Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese Casserole

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese Casserole

Hearty, kid friendly cheeseburger macaroni casserole recipe is easy to make in the crockpot. If you need a big batch of comfort food to feed a crowd this is the one to choose!

Course Slow Cooker

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 7 10

Total Time 7 15

Servings

Calories 444kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef 90/10
1 cup onion diced
31.5 ounces condensed French onion soup 3 10.5-ounce cans
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
16 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and break it up into crumbles.
Cook until there is no pink left, about 10 minutes.
Drain any grease and add the ground beef to the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker.
Add the onion,soup, garlic powder, and onion powder to the slow cooker.
Stir to combine.
Place the cooker on low heat for 6 hours.
Add the macaroni and stir to combine.
Continue to cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until the noodles are fully cooked.
Add the cubed Velveeta, stir it in.
Place the top back on the pot and wait 5 minutes.
Stir until all of the Velveeta is melted.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and replace the lid.
Cook until the cheese is melted, 10 minutes or so.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage:

Spoon the cooled casserole into an airtight container or heavy-duty storage bag. Refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months.

Let any frozen leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, to reheat from the fridge, simply pop the noodles and meat mixture into the microwave. (Be sure to use a microwave-safe dish.)

Heat in one-minute increments, stirring in between until it's heated to your liking. Depending on the portion size, it may take a couple minutes.

Tips:

Be sure to use uncooked pasta. If you want to use cooked pasta or have some left over just stir it in at the end.
Don't forget to drain the excess grease before spooning the beef into the crockpot. Otherwise, the delicious casserole will taste oily.

Use a small food processor to quickly dice the onion. (Plus, this prevents onion tears!)

Crockpot ground beef casserole tends to dry out (and the pasta gets a little mushy) when left on the "warm" setting. Serve it as soon as it's finished cooking for the best results.

You can get a little prep out of the way ahead of time by browning the meat and combining it with the soup mixture. Store it in the refrigerator for up to two days, or until you're ready to dump it in the crockpot.

Nutrition