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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.
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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.
Very good recepies ideas.
That depends on the size of your rice cooker! I can double the recipe in mine! 🙂
Hi Catherine! I love all the food on your blog so I’m actually bringing the recipes to work to cook with my group (we are 17 people). I want to triple the recipe. Can I put it all in one rice cooker or do I need to find additional rice cookers and divide it among three rice cookers? Many thanks.
This is the second time I’ve made this. The first time didn’t come out so good, but this time it did. Yum! I may never make Mac and cheese the old fashioned way! A bit of advice, as mentioned in another post, unplug if rice cooker goes to warm so that you can then place it on cook again. And check often! We don’t like a crusty bottom, so I stirred often. So glad I tried this again!
Outstanding! Terrific call to cook until crust on the bottom. It added a level of complexity that was perfect. I subbed in GF quinoa/corn elbows, and might have cooked step one just a fewer minutes less, but it holds up well. Really a surprisingly easy and delicious dish.
Love this! Quick question: I don’t have a rice cooker but would it work if I used my slow cooker/Crockpot?
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The cheese melts while it is cooking in the rice cooker!
Hi, this recipe is really great, I love Western cooking! can I ask, do u melt the cheese or what? Sorry if this question sounds really weird, im not familiar with mac and cheese, but i’d love to try it
i love how easy it was to make homemade mac n cheese. my family and i had it for dinner. i added vegetable broth to the mix. very tasty. my son loved it too. thank you!
I keep my rice cooker on the brown rice setting, but it shouldn’t matter because it doesn’t change the heat. Try adding a small handful of extra cheese just before serving!
Help! What am I doing wrong? Everytime I attempt this recipe, it comes out kind of curdled looking. What setting is your rice cooker on (or does that not matter?) Thanks!
This is the perfect dinner recipe for our babysitter to prepare! Thanks for another wonderful creation!
You could use vegetable or beef broth instead! You can use water if you prefer, but then it won’t be quite as flavorful.
Are there any substitutes for the chicken broth?
I luv mac and cheese thanx 4 this recipe