Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese is a great recipe for kids to help make in the kitchen!
Doesn’t every kid love macaroni & cheese. I know I did as a kid and my kids loved it. My preferred way of eating it though always included ketchup. Mac & cheese always seemed to be a go to dinner or lunch because it was so easy – just grab that blue box, add some milk and you were set.
Today I’ve got a better option for you. It’s just as easy, it tastes better (no ketchup needed) and the kids can do it themselves! The beauty of this recipe is that it is done in a rice cooker, a much safer option for kids as they don’t have to use the stove.
I had my little helper Addy in the kitchen again. Homemade macaroni & cheese was one of the things on the list she wanted to learn to make. What kid doesn’t love mac & cheese!
The cooking times for this recipe may vary a bit depending on your rice cooker. So the first time you make it you will want to keep an eye on it.
Addy added the chicken broth and the pasta into the rice cooker. We used macaroni. Even though the recipe I wrote on the table says 1 1/2 C of chicken broth I ended up using 2 C.
We then let it cook until all the liquid is absorbed. For my rice cooker it took about 15 minutes. This is where you will have to watch it the first time to see when the liquid is absorbed. As soon as the liquid is absorbed you will add in the milk and cheese. The pasta may still be a little al dente at this point but it will cook with the milk and soften up more.
The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to finish cooking!
I bet they clean their plate!
I prefer my mac & cheese to be a little drier but if you like it more creamy just add in a little extra milk.
Check out these other posts in the Kids Can Cook series:
Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese Recipe
Rice Cooker Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 C pasta
- 2 C chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 C milk
- 1 1/2 C shredded cheese. I used a combo of cheddar and mozzarella
Instructions
- Place pasta, salt and chicken broth in rice cooker.
- Cook until liquid is absorbed. Watch to see how long your rice cooker takes. Mine took about 15 minutes.
- Stir in milk and cheese.
- Allow to cook for another 15 minutes.
Nutrition
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Should the lid be on the whole time? And also should I have the cook function on the whole time or at some point let it switch to warm?
Yes, the lid is on the whole time. After it is the tenderness you like you can switch it to warm until you are ready to eat
About how many servings is this? I need to feed 8 people (and like to have left overs.) Should I double or triple this?
Kisa, Are you using it as a main dish or as a side dish? As a Side I would double, if a main dish you may want to triple, depending on how big of eaters you have.
Thank you thank you thank you! This is just what I’ve been looking for and I love when my appliances are put to multiple use! I can’t wait to try it out tonight! 🙂
Can’t wait to make this!
When I saw this yesterday I couldn’t wait to try it, and my 8 year old son decided he wanted to make the whole thing! He did a great job and it was delicious. BUT – so much stuck to the bottom of the cooker. Do you have a trick to prevent getting a layer of brown, crusted macaroni on the bottom?
You just need to turn the rice cooker off a little sooner to prevent the browning on the bottom.
Hi. Love this idea & will have my kids try it sometime!!
I would like to know if you have a recipe for those cookies you aew holding! Thanks. 😉
I actually bought them at the grocery store for the photo shoot!!
Love it…….except I don’t have a rice cooker :-/ would you happen to know maybe know crock pot equivalent? Thanks!
Tatjana, There are lots of crock pot mac & cheese recipes out there. I would just google and choose one that looks good to you. Have fun!
can I use is same recipe but cook on the stove ?
woohoo, love this!!! Excited to show the kids how to make it!
It is so fun and easy and love that the kids can do it all themselves.
Looks great! I love being able to use my kitchen appliances for multiple uses……will have to try out this mac and cheese recipe for sure!
Jen, Hope you enjoy it. The process is as as fun as eating it.
Looks so good and easy! I will for sure be making this soon! Thanks!.
Michelle, Hope you have as much fun with as we did!
Boooo! Where is a printable recipe!? Why do I have to read it like a story!? You need a highlighted link to the actual recipe, not just a story on how you made it. Ugh.
Jen, There is a printable recipe at the bottom of the page – right before the comments.
At what point do you add the salt? With the broth?
Sorry about that Patti – yes with the broth is great.