Crock Pot Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

A simple custard-style crock pot gluten free macaroni and cheese that’s made ridiculously easy without a stove. It’s even easier than the boxed kind since you don’t even have to boil the pasta!

I went from exactly zero slow cookers to two slow cookers in the space of one year. We’ve talked about this before, but I just didn’t get them. You know?

First of all, I’m more hare than tortoise. Slow and steady isn’t generally my thing (unless I’m letting gluten free bread rise because the payoffs are tremendous). Whenever readers asked me about slow cookers, I would always try to steer them in the direction of pressure cookers (see GFOAS Quick & Easy for more on that).

Second of all, I was really pretty sure that slow cookers made everything into a single, mushy consistency. If you wanted some texture to your food, well slow cookers were just not the way to go.

Along with this ridiculously easy, cheesy, slow cooker gluten free macaroni and cheese, I’m eatin’ some crow. Long live the slow cooker!

I have made this recipe many, many times at this point. I was sold after the first, nearly-failed attempt, though, since I simply could taste its potential. And my family adored failure after failure.

This is not a smooth, stove-top-style macaroni and cheese. It’s a custard-style gluten free macaroni and cheese, and it happens in the most effortless way possible.

Simply whisk together the bit of flour and the spices into the milk, then pile everything into the slow cooker and let it do its thing. No boiling the pasta ahead of time—that would just be ridiculous.

This meal is so easy, in fact, that it rivals the boxed kind. Frankly I never really thought the boxed kind ewas easier than doing it yourself since you still have to boil the pasta.

The cooking time will vary from slow cooker to slow cooker, and sometimes they have hot spots. The larger the slow cooker you use, the more quickly the dish will cook as the ingredients are more exposed to the heat source.

Once the pasta has noticeably swelled, it’s most likely tender enough for the dish to be done. The first time you make it, get a visual on it after an hour, and then after 2 hours.

You’ll know when it’s ready! And be sure to use a good-quality gluten free pasta, like Barilla gluten free or Delallo gluten free, or your mac and cheese won’t have the texture it should.

And keep in mind that slow cookers vary in their power and how quickly they cook. The cooking time provided is a range for just that reason!

P.S. Casserole-style classic mac and cheese is delicious, too…