Unlock the secret to the ultimate comfort food with this incredibly easy and utterly delicious Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Ham recipe! Imagine a creamy, dreamy macaroni and cheese, infused with savory ham and a rich mozzarella Alfredo sauce, all prepared effortlessly in your crock pot. This recipe promises a hands-off approach to a classic dish, delivering a meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or simply satisfying that deep craving for hearty, homemade goodness.
Effortless Perfection: Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
There’s nothing quite like the comforting embrace of a warm bowl of macaroni and cheese. But when you add the convenience of a slow cooker and the savory depth of ham, you’ve got a culinary masterpiece that practically makes itself. This recipe is a game-changer for anyone looking to enjoy a rich, creamy, and satisfying meal without being tied to the stove. Whether you’re a seasoned slow cooker enthusiast or new to the magic of crock pot cooking, this ham mac and cheese will quickly become a cherished favorite in your recipe collection.
We’ve been on a roll incorporating delicious ham into our meals lately, making the most of those savory leftovers from holiday feasts or a perfectly roasted Crock Pot Ham. Just last week, we savored a delightful Crock Pot Ham and Cheese Grits, and this week, we’re diving into another incredible leftover ham creation: our Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Ham. It’s a testament to how versatile and flavorful ham can be, transforming simple dishes into extraordinary ones.
For those who love the ease and delicious results of slow cooking, this recipe is a true gem. Our goal is to consistently share new, exciting crock pot recipes, and with well over 250 slow cooker recipes already on our blog (which you can explore in our comprehensive recipe index), you’re sure to find endless inspiration. This ham macaroni and cheese is another fantastic addition, offering a wonderful alternative to our popular Crock Pot Chicken Recipes and providing a delightful change of pace for your dinner rotation.
Why Choose Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese? The Benefits of Hands-Off Cooking
The beauty of a slow cooker lies in its ability to transform simple ingredients into deeply flavored, tender meals with minimal effort. For macaroni and cheese, this means no constant stirring, no worrying about scorched bottoms, and a consistently creamy sauce that melds perfectly with the pasta and ham. Here’s why slow cooking is the ideal method for this comfort food classic:
- Unmatched Creaminess: The low and slow heat allows the cheese sauce to gently cook and thicken, resulting in an incredibly smooth and luscious texture that’s hard to achieve on the stovetop.
- Flavor Infusion: The ham has ample time to release its savory flavors into the cheese sauce, creating a rich, smoky undertone that permeates every bite of the macaroni.
- Set-It-and-Forget-It Convenience: Prep takes mere minutes, then your slow cooker handles the rest. This frees up your time to tackle other tasks, making it perfect for busy weekdays or when entertaining.
- Consistent Results: With a slow cooker, you reduce the risk of overcooking or undercooking. The gentle heat ensures even cooking without constant monitoring.
- Less Mess: Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup after dinner.
Crafting Creamy Perfection: Essential Ingredients for Your Crock Pot Mac and Cheese with Ham
This recipe relies on a straightforward list of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in creating a balanced, flavorful, and incredibly creamy slow cooker macaroni and cheese with ham. You’ll likely have many of these on hand, especially if you have leftover ham from a holiday meal.
What You’ll Need:
- Elbow Macaroni: The classic choice for macaroni and cheese, its small, curved shape perfectly cradles the creamy sauce. We pre-cook it slightly to ensure it doesn’t become mushy during the long cook time in the slow cooker.
- Diced Ham: This is where the dish gets its wonderful savory kick. Leftover ham works perfectly, adding a salty, smoky dimension that elevates the entire dish. Make sure it’s diced into bite-sized pieces for even distribution.
- Alfredo Sauce: A key shortcut for richness and flavor. Alfredo sauce provides a velvety, garlicky, and cheesy base that instantly boosts the complexity of the sauce without extra effort.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella adds fantastic meltiness and a mild, creamy flavor that complements the Alfredo and ham beautifully. Its stretchiness contributes to that irresistible, gooey cheese pull.
- Half and Half: This provides the perfect balance of richness and liquid for the sauce. It’s creamier than milk but lighter than heavy cream, ensuring a luxurious texture without being overly heavy.
- Cornstarch: Our secret weapon for a perfectly thick and smooth sauce. When mixed with a small amount of half and half, it creates a slurry that helps bind the sauce, preventing it from separating and ensuring a consistently creamy consistency.
Equipment Essentials: Tools for Your Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese Masterpiece
While the slow cooker does most of the heavy lifting, a couple of other items will help ensure your dish comes out perfectly:
- Crockpot (Slow Cooker): This is, of course, the star of the show. We highly recommend using a slow cooker equipped with a digital timer that automatically switches to a “warm” setting once the cooking cycle is complete. This feature is incredibly useful, as it prevents your mac and cheese from overcooking while keeping it warm and ready until you’re ready to serve. A 6-quart oval slow cooker is ideal for this recipe, providing ample space for all ingredients.
- Large Pasta Pot: You’ll need this to pre-cook your elbow macaroni to the perfect al dente stage before adding it to the slow cooker. A good-sized pot ensures the pasta cooks evenly.
- Whisk: Essential for combining the cornstarch and half and half into a smooth slurry, ensuring no lumps in your final sauce.
For those seeking a delightful vegetarian slow cooker option, simply omit the ham from this recipe. The rich Alfredo and mozzarella cheese base still creates an incredibly satisfying and flavorful meal.
Beyond the Basic: Exciting Variations and Serving Suggestions
While this Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese with Ham is fantastic as is, it’s also a wonderfully versatile base for customization. Don’t be afraid to get creative and tailor it to your taste!
Customization and Variations:
- Cheese Please! While mozzarella is key for gooiness, consider adding other cheeses for more complex flavor. Sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, or even a hint of smoked Gouda would be delicious additions. You could use a blend of cheeses in addition to or in place of some of the mozzarella.
- Spice It Up: For a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, a dash of hot sauce, or some finely diced jalapeños (remove seeds for less heat) to the slow cooker mixture.
- Add Veggies: Boost the nutrition and color by stirring in some cooked broccoli florets, frozen peas (add them during the last 30 minutes of cooking), or sautéed mushrooms.
- Smoky Flavor: If you don’t have ham, crispy bacon bits or smoked sausage can also provide a delicious smoky element.
- Herbaceous Touch: A sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives at the end can add a bright, fresh finish. Dried herbs like a touch of thyme or rosemary can also complement the ham.
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Your Hearty Mac and Cheese
This rich and satisfying dish is substantial enough to be a meal on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with a few simple sides to create a well-rounded dinner.
- Fresh Green Salad: A crisp, light green salad with a vinaigrette dressing provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the mac and cheese.
- Steamed Vegetables: Simple steamed asparagus, green beans, or broccoli offer a healthy and colorful side.
- Garlic Bread or Crusty Rolls: Perfect for soaking up every last bit of that delicious, creamy sauce.
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted brussels sprouts or carrots can add a deeper, earthy flavor profile that complements the ham.
Storage and Reheating Tips for Delicious Leftovers
One of the best things about this slow cooker mac and cheese with ham is how well it holds up as leftovers. Follow these tips to enjoy it again later:
- Storage: Allow any leftover mac and cheese to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating on the Stovetop: For best results, reheat individual portions in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of milk or half and half and stir occasionally until heated through and creamy again. This prevents it from drying out.
- Reheating in the Microwave: While convenient, the microwave can sometimes dry out mac and cheese. Reheat in short intervals (30-60 seconds), stirring in between, and add a little milk or half and half to restore creaminess.
- Freezing: You can freeze portions of this mac and cheese for longer storage. Place cooled portions in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating using the stovetop or microwave method.
More Delicious Slow Cooker Recipe Inspiration
If you’re a fan of the comforting ease of Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic recipes from our collection:
- Crock Pot Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe: A hearty and flavorful twist, combining two comfort food favorites.
- Crock Pot Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Recipe: Everything is better with bacon, and this recipe proves it with smoky, savory goodness.
- Crock Pot Mexican Mac and Cheese: A vibrant, zesty take on mac and cheese with a delicious Tex-Mex flair.
Beyond mac and cheese, our slow cooker is a powerhouse for global flavors. You might also enjoy these fun Asian-inspired crock pot recipes:
- Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli: Tender beef and crisp broccoli in a savory sauce, just like your favorite takeout.
- Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken: Sweet and savory chicken that’s perfect over rice.
And for a wider array of culinary adventures, don’t forget to check out our copycat recipes, indulgent dessert recipes, and our extensive collection of Crock Pot Recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Can I use uncooked pasta directly in the slow cooker?
While some slow cooker mac and cheese recipes call for uncooked pasta, this recipe specifically uses pre-cooked elbow macaroni (for 6 minutes) to ensure the best texture. Adding fully uncooked pasta might result in unevenly cooked pasta or too much starch being released, potentially making the sauce too thick or gummy. Partially cooking it first gives you more control over the final texture.
How can I prevent the cheese sauce from clumping or separating?
The cornstarch slurry is key here! Mixing cornstarch with half and half before adding it to the crock pot helps to stabilize the sauce and prevent clumping. Also, avoid lifting the lid too often during the cooking process, as this releases heat and moisture, which can affect the sauce’s consistency. Ensure all ingredients are well combined before cooking.
What if my mac and cheese is too thick or too thin?
If your mac and cheese is too thick after cooking, you can stir in a little extra warm half and half or milk until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, you can try mixing a small amount of cornstarch (1 teaspoon) with an equal amount of cold water to create another slurry, then stir it into the mac and cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Continue cooking until it thickens.
Can I use different types of ham?
Absolutely! Leftover holiday ham (like from Christmas or Thanksgiving) is perfect. You can also use pre-cooked diced ham from the grocery store, or even thick-cut deli ham diced into cubes. Any pre-cooked ham will work wonderfully in this recipe.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free or gluten-free?
Making this recipe dairy-free would require significant substitutions for the Alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese, and half and half, which are core components of its flavor and texture. For a gluten-free version, you could try using gluten-free elbow macaroni. Ensure any other packaged ingredients (like Alfredo sauce) are also certified gluten-free.
Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe with Ham
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Elbow Macaroni
- 3 cups ham diced
- 10 oz Alfredo sauce
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 2 cups Half and Half
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Cook macaroni for 6 minutes in a separate pot, stirring occasionally. Drain well.
- In your slow cooker, combine the diced ham, Alfredo sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and 1 ½ cups of half and half. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup of half and half and the cornstarch until smooth. Microwave this mixture for about 10 seconds, then stir it well into the crock pot mixture. This creates a slurry that will help thicken your sauce.
- Add the drained, partially cooked macaroni into the slow cooker with the ham and sauce mixture. Stir gently to ensure the macaroni is fully coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 ½ hours, or until the macaroni is tender and the sauce is bubbly and creamy. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking to maintain consistent heat.
Kitchen Tools
- Slow cooker
Nutrition
Calories from Fat 225
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Recipe originally shared on June 29, 2017. Updated on April 15, 2020, and further enhanced for clarity and SEO.