I’d never tried Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese before, but figured it was worth a shot! I wondered: Could I make my easy Mac-n-Cheese for a crowd, then put it in the crock pot to stay warm? After all, I didn’t want to be a slave to the stove just as my guests were arriving.
Obviously it worked marvelously, otherwise I wouldn’t be here telling you about it. I definitely feel that this dish is best fresh, right off the stove. But the day I was feeding 25 teens, I needed a side I could make ahead and keep warm. As it turns out, we can make Creamy Mac and Cheese en mass, then put it in a crock pot to stay warm until serving time.
A few small details about making Mac-n-Cheese for a Crowd: Plan to use lots of sea salt. It can be rather bland otherwise. I even go the extra mile and stir in some garlic powder for a little extra pazazz.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: When making this Creamy Mac and Cheese, always remove it from the heat BEFORE you add the cheese. It’s not difficult, but breaking this creamy mac-n-cheese rule will give you weirdly textured pasta. So cook your pasta in the milk, slide it off the heat, then add cheese. See how simple?
Make-Ahead Mac-n-Cheese for a Crowd
- 32 ounces dry pasta (I use whole wheat noodles)
- 6½ cups whole milk
- Sea salt to taste (1-2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3-4 cups shredded cheese (I use Colby jack; cheddar is also great)
- Mix pasta, milk, sea salt, and garlic powder in a large sauce pan. (I've found it best to divide ingredients into two large pots for faster and more even cooking.)
- Cook over medium-high heat stirring almost constantly until the pasta is tender (10-15 minutes).
- Remove from heat. (IMPORTANT!)
- Add cheese and stir until melted.
- Transfer Mac-n-Cheese to a large (6-8 quart) crock pot.
- Keep warm at "lo" setting for up to three hours.
- Stir in a bit more milk at serving time as needed.
When making a large amount of Mac-n-Cheese like this, I usually use this variety of whole wheat elbow noodles.
Need more ideas for cooking for a crowd? Check out this link:
44 Meals to Feed a Large Crowd
Did you download a free Simple Ingredients list yet? Keep all the basic ingredients on hand that you need to put together delicious, Simple Meals!
Try dry mustard next time! That’s my favorite way to flavor macaroni. I also use garlic and paprika :)
I always have an issue using regular shredded cheese in my macaroni dishes. It gets stringy and clumpy and is never creamy. What’s your secret for that?
I always use cheese that I shred from a block instead of the pre-shredded cheese from the store. It works much better to prevent stringing and clumping!
Any idea if you can make it the night before & warm it in the crockpot the next evening?
Absolutely! Just warm it up using the “warm” function on your crock pot or setting it on low.
-Bethany (Laura’s assistant)