This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese? Not only is it creamy and delicious, but it’s so easy and fun to make with kids!
I don’t know many kids who don’t like macaroni and cheese. Come on, cheese and pasta, what’s not to like?
I love making my own mac and cheese, but even for someone like me who wants to make everything homemade, it’s not always easy. Between cooking the pasta, making the sauce and then baking it, the process can take time that many mothers (including myself), just don’t have! But as time consuming as the homemade kind can be, I just can’t break down and buy the powdered cheese, boxed version, no matter how easy it may be to prepare.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
If you have a rice cooker (and I hope you do because it is one of the great kitchen time savers), this recipe is going to change you and your kid’s world! All you have to do is put all of the ingredients into the rice cooker and let it do all the work for you.
The best part is that you can tailor this recipe to your child’s favorite tastes and flavors. For example, if you want to give it some added nutrition, just add an array of veggies. This is also a great way to involve your kids in cooking since they can have fun placing all of the ingredients in the cooker.
Now, what are you going to do with all of that time you just saved being a kitchen hero to your kids?
P.S. Click here for the Rice Cooker I love by Zojirushi!!
Photos by Matt Armendariz
Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta (I used macaroni, but you could also use rotini, faralle or bite size pasta)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (I use low sodium stock)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese ( I use a 3 cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella and monterey jack)
Instructions
- Place the first 3 ingredients in the rice cooker and cook for 15 minutes.
- Open the lid, add the milk and cheese, stir to combine, close the lid and cook for an additional 20 minutes (25 minutes if you want it to have a crust on the bottom).
- *Rice cookers can cook at different heats, so make sure to check the mac & cheese after if cooks for 30 minutes once or twice.
- Serve.
Notes
- * Option: You can also add a cup of finely chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, butternut squash or frozen peas. Do so in step #2.
[…] Receita de Macarrão com Queijo Veja a receita aqui […]
Yes, I think that would work! Thanks for watching!
I know this is an old thread but I saw you on the Chew yesterday making the ‘green’ Mac and Cheese. Could I purée the spinach with the milk and add that to this rice cooker recipe?
Thanks for all the great tips and ideas.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I doubled the recipe. Used the white rice/regular/sushi setting and checked on it every 5 minutes or so. Overall it did take me longer than the recipe. I let almost all the broth be absorbed by the rotini before adding milk/cheese. My cheese combo was half sharp cheddar and half quesodilla, and I added a bag of frozen mixed veggies and leftover slow-cooker BBQ chicken towards the end. Thanks so much!
[…] to make in the Rice Ninja too. Zojirushi has a recipe for a whole wheat cake, Weelicious takes on macaroni and cheese, and Bits of Tastes makes chicken with ginger and Chinese five spice. People are more than a little […]
This was delicious! I added diced butternut squash at the start of step #2 and it cooked nicely. I wish I had stirred throughout as it got a little browned after 20 minutes.
Use a separate timer if you have a 1 button cooker. Also, I let it cook on “warm” after adding the milk. Yum!
Wow — Delicious! I was skeptical about this recipe but it seemed so easy that I just had to try it. And, it was AMAZING! I added cauliflower and it added a sweetness that was especially nice with the dish. I will definitely make this again. My 2 1/2 yr old son who is generally a very picky eater ate it all up vigorously!
I also have a 1-button rice cooker — I had no issues. My only modification to the recipe is that I stirred the ingredients several times during cooking.
I made this from the new book Weelicious and it came out very soupy. Also, the cheese/milk curdled but I have a cheap rice cooker with one button that switches to warm when the weight of the pot gets light enough that it knows the water has absorbed/evaporated as steam. I tested it with 2 cups of rice and it boiled for 35 minutes! So I boiled the cheese. Not sure if I should just switch it to warm after the initial 15 minutes and add the cheese/milk to keep it from boiling. Not sure when I’d add the veggies, though. At the beginning? Maybe frozen veggies would help, but then I am not sure if the pasta would cook long enough. Also, what if I want to use the little noodles that only take 7 minutes to cook (and warn you not to overcook) vs. the 11 needed for regular pasta? Is there a modified version of the recipe for that?
[…] first is the Weelicious recipe for rice cooker mac and cheese. Yeah, I know, mac and cheese — not the healthiest thing in the world. But it is healthier […]
Very simple yet yummy recipe. Hmmm! sounds good that my friendly rice cooker made this one.
Thanks you for such a simple recipe. I have a 1 button rice maker – I’ll be sure to read the comments & learn from their experiences.
I’m thinking mac ‘n’ cheese for dinner tonight sounds awesome!
I haven’t tried that, but good idea!
It really depends on each baby. Some babies can gum soft foods and love doing that, others just want purees until they have several teeth. Talk to your pediatrician and try out a few soft foods to see what your daughter thinks of them! 🙂
have you ever tried it with whole milk plain yogurt instead of liquid whole milk? cna’t wait to try this with my 10 month old! she has 2 bottom teeth so I will probably pruree it a bit. when did you stop prureeing your baby’s foods? do you have to wait till all their teeth come out? thanks for a great website:)
Of all the kitchen appliances I have bought (and wasted money on) – the best appliance of all (and the most used) is my rice cooker which only cost me $10! I look forward to trying the mac cheese, thank you
Haloo =)Can I ask if I can’t find Calrose rice or California rice, are there any other type of rice that I can replace it with? Sorry, I’m new in this but I relaly love baking and cooking, but I can’t seem to make things go quite right yet. Haha. Awesome blog! =D
Made this with no alterations and it came out great. I had to adjust the times for my rice cooker settings (just turn on or off) but it worked. thank you! I have never had a meal here I have not liked from this site!