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Trisha Yearwood’s Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

 

Trisha Yearwood’s Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese is gooey, cheesy heaven. Easy to make in a crock pot.

Spoon scooping Trisha Yearwood's Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese in a slow cooker.

I’ve tried many different Macaroni and Cheese recipes and this one by Trisha Yearwood is definitely the cheesiest. It’s almost all butter and cheese. You’ll have to plan to run a marathon shortly after you eat it. A couple of eggs give it a little bit of a custard-like texture.

What I love about this mac and cheese besides the fact that it is gooey, cheesy heaven, is that it is cooked in a crockpot. You’re supposed to use cooked pasta, but I was worried it would get too mushy and I only cooked it for half of the recommended time on the box. When I was reading reviews online, I found that a number of people  used uncooked pasta and found that it turned out well. So I may try that next time because it definitely would shorten and simplify the cooking time.

Trisha Yearwood's Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

I’ve never been a country music fan, but I am completely enamored by Trisha Yearwood’s show on The Food Network. Too many celebrity chefs on the Food Network just seem so over the top (and annoying). I want a cooking show to be about the food, not the host. Plus I have a short attention span. I’d much rather take 30 seconds to read a recipe in a cookbook than watch someone take 10 minutes to tell me how to make it. And try to insert cutsey chit-chat wherever possible.

Mac and Cheese in a slow cooker.

 

But Trisha Yearwood is a natural in front of the camera. She’s just her down to earth self. Her relaxed nature makes hosting a cooking show look easy which is not something many people can accomplish, even those who do it for a living. She reminds me a lot of Ina Garten.

Who do you most like to watch on the Food Network?

You can find this recipe for Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese in Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood: Stories and Recipes to Share with Family and Friends.

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Spoon scooping Trisha Yearwood's Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese in a slow cooker.

Trisha Yearwood's Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

This Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese from Trisha Yearwood is absolutely the cheesiest mac and cheese you will ever eat.
SERVINGS: 8

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cooked elbow macaroni, I only cooked it for half the time on the box
  • 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1-1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/4 cup Challenge butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 (10-ounce) bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, about 5 cups, grated
  • Dash of paprika

Instructions

  • Spray a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray and add macaroni, evaporated milk, whole milk, butter, salt, pepper, and eggs.
  • Stir in all but 1/2 cup of the cheese.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheese and paprika on top.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours 15 minutes.

Notes

This recipe can also be cooked in a 9 X 13-inch pan coated with butter and placed in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.
Many people have had success placing uncooked macaroni in the slow cooker instead of cooked.
Do NOT use extra-sharp cheddar cheese. It tends to curdle in a crock pot.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal
Author: Christin Mahrlig
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Keyword: cheese, mac and cheese, vegetarian

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Originally published Feb 3, 2014.

Try these other Mac and Cheese Recipes

Creamy Mac and Cheese– it doesn’t get any creamier than this

Baked Mac and Cheese– this is a custard-style mac and cheese that is baked in the oven and holds it form when sliced into squares.

Mac and Pimiento Cheese– a southern-style mac and cheese (as if mac and cheese wasn’t already southern enough)

Stove-top Mac and Cheese with Cheese Crisps

Slow Cooker Bacon Mac and Cheese

Disclosure: Spicy Southern Kitchen is an amazon.com affiliate.

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138 thoughts on “Trisha Yearwood’s Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese”

  1. Shauna yohemas

    I am so confused. Only 1 ounce of macaroni noodles? How will this make enough for 8. What am I missing here.

  2. I have made this in the crock pot and oven, both were out of this world delicious!!! I prefer the oven baked one because I am old school cook like my mom and grandmothers before me. Such a delicious recipe! Thank you Trisha!!

  3. I make this all the time and it is our favorite recipe! Quick question though, we will be gone all day and I wanted it to be done when we got home. What are your thoughts about keeping the crockpot on Keep Warm for about 6 hrs? Hoping it won’t be too done, but thinking about giving it a try…

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      I’ve never tried leaving it on warm for 6 hours, but I would think it would get overdone. I know my crock pot stays pretty hot on warm.

  4. i feel the same way about the cooking shows they talk on and on while they are cooking and takes forever to get the recipe.i am going to try this recipe. i am 75 and not too old to learn. i am using my crock pot more lately since there are so many sites now with new recipes.i love watching trisha yearwood do her recipes they arnt complicated like some of the other cooks make.also i dont like some of the cooks on tv who make all those crazy recipes with weird ingredients.most people like simple food they can create at home. or they use ingredients hard to find and expensive when you do find it.

  5. I made this recipe for a party with 50+ guests. I made 5xs the recipe and it turned out amazing. I cooked it in a large roaster. Everyone loved it and several asked for the recipe. I have now been asked to make it every year.

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      So glad it was a big hit and that’s nice to know it can be made for 50 people and still work! 🙂

    2. Did you have to increase the cooking time when you cooked for a large group, I’m planning to try for a group of 36.
      Thanks

  6. So easy to make and turned out perfectly! My mom said it’s the best actor and cheese she’s ever had. It’s now loose, watery Mac and cheese, it’s custardy, cheesy and decadent!! Smells amazing. I ran out of cheddar so I topped it with velveeta and it worked perfectly. Successful dish and a crowd pleaser for sure.

  7. I made the Mac n chz tonite for dinner the flavor was great but the chz was in little gritty clumps and not creamy. I don’t know what I did wrong? I didn’t use extra sharp cheddar, I saw in a previous post that that can cause this problem. Anybody else have this problem and found a way to fix it??? I would love to make it again with more success

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      Sorry the texture wasn’t creamy! Cheese tends to separate pretty easily under high heat. I’ve only made this recipe in my old crock pot which probably is not as hot as the newer ones. My guess, although I could be totally wrong, is that heat variations between crock pots has something to do with it.

      1. I had the same problem with it getting gritty. I used sharp cheddar and doubled the recipe and my crock pot is well used. I’m wondering if it cooks to long? At one point it is nice and cream when I stirred it and at the end of cooking time it was gritty. The first time I had turned it down to down to keep warm for a dinner party but the second time turned it off at the full cooking time. Both batched were gritty. It sounded so good and looking forward to serving it.

        1. I made this for the first time. The flavor was good but the texture was not creamy. The cheese was in clumps and not melted.

  8. Has anyone ever tried this without eggs? I’m thinking about making it for Thanksgiving, but I have family members who are allergic.

  9. I have made crock pot Mac & cheese for a while now. I had a recioe that called for using grated cheese and cheese soup. The problem with the cheese soup made it too runny. I actually had to pour it off the top of the dish and cook a little longer. I am going to try Trish’s recipe for Thanksgiving. I own three crock pots. I put Mac & cheese, stews, chili in a round one. Then I have a 5 qt & seven qt oval for roasts, turkey, baking hens, bbq ribs or chopped barbecue. I have a gas stove so the crock pots help out in the summertime to keep the house from warming up so much using the gas. Will let you know how everyone enjoys Trish’s recioe.

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      I’d be in crock pot heaven with 3 crock pots! They really do come in handy, especially around the holidays. Hope everyone enjoys this recipe!

  10. Has anyone doubled this recipe before? I would like to make this for about 20 people for Thanksgiving.
    Thanks!

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      I’ve never doubled it Liz, but I would think that as long as it fits fine in your crock pot, it should work. Good luck cooking for 20 people 🙂

  11. Did it with uncooked pasta and it was fine. I’d cut back the salt & cheese..a lil’..and I Love cheese 😀 otherwise…Keeper!

  12. OK, so I tried this a little skeptical as I’ve been looking for a Mac and Cheese recipe for years. This one came out just like my mother used to make years ago. I just have to say, Oh My Goodness. Best Food Network recipe ever. Thanks Trish

  13. This is how I always make my mac n cheese as well, just to let you guys know, I always omit the butter. There isn’t any reason to add more fat with all the grease the cheese gives off. Always a winner, everyone LOVES it.

    1. Christin
      Christin Mahrlig

      I always just buy either an 8 ounce box and use the whole thing or a 16-ounce box and use half, but I looked it up online and apparently 8 ounces of elbow pasta is about 2 cups (uncooked).

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