Name: Make Ahead Mac and Cheese Freezer Meal
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 185 min
Ingredients: 12 oz can evaporated milk; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 tsp sea salt; 1/4 tsp ground mustard powder; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1 egg; 3 cups milk (I use almond milk); 1/4 cup unsalted butter; 16 oz dried elbow macaroni noodles; 4-6 cups sharp cheddar cheese

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Want homemade mac and cheese WITHOUT the clean up?

This kids friendly recipe is a family favorite of ours when comfort food is a must. Making homemade mac and cheese from scratch can be intimidating and…if i’m being honest…too much work.

Who has time to slowly stir a cheese sauce, being sure to keep everything at the right temperature at the right time. While baking after, cooking the noodles, and then the dreaded phrase..CLEAN UP 🤦‍♀️

Instead, save hours and throw everything in the Slow Cooker for an EASY Mac and Cheese Recipe.

After using this recipe, you will NEVER see homemade mac and cheese in the same way. It’s that easy! All you have to do is throw everything into the slow cooker and then stir it once or twice as it cooks for you.

This slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe is also a great make ahead freezer recipe.

What makes it a make ahead recipe? It’s a freezer meal, which means you need 5 minutes to prep the meal (NO COOKING INVOLVED) and then throw it in the freezer, so it’s ready when you are, to be cooked fresh.

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Why you will love this recipe

Takes NO time to make sauce
No dirty dishes to clean up
5 minutes to prep the recipe
Creamy cheesy goodness
This dish is comfort food giving you all the feels.

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How to make mac and cheese?

When making macaroni and cheese in the traditional way it requires lots of work, time, and skill.

Let’s break it down so we can see how easy this recipe actually is in comparison.

First, boil your pasta and drain. Then, make your cheese sauce starting with a roux of fat and flour while slowly adding in your cream or milk product. Once your sauce has thickened, you add in the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Then mix together your sauce and baked noodles into a casserole dish and bake through.

Now, maybe you’re like me and starting to drool at this point thinking of that creamy cheesy casserole coming out of the oven.

And I agree, totally worth it! BUT IS IT?

Let’s be real, most people do not have the time to spend making homemade macaroni and cheese from scratch and baking it in the oven.

Thats why this recipe is the perfect way to get that homemade from scratch taste, WITHOUT the work (or dishes to clean).

How is this Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese Recipe Different?

NO DISHES TO CLEAN. NO TIME IN THE KITCHEN.

Seems impossible right?

I promise it’s not. This make ahead mac and cheese recipe was designed to be a raw prep freezer meal. Which means there is NO PREP COOKING before you freeze the recipe.

Why do we freeze raw?

It’s all about that flavor. If you cook, then freeze, the food turns to mush and flavor gets lost. That is why freezer meals have gotten such a bad reputation. But if you freeze raw and cook fresh the day you need dinner made, VOILA, perfection!

Here are the steps to make this crock pot mac and cheese recipe…

First, add a liner to your slow cooker or crock pot. Then, dump all ingredients into your crock pot. Stir, cook on low 3-4 hours (stirring once or twice as the recipe cooks). Thats it, serve and enjoy your EASY homemade mac and cheese recipe.

How can I give my mac and cheese more flavor?

Interested in some variations of mac and cheese in your life? All you need is a good basic mac and cheese recipe and the possibilities for flavor are endless.

First, BACON, my personal favorite addition to any meal, can be cooked and topped on mac and cheese for the ultimate comfort food dish.

You can also top off your mac and cheese with any meat, sauce, veggies and more! Get creative and don’t be afraid to try something new.

How do I store mac and cheese?

Storing slow cooker mac and cheese comes in two simple answers.

Storing this make ahead mac and cheese recipe before you freeze it involves throwing ingredients into a bag and then throwing that bag into the freezer. Thats it, stored.

If you are storing it after cooking be sure to place your mac and cheese into an air tight container and place in fridge for 3-5 days. (I LOVE mac and cheese even a day or two after cooking, it seems to get better and better).

Ingredients you will need for this slow cooker mac and cheese recipe.

evaporated milk
all-purpose flour
salt
mustard powder
paprika
egg
milk
butter
dried elbow macaroni noodles
4-5 cups sharp cheddar cheese

DO NOT USE SHREDDED CHEESE!

Have I caught your attention? I made this mistake for years when making homemade macaroni and cheese. No matter what recipe you are using you should never buy pre-shredded cheese when making homemade mac and cheese.

Why?

Pre-shredded cheese is actually mixed with an anti-caking agent to keep it from sticking together. This results in a broken cheese sauce with a grainy texture. It prevents the cheese from melting together into that creamy consistency we all know and love in our mac and cheese.

So what to do? Buy a block of cheese and have at it! I love a good old fashion sharp cheddar for macaroni and cheese, but sometimes it can be fun to switch it up and get creative. Adding in sharp white cheddar is my FAVORITE addition to this homemade comfort food recipe.

What kind of cheese can I use?

In the recipe card I use sharp cheddar cheese. But here are some variations of other cheeses you can add in or substitute for a different flavor.

Colby Cheese
Sharp White Cheddar
Muenster Cheese
Gruyere Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese

Why use evaporated milk?

In order to get that creamy texture AND make mac and cheese in the slow cooker, we need something super creamy. Evaporated milk is the perfect ingredient to use. Many slow cooker mac and cheese recipes will use condensed cheese soup or Velveeta cheese but neither of those ingredients are ones we eat.

So, if you are on the search for a slow cooker mac and cheese recipe made without Velveeta cheese or condensed cheese soup, YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

If I double this recipe will it change the cook time?

No, as long as your crock pot or slow cooker is large enough to fit a doubled recipe the cook time will remain the same.
TIP: If you are making this recipe for a special evening or event, I would recommend giving it a test run ahead of time since temperatures of different crock pots and slow cookers may vary to find the perfect timing for the perfect cook.

How do you make this make ahead mac and cheese freezer meal recipe? 👇

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