Smoked Gouda- or any other smoked cheese.

Gruyere, Swiss or Jarlsberg- all of a similar flavor profile, these make for great melty sauces.

Parmesan cheese- but only if it is freshly grated, not the bottled stuff which tends to not melt the same.

Other varieties of cheddar such as white, Vermont or mild cheddar cheese.

This leaves the possibilities wide open for yummy combinations and creations. The best cheese for mac and cheese is anything you have leftover in your cheese drawer that can be easily melted.

Salt and Pepper– Just a little bit of salt and pepper gives this macaroni the perfect balance of seasoning.

If you want to be adventurous, or just clean out the cheese drawer, use any combination of cheese.

Store-bought pre-grated cheese are tossed in a light starch mixture to prevent clumping, but that can effect texture and dry out the cheese.

Cheddar Cheese– Shredded sharp cheddar cheese gives this pasta the best flavors! I like to grate my own cheddar cheese because it will melt smoother.You can always add more salt, but it is hard to take it away! If you use salted, taste test before adding additional salt during the seasoning process. Butter– Salted or unsalted butter gives the mac and cheese buttery textures that are tasty and delicious with the gooey cheeses.Personally, I like to use whole milk because it’s more flavorful and thick. Milk– Any kind of dairy milk will work such as whole, skim, or 2%.Cream Cheese– Smooth cream cheese adds an extra level of richness and is my secret ingredient.It is simply milk that has been steamed to reduce the water content so it is rich and thick. Evaporated Milk– A can of evaporated milk is used to create a light creamy texture in the macaroni and cheese.Anything with lots of nooks and crannies for the cheese sauce to cling to. Some examples of pastas you can use include elbow, penne, shells, rigatoni, and farfalle. Uncooked Pasta– I like to use short cut pasta because it cooks evenly, but most variations of pasta will work.INGREDIENTS FOR EASY CROCK POT MAC AND CHEESE A tangy goodness and creamy base that is often the “I can’t quite put my finger on it” ingredient. Making it in a slow cooker keeps the temperatures low and steady for even heating and prevents scalding or separating, two other common issues making homemade mac and cheese. It mimics the base of a roux, but without the potential for mishaps. Using evaporated milk is one of my tricks for making foolproof creamy sauce every time. But there can be several elements that go awry causing lumps, thinner or too thick sauce. A traditional sauce starts with a roux, a blend of butter and flour, is thinned with dairy, like milk, and folded with cheese. One of the biggest issues people come across when making mac and cheese is the sauce.

Best mac and cheese crock pot