Love mac & cheese but dread making the bechamel sauce? Well, this recipe skips that step for a fuss-free option.
Plus, it's made in the slow-cooker so you can pop everything in and let the appliance do all the hard work.
This six ingredient recipe uses a combination of whole milk, cheddar, parmesan, cream cheese and a pinch of mustard powder for an indulgent, creamy sauce, with a touch of warming heat.
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 40 mins
Cal/Serv:
994
Ingredients
1 l whole milk, plus extra if needed
1/2 tsp. english mustard powder
250 g mature Cheddar, grated
50 g Parmesan
100 g cream cheese
400 g macaroni
6 bacon rashers (optional)
Directions
Step 1
Put the milk, all the cheeses, mustard powder, a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper into a slow cooker. Stir well, then add the macaroni and mix again. Cook on low for 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours until the pasta is cooked and the sauce is creamy. Stir in a splash of milk if the mixture is a little stiff.
Step 2
Cook bacon, then add before serving (you can use ready-cooked bacon if you prefer).
It's perfect on its own, or served as a side dish (if you're feeding a larger crowd) and best eaten immediately.
We've used the classic macaroni pasta shape, but feel free to use any leftover dried pasta you have in the pantry (we sometimes do a mix of shapes as there's always that nearly finished pack in the back somewhere).
For extra flavour you can top yours with chopped, cooked smokey bacon, plus finely chopped chives for a decadent finish.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
