READY IN 4+ hrs

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli

Read Reviews (20)

"An easy slow cooker mac and cheese. The best part is no boiling of the pasta. It can be made lower fat too." — linda

Directions

Spray the inside of slow cooker with cooking spray.
Stir uncooked macaroni and vegetable oil together in the slow cooker until pasta is coated.
Stir Cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, milk, broccoli, salt, and black pepper with macaroni until fully combined.
Cover the cooker and cook on Low until macaroni is tender and the sauce is bubbling, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring often to reduce sticking.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 4 hrs
READY IN 4 hrs 10 mins

Footnotes

Cook's Note:
You can use use fat-free evaporated milk and 2% or skim milk.

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Mar 11, 2012

just an fyi for anyone who is going to be making this. I am the submitter ,and when I make it I do make it with penne pasta.something a little thicker than elbows.And that way it wont be as mushy.You also have to watch it according to how fast your crockpot cooks it.mine is done in 3 hours ,so 4 to 5 hours is a guide. And if using elbows it will be done sooner.just wanted to share some tips :)

—linda

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 12, 2012

Mush to say the least, The concept is good,but the paste turned into glue. I will say the taste is there, but don't walk away from it. for a slow cooker meal I'll never make it this way again. That said, I'll make it on the stovetop next time

—Bennie

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23 Ratings

Mar 12, 2012

I have tried slow cooker mac and cheese only one other time in my life and it was horrible...this was the total opposite of that! The cooking times are off though...mine only took about 2-1/2hrs. to cook, so keep an eye on it and be sure to stir it every so often, as instructed. I halved the recipe, and used my 2qt. slow cooker, which was perfect. I used mostly Light Velveeta(R) w/ some shredded sharp cheddar added b/c I have bad luck w/ melting cheddar cheese, lol. This was perfectly thick and creamy. Oh, I don't know if this makes any difference, but I also used Barilla(R) Elbow Macaroni (the ones w/ the ridges), they worked out great in this! I can't wait to play around w/ the cheeses, spices and trying it w/o the broccoli too. Thanks for sharing this YUMMY, EASY recipe, Linda...it's a keeper! :)

—Christina

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Mar 08, 2012

No fuss, that's the way I like it. Really minimum prep work. Place ingredients in crock pot, check on occasionally and it will get ready for you. I used fresh broccoli microwaved al-dente. My crock pot runs hot so at 2 hr 30 min the pasta was done. Let run on warm another 15 minutes. It will be a regular potluck dish I bring to church. Everyone loves macaroni and cheese!

—AuntE

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Mar 11, 2012

The pasta was a little mushy and I used fresh broccoli, I should have cooked the broccoli a little first so it was still a bit crisp. It's better than a lot of the other recipes I have tried though!

—Kalest

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Mar 27, 2012

Ok...I was very skeptical because of reviews, but very curious at the same time...I've been looking for a slow cooker mac and cheese that uses uncooked noodles so I just had to try it...so glad I did....I did make this way lower fat by using a whole wheat medium shell pasta which held together fine, fat free evaporated milk, skim milk, and low fat cheddar. I also used fresh chopped broccoli that cooked perfectly and still stayed very green. I threw this together at 4 in the afternoon, and on HIGH this was done by 7. So for me it was 3 hours on HIGH with stirring every 1/2 hour...which I honestly didnt see a problem with...I was home...no big deal to stir every once in a while. This recipe I would not make on a work day...for this reason. My family and I very much enjoyed this! Next time I think that I will incorporate some velveeta cheese for that smoother meltier cheese, the cheddar melted fine but with a bit more of a grainy consistency...all in all a really good mac and cheese and you will be surprised that all liquids do eventually disappear. Thanks!

—SLJ6

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Mar 12, 2012

I halved the recipe and it filled my small slow cooker which only cooks on high. After two hours of cooking and stirring, I noticed the whole grain penne that I used was getting done so I took the lid off and covered the top with more shredded cheese. Thirty minutes later it was done and ready to eat. I am happy with the end result and wanted to let people know that this does work. Just for my own tastes, I added a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and about 1 T of dried minced onion.

—It's A New Day

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Apr 26, 2012

I used a variety of pasta, as I was cleaning out my pantry. It turned to mush in 3 hours on low, and did not look appetizing, although it was edible. I've tried a couple different mac and cheese slow cooker recipes, and I've come to the conclusion that this type of food simply isn't meant for slow cookers. From now on I'll be using stove top.

—Katherine E G

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Nutrition

Calories
549 kcal
27%

Carbohydrates
47.1 g
15%

Cholesterol
86 mg
29%

Fat
27.6 g
42%

Fiber
2.6 g
11%

Protein
28.3 g
57%

Sodium
504 mg
20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli

Serving Size: 1/10 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 549
Calories from Fat: 249

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 27.6g 42 %
** Saturated Fat 16.4g 82 %
Cholesterol 86mg 29 %
Sodium 504mg 20 %
** Potassium 577mg 16 %
Total Carbohydrates 47.1g 15 %
Dietary Fiber 2.6g 11 %
Protein 28.3g 57 %
Sugars 13.1g
Vitamin A 34 %
Vitamin C 40 %
Calcium 89 %
Iron 23 %
** Thiamin 56 %
** Niacin 73 %
** Vitamin B6 14 %
** Magnesium 26 %
** Folate 85 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.