Can I freeze this? I would like to make a double batchReply
- Jeff Laasch
I am making this dish for a work pot luck! How would you suggest I go about reheating it in a crock pot? I plan on bringing additional milk and add as it reheats?
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- Ashley - 100krecipes
I think that’s a great idea! Exactly what I would do. Bring a little salt as well if you need to adjust the seasoning
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- danielle
Should you buy pre-shredded or should I grate the cheddar myself? Can I use preshredded mozzerella? I can’t imagine it being easy to shred it myself.
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- Ashley - 100krecipes
I always recommend shredding your own cheeses. It really makes a difference in the way the cheese melts and tastes. If you buy a brick of mozzarella, you can easily shred it. But if you feel you need to buy pre-shredded, please do.
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- NP
Best Mac and cheese per picky eaters in a family of 5! Will be on regular rotationReply
- Ashley - 100krecipes
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for your review!! 🙂
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- CHRISTINA TOWSLEE
Can I just bake this in the oven if I don’t have 2 hours for crockpot
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- Ashley - 100krecipes
Yes you certainly can. You can bake it at 350 F. Just keep an eye on it and don’t let the cheese get too browned on top.
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- Katie
Is this recipe ok without mustard powder. Our grocery store was out.
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- Ashley - 100krecipes
Yes it is! Mustard powder adds a bit of a kick but it’s ok not to add it.
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I made this for Christmas buffet! Absolutely delicious & I figured Paula Dean’s Mac & Cheese had to be one of the best!
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- Rachel
Do you have to melt the. Geese or can you just throw it all together in the crockpot and let it melt?
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- Ashley - 100krecipes
You could yes. But mix everything well so that the cheese is evenly distributed within the pasta and give it a stir once or twice mid-cooking.
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- Laurie
How many servings does one batch serve?
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- 100krecipes
6 servings.
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- Dana
How many does one serving feed?
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- 100krecipes
Each recipe will make 6 servings aproximately. If you want to serve it to adults and as The main dish, 4 servings
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- Danielle
Would there be any difference in cook time if I made it with gluten free pasta?
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- Ashley - 100krecipes
That’s a great question. I wouldn’t think so.
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Can I make this in a casserole crockpot
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- 100krecipes
Sure! Just be mindful of the cooking time since in the casserole-type crockpot the food will be more spread out than in the regular deep crockpot. I would believe it will cook faster in the casserole crockpot.
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- Lisa C
I was concerned what with so much cheese and the milk and the sour cream but after reading the reviews, I took the bull by the horns, doubled the recipe the topped it with sautéed butter and breadcrumbs. It is truly delicious and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to making a roux, adding cheese etc.Reply
- Jen
I made this for Friendsgiving last night and everyone loved it!Reply
- Stephanie
What can I use as a healthier or different alternative for the cheddar cheese soup?
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- 100krecipes
If you look into the ingredients and calories of the cheddar soup, you will see it is not such a bad alternative. But you can substitute it for a cup of water and 1/2 shredded cheddar
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- Kellie Hanrahan
Can I double this recipe?
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- 100krecipes
Yes! You certainly can
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Best macaroni and cheese I have ever made. Family loved it. Doubling recipe now, teenage boys eat a lot. Hope it doesn’t change the taste .
Super easy and tasty, my favorite combo!Reply
- Kathleen
Was hoping to double this for an open house. Will this take up too much space doubled?
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- 100krecipes
It depends on the size of your crockpot. If you have one of the largest models I think you could do it.
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- Jean
This WAS SOOOOO GOOD. Making again this weekend.Reply
- MT
I wasn’t sure about trying this because of the low number of comments, but in looking up other recipes, saw one was a copy of this one. I did add a bit extra cheddar cheese, gruyere (? spelling) rather than mozzarella, and 1/2 tsp hot sauce (used in an instapot recipe I use), and cooked macaroni for 6 min. It was delicious and I will be using this recipe again! Thank youReply
So easy to make and delicious.
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