Easy Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

Published: · Updated: by Tammilee · This post may contain affiliate links

Are you ready for a bit of comfort food straight from the crockpot? Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe your family will love! This easy crock pot slow cooker recipe is a family favorite. Add in a jalapeno for a bit of spice.

I hear everything is better with bacon, so we made Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon to test this theory. And after multiple taste tests by my dear husband just to make sure he truly enjoyed the recipe... 🙂 he agrees! Bacon does make this recipe even better.

Easy Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (1)

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Contents show

I am sure you all feel really bad for John having to taste test all of these recipes...... lol

He tells me it is a hard job some days, but he will keep doing it. He says I can make this Bacon Mac N Cheese any day of the week.

Easy Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2)

Check out how easy it is to whip up this seriouslydelicious Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Bacon!

Ingredients needed

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Easy Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (3)

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Delicious and oh so easy to make Crock Pot Bacon Mac and Cheese is the perfect cheesy comfort food.

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Tammilee Tips

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Coat crock pot in non-stick spray

  • Cook elbow macaroni for 6-8 minutes, drain

  • Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and stir together

  • Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stir every half hour to evenly distribute the cheese

Kitchen Tools

  • Slow cooker

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Amount Per Serving

Calories 462Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 57mg19%

Sodium 545mg24%

Potassium 392mg11%

Carbohydrates 44g15%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 705IU14%

Calcium 316mg32%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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About Tammilee

Lifestyle blogger who travels the world and drinks too much Chai tea. Travel blogger, award winning photographer, sunset hunter, Birkenstock girl, bird nerd
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Steve

    Easy Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (8)
    Followed the recipe, except I used a 8oz of sharp cheddar and 8oz of mozzarella. (16oz of cheese instead of 20oz) Also used 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper since no specific amount is listed. Turned out amazing and was a big hit at the holiday supper. As for anyone wondering about the canned cheddar cheese soup, I used the 10oz one Campbell's makes and I'm certain that's what was intended for this recipe.

    Reply

    • Tammilee

      Hi! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing how you adapted it.

      Reply

  2. Savannagh Ryane

    I wanted to make Jack Daniels mac and cheese but didn't have the right kind of cheese, so I added 1/2 cup HD to this recipe. It was delicious!

    Reply

  3. Milica Edwards

    Made this yesterday, wish I hadn’t read the comments, doubted the outcome. I added more soup at the end it ruined it. Will definitely try again because it was really good before I ruined it!

    Reply

  4. Mrs. Barkley

    Made this for a fourth of July cookout and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it! Really simple and tastes great. Great for potlucks or cookouts. I was able to keep it in the crock pot on low until it was gone. I made a few changes to the recipe. 1) I slightly cooked the pasta on the stove, about 4 minutes. I was in a hurry and needed to cut my cook time by about 30 minutes 2)I added WAY more bacon. I put in 10 strips instead of 4. And 3) I doubled the amount of cheese sauce. It seemed to dry out as it cooked. I reserved some of the cheese sauce mixture and added it right before I was ready to serve.

    Reply

  5. D

    I don;t know if you can or not but if you could change the recipe card to state cooked bacon that would be great! I just made this not cooking the bacon and needless to say I had to dig out each piece after I mixed it and then cook the bacon ugh!!!

    Reply

  6. Krissy

    What size soup can?

    Reply

  7. Jenn

    Okay this was great , I did add a few things I did a box and a half of elbow and way more bacon , cut up , I also used 4 cans if cheese soup , and I added a packet of Alfred powder which seasoned it great , I added some water and used mac and cheese shredded cheese I cooked it for about 3 hours and it was perfect !!!! Thanks oh and I also didn't cook the macaroni before putting it in the crockpot

    Reply

    • Hanah Nicholson

      This sounds great. I am going to make this your way. Can I get your ingredients you used with measurements?

      Reply

  8. Nikki

    Omg this is sooo good, just made it. I did book the macaroni for about 5 minutes before hand and they were perfect. I also added more cheese on the top and some breadcrumbs for about 15 minutes in the oven before serving. Super delicious and so easy!

    Reply

  9. Sarah

    How do you do this if your going make it and let it slow cook all day so your not rushing when you get home

    Reply

  10. Lorraine Conley

    I want to use this as a side dish for 14. Will the recipe as written be enough for that? I plan on using my 7qt crock pot.

    Reply

  11. Julie A Hill

    Hi, I would like to know how many people will this serve? I have 2 grown men at my table every night and they eat! should I double this?

    Reply

    • Tammilee

      HI Julie,
      It really depends on the size of your crock pot. The pasta does expand and take up more room in the crock pot. The only issue with doubling it may be if it all fits in the crock pot.

      Reply

  12. Dorothy

    Hi! I'm going to make this for a party tomorrow - about how many and what size serving does this make?

    Reply

  13. Stan Reinhard

    Is the macaroni already cooked before it goes in the slow cooker or is it uncooked?

    Reply

  14. Amanda

    Hi!
    This looks and sounds delicious, I'm going to try it this evening.
    Just a question. The can of condensed cheddar cheese soup...do you add a can of water as if you were making it as per directions on the can, or omit the water?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Tammilee

      Hi Amanda, I omitted the water and just used the soup

      Reply

    • Polly Bradford

      How many does this serve? My sisters and I are having a crock pot war and this sounds great!
      Thank you.

      Reply

      • Tammilee

        Polly, I have to ask what a crock pot war is? It sounds really interesting.

        Reply

  15. Breanna

    How many people does this serve?

    Reply

    • Beth

      What is the serving size of this recipe? It looks delicious!!

      Reply

      • Brett Martin

        One. It's all for me, and so no one else needs any.

        Normal people might say it serves 4-6 depending on serving portions. 🙂

        Reply

  16. geri

    I assume the macaroni is cooked al dente before adding to the rest of the ingredients in the crockpot?
    how about the bacon? Fried crisp ahead of time too? Bear with me, I just purchased my very first crockpot. =D

    Reply

    • Tammilee

      Hi Geri,
      Please feel free to ask any questions you have. I put the macaroni in straight out of the box. Since it cooks so long in the crock pot it is done by the end of the cooking time. I do cook the bacon crispy ahead of time. I hope this helps!

      Reply

      • bridget

        i made this a couple of weeks ago with the macaroni uncooked. it didnt work. the noodles took for ever and were hard. i kept adding more milk to it because they just wouldnt cook. what did i do wrong?? once the noodles finally cooked (4hours) it came out great!

        Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you put raw bacon in the crockpot? ›

Put frozen or thawed bacon in a crock pot – as much as you can fit. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

How long does bacon take in a slow cooker? ›

Put the bacon into the slow cooker and pour the liquid over. Cook on low heat for 8 hours. (I did mine overnight).

How to keep mac and cheese from drying out in a crock pot? ›

How do you keep mac and cheese from drying out? If you plan to hold slow cooker mac and cheese on warm, add extra milk as needed to keep the sauce nice and creamy.

Why does my crock pot mac and cheese curdle? ›

Why does slow cooker mac and cheese curdle? Well, a few different things cause this to happen. Eggs, pre-shredded cheese, and heat can all cause cheese to separate and result in a curdled texture.

When not to cook bacon? ›

If your bacon has been hanging out awhile, double check that it's safe to eat before cooking or freezing. These are four typical signs that your bacon is past its prime. Smell: Any off or sour smells are a good indicator that the bacon isn't safe to eat. The only smell you should detect from bacon is a faint smokiness.

Is it best to cook bacon low and slow? ›

This is useful information no matter how you're cooking bacon: Whether it's on a stovetop or in the oven, going low and slow will produce bacon that's more likely to melt in your mouth, while higher temperatures will give your bacon more of a crisp-chewy dynamic.

Is 4 hours in slow cooker enough? ›

If a dish usually takes: 15-30 mins, cook it for 1-2 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low. 30 mins – 1 hour, cook it for 2-3 hours on High or 5-7 hours on Low. 1-2 hours, cook it for 3-4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low.

How do you know when bacon is cooked enough? ›

The easiest way to tell is by the color of the pork. Just like with many other types of meat, uncooked bacon will be light pink with white strips of fat. When it's ready to eat, those rosy hues will have darkened to a reddish-brown color, and the fat will morph into a tan or golden shade.

Which cheese is best for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

Why is my homemade mac and cheese not creamy? ›

Pro Tip: Don't use pre-shredded cheese. Many store-bought shredded cheese brands coat their cheese with an anti-caking agent than can make sauces grainy and less creamy. While it requires a bit of an arm workout, grating your own yields the best texture.

How do you moisten homemade mac and cheese? ›

Add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix to incorprate as much as possible.

Why is my crockpot mac and cheese gritty? ›

High heat can cause cheese to break down and become grainy. Melt the cheese over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.

How to thicken crockpot mac and cheese? ›

Turn the crockpot to the "keep warm" setting, cover, and leave it alone for 45 minutes. Yes, the "keep warm" setting. It's warm enough without being too warm, and it will finish cooking the noodles gently while thickening the sauce without making it break or curdle.

How do you keep macaroni and cheese from getting too thick? ›

Pasta water is also a quick and easy way to thin out a sauce that is too thick. Cheese sauces can get heavy and gummy, but using a little pasta water to loosen the sauce without compromising the taste will forever keep this from being a problem during your mac and cheese moments.

Is it safe to cook raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it's safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker. Follow the manufacturer's recipes and safety guidelines. Start clean. Start with clean hands, utensils surfaces and a clean cooker.

Can you cook from raw in a slow cooker? ›

Technically you can cook raw meat in a slow cooker, but it's tricky and requires a bit of preparation in order for it to be really worth it. If you simply pop some raw meat in your slow cooker, it won't have a chance to brown, which adds some much-needed flavor and cuts down on plenty of unappealing grease.

Is it OK if bacon is a little raw? ›

No, it's not safe to eat raw bacon. Even though bacon has been preserved through the curing process, it has not been cooked. Like other foods you should never eat raw, consuming raw or undercooked meat puts you at risk of foodborne illness from viruses, bacteria or parasites.

Can you cook bacon without curing it? ›

The truth is, all bacon must be cured before consumption. While uncured bacon is still cured bacon, it undergoes a much different process. A process that is better for you and much more flavorful! Simply put, uncured bacon is bacon that has not been cured with synthetically-sourced nitrates and nitrites.

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