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.
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 homogenous 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
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
Made it today! Love it!
Really easy! I added garlic powder, I didn’t have the cheese soup so o added more cheese a little butter and milk to substitute
I have had more compliments on this recipe.
This is currently in the crock pot. When you mix the cheese & butter together should it look like one gloopy greasy hunk of cheese?
This is the flavor and consistency I have been seeking. Thank you for sharing!
Made this for Thanksgiving. Accidentally used 1T instead of 1t of salt but it wasn’t too salty and everyone loved it…especially my 10 yr old Mac n cheese connoisseur.
Loved it! After 30 minutes or so I added some cream. I also added a couple dashes of hot sauce.
I have NEVER made Mac & cheese from scratch in my 75 years of life! Lol But my grandchildren do not particularly like filling, so I took a chance and made this for them, AND IT WAS A HIT! Delicious!
I have made this several times and it was always a big hit!
Can I freeze this? I would like to make a double batch
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?
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
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.
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.
Shredded cheese has added wax and it takes longer to melt. Brick cheese is your best bet!!
There isnt an option on this. You HAVE to shred it yourself. The bagged cheese in this recipe just isn’t as good. Also, after you add the melted cheese and butter mixture and everything else really give it a good solid whisking.
Make sure you butter or spray your crockpot.. you really want this to not burn or stick. When it comes out creamy you will be a superhero to your guests. Never fails me.
Best Mac and cheese per picky eaters in a family of 5! Will be on regular rotation
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for your review!! 🙂
Can I just bake this in the oven if I don’t have 2 hours for crockpot
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.
Is this recipe ok without mustard powder. Our grocery store was out.
Yes it is! Mustard powder adds a bit of a kick but it’s ok not to add it.
I made this for Christmas buffet! Absolutely delicious & I figured Paula Dean’s Mac & Cheese had to be one of the best!
Do you have to melt the. Geese or can you just throw it all together in the crockpot and let it melt?
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.
I have a question about the cheese mixture. I melted it in a pan and it just became a blob of cheese. Is it supposed to be that way?
This happened tomorrow me as well. Then after I mixed everything including the milk it’s just all stringy and won’t melt down now.
How did it turn out without melting it first?
How many servings does one batch serve?
6 servings.
How many does one serving feed?
Each recipe will make 6 servings aproximately. If you want to serve it to adults and as The main dish, 4 servings
Would there be any difference in cook time if I made it with gluten free pasta?
That’s a great question. I wouldn’t think so.
Can I make this in a casserole crockpot
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.
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.
I made this for Friendsgiving last night and everyone loved it!
What can I use as a healthier or different alternative for the cheddar cheese soup?
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
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! You certainly can
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!
Was hoping to double this for an open house. Will this take up too much space doubled?
It depends on the size of your crockpot. If you have one of the largest models I think you could do it.
This WAS SOOOOO GOOD. Making again this weekend.
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 you
So easy to make and delicious.