Simple Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (No Fancy Ingredients!)
Let’s face it, mac and cheese night usually means breaking open a blue box. There is no shame in doing so, though there are other options. Our simple macaroni and cheese recipe doesn’t require a roux or shredding pounds of cheese. However, it packs the cheesy flavor we want.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make – Most homemade mac and cheese recipes start with grating cheese; this one doesn’t.
- Customizable – We use specific cheeses in this recipe, but you can add more, swap them out, whatever you like.
- Picky Eaters – We all know the foods picky eaters stick with; macaroni and cheese is the gold standard for them.
Can You Make Mac and Cheese Without Shredding the Cheese?
Our simple macaroni and cheese recipe uses everyday ingredients you already have! Creamy, cheesy, and only 10 minutes of prep! It is time we talk about preshredded cheese.
Yes, preshredded cheese is coated with a substance called “cellulose.” Cellulose is used to prevent the cheese from clumping in the bag and to make it easier to handle.
The only benefit we could derive from cellulose is its fiber content, but there is too little on shredded cheese to reap those benefits. All of this to say that it is not dangerous to eat, and it will pass right through our digestive systems without being absorbed. Still, there is a reason not to use shredded cheese.
Is Block Cheese Better Than Shredded Cheese?
Cellulose doesn’t do anything for us or against us when we eat it. However, it’s why we don’t want to use shredded cheese in recipes like this simple macaroni and cheese.
Cellulose may not affect our bodies, but it does interfere with the cheese. The cellulose makes it difficult for the cheese to melt smoothly and evenly; difficult, but not impossible.
Block cheese is already in a block, so there is no need for cellulose to prevent clumping. The good news is, we don’t need to shred this block of cheese; just cube it and let the crockpot do the rest.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- Elbow Pasta – How can you have mac and cheese without elbow pasta? Use your favorite brand, as long as it’s elbow pasta.
- Whole Milk – The cheese is going to melt, but we want it more than melted; we want it to be gooey. Milk is what helps create that gooey cheese sauce.
- Evaporated Milk – The milk serves as the base for the sauce of this simple macaroni and cheese recipe. The evaporated milk helps stabilize the sauce.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – We love the taste of cheddar in this recipe. Cheddar might be the only staple cheese in this recipe.
- American Cheese – American cheese is easy to work with, but you can swap this one out for whatever type of cheese you prefer.
- Gruyère Cheese – This cheese adds richness to the dish. There are subtle, earthy flavors from Gruyère that balance perfectly with the cheddar.
- Seasonings – This recipe is fairly simple, though there are many seasonings. We want to use garlic powder, dry mustard, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. This combination makes for a robust dinner everyone can enjoy.
Simple Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
- Spray crockpot with non-stick spray.
- Rinse uncooked pasta in cold water and drain.
- Add uncooked pasta along with the remaining ingredients and spices to the crockpot and stir to combine.
- Place the cubed butter on top and spread it around.
- Cover and cook on low for one hour. Remove the lid and stir until the cheese cubes are melted and the pasta is cooked.
- If not done, continue cooking and check every 15 minutes or so until the macaroni & cheese is thick and creamy.
Simple Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Elbow Macaroni
- 2 1/2 Cups Whole Milk
- 12 Oz Evaporated Milk
- 3 Cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese Block Cheese Cut into Cuber
- 1 Cup American Cheese Block Cheese Cut into Cubes
- 1/2 Cup Gruyere Cheese Block Cheese Cut into Cubes
- 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Dry Mustard
- 1/2 Tsp Paprika
- Dash of Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 Cup Butter Cubed
Instructions
- Spray crockpot with non-stick spray.
- Rinse uncooked pasta in cold water and drain.
- Add uncooked pasta along with the remaining ingredients and spices to the crockpot and stir to combine.
- Place the cubed butter on top spreading it around.
- Cover and cook on low for one hour. Remove the lid and stir to make sure the cheese cubes are melted and pasta Is cooked.
- If not done, continue to cook and check every 15 minutes or so until macaroni & cheese is thick and creamy.
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