Hello, friend!

If I had to make a guess, it would be that you arrived here after a quick Google or Pinterest search… perhaps for the best homemade macaroni and cheese recipe ever?

If so, congrats! You found it!

Okay, okay – I may be a little biased, but I can say without the shadow of a doubt that this recipe will fulfill your cheese-loving dreams, and then some. This combination of ingredients is the perfect marriage of cheese, spices, and of course, my favourite – Kaslo Sourdough pasta!

Kaslo Sourdough is my partner for this post, and honestly, trust me on this one – once you try Kaslo’s sourdough noodles cooked to al dente perfection, you’ll never go back. The flavour is similar to regular pasta, but better, thanks to the sourdough. That said, my favourite attribute of these noodles? The texture! They cook faster than traditional pasta, and have a denser, more satisfying ‘sink your teeth into it’ mouthfeel. I would compare it closer to fresh pasta from your favourite local Italian restaurant than dried pasta. Better still, no more tummy aches for gluten-sensitive bellies like mine (*though those with celiac disease will still need to steer clear, as wheat is still wheat, even when cultured like Kaslo’s special sourdough formula).

If you’d like to try Kaslo’s pasta, enjoy 10% off with my exclusive follower discount code, JAMIEPASTA! There are several varieties and shapes to try, and even variety packs so that you can see what you like the best before ordering regular sized bags. I would recommend trying either a Sampler Pack, or a classic Radiatori and Spaghetti for a proper first introduction to Kaslo’s pasta.

Back to the recipe, or rather, the cheese and spices I mentioned before. In my opinion, the most common mistake when making a homemade mac ‘n cheese (that can compete with the boxed stuff; we all know it’s hard to beat a classic boxed mac!) is in… the cheese! And not in the way you’d assume. A lot of recipes, or amateur ‘cook with your heart’ chefs (like myself, I speak from experience!), tend to simply melt down a bunch of cheeses, stir it into macaroni, and call it a day. Many recipes also rely on cream cheese as the secret to creaminess and tang, which is good… when you really love cream cheese. Cream cheese pasta is great, but cream cheese tends to take over the entire flavour profile of whatever it’s in, and that’s exactly why I don’t use it in a sharp cheddar mac and cheese.

The real secret to bringing the best flavour to a macaroni and cheese?

Spices! Yep, spices. Namely, my top two go-to’s for bringing the flavour out of hard cheeses – ground mustard, and spicy cayenne pepper. It may seem strange, but after you try adding these two ingredients to your next batch, you’ll be a believer!

Est. prep time: 15 minutes
Est. cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes on high, 3 hours 30 minutes on low
Est. calories per serving: 317-375 (for 1/6th of this recipe, dependant on milk/cream used)
Makes 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

2c. Kaslo Sourdough Macaroni (or any preferred short Kaslo noodle)
2c. Preferred milk
3/4c. Heavy cream
1/2c. Grated white cheddar cheese
1/2c. Grated Swiss cheese
1/2c. Grated havarti cheese
2tbsp. Grated gruyère cheese
1/2tsp. Ground mustard
1/2tsp. Garlic powder
1/4tsp. Cayenne pepper
1/2tsp. each S&P (or to preferred taste)

TOPPINGS:

Parmesan cheese
Fresh thyme
Fresh oregano
Fresh parsley
Pickled jalapeños
Hot sauce
S&P

METHOD

In a medium-large slow cooker, combine milk, cream, and spices, and whisk well.

Add two cups of Kaslo Sourdough pasta (raw and uncooked) to the slow cooker, along with all of the grated cheeses. Stir until well mixed. With a wooden spoon, gently press noodles down, to cover with the milk and cream mixture.

Cover, and let cook on low for three and a half hours, or high for an hour and forty-five minutes. As tempting as it may be, unless you smell burning, always follow the cardinal rule of slow cooker use – do not lift the lid during cook time. Trust me, and trust the process.

This is the perfect recipe to treat your love, your family, or yourself to this Valentine’s Day! I would recommend serving this delicious dish alongside grilled chicken or steak, with sautéed green beans or asparagus for a romantic evening in. For a fun family dinner? Go forth, and serve with ketchup and chicken nuggets; we don’t judge around here!

One thing is for sure… whoever you serve this up to will feel very loved and spoiled.

Especially if you serve it up in cute heart-shaped bowls!

The creamiest and most flavourful, thanks to those delish spices! The minute you open that slow cooker, you will be reaching for a fork to dig right in. Ask me how I know…!

Thank you very much for visiting the blog today! I know you and your family will love this recipe, if not for Valentine’s Day, then any day of the year. It’s always a good day for pasta!

Please give Kaslo and I a follow on IG to keep up with all of our new recipes, pasta sales, and more. We have many more recipes to explore on each of our blogs as well, simply search ‘Kaslo’ or ‘pasta’ on my blog, or check out Kaslo’s blog for more great contributor recipes! Do you think we should create more slow cooker based recipes in the future? After our fun pasta chips and dip this past fall, and our darling heart-topped pasta bake for Valentine’s Day last year, I’m feeling extra creative…! Drop a comment if there’s anything special you’d like to see from us this year.

Lots of love to you and yours for a fantastic 2023, and Happy Valentine’s Day, dear reader!

xo, Jamie