Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese is a delicious combination of a smoky, velvety cheese sauce with tender pasta. Every bite is creamy, cheesy perfection. Smoked Gouda adds a bold and nutty taste to a family-favorite, classic recipe. It's luxurious comfort food with a warm and smoky twist.
Serve your mac and cheese with Homemade Potato Rolls (a no-knead dinner roll recipe) and oven-roasted, balsamic Brussels sprouts for an incredible menu!
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⭐ Why Melinda Loves Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
I'm a big fan of homemade mac and cheese, and even my Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe includes smoked gouda, but THIS recipe makes that smoky cheese the star of the show!
It's irresistible flavor! Seriously, this mac and cheese recipe just might change the way your family enjoys mac and cheese.
It's a wonderful, easy (and impressive) recipe to share as a side dish for holiday meals, a game-day buffet, office potlucks or even the fanciest dinner parties.
🧀 Ingredients to Have on Hand
Pretty much any time we combine tender pasta with a creamy, melty, cheesy sauce we have what I consider "magic" in the kitchen. My Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel recipe is another good example of that.
Here's all you need to make delicious Homemade Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese:
Smoked Gouda Cheese: I like to buy a big wedge of this from Costco and keep it on hand and make this recipe several times over a few weeks. Smoked Gouda is usually found next to specialty cheeses (such as Parmesan, Feta or Blue Cheese) in the grocery store.
White Cheddar Cheese: The sharp tanginess of White Cheddar Cheese is a fantastic contrast to the mellow, nutty flavor of the gouda cheese. You can also use any type of cheddar cheese such as mild or sharp, but the white cheddar is my favorite.
Pasta: Any shape of pasta will work great. My favorite pasta for this recipe is (affiliate link) Cavatappi pasta, mostly because the first time I tasted Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese in a restaurant that's the type of pasta they used.
Cavatappi is twisty and curly pasta and shaped a bit like a corkscrew. It adds to the "wow" factor of this recipe, but elbow pasta or even small shells will work just fine. (Scroll down for a great tip on getting the best flavor from your cooked pasta! Spoiler alert, use garlic salt in place of regular salt.)
Scroll to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📖 Substitutions and Variations
Smoked paprika adds a wonderful, mild and slightly sweet smoky flavor to mac and cheese. It has a more complex and deeper flavor than regular paprika which is why (affiliate link) I recommend smoked paprika. But as a substitute, you can use regular paprika.
Here are a few other ways to use smoked paprika. Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Strips, Homemade Fry Sauce and Tamale Casserole are all recipes that use it so if you buy a jar, there are plenty of great ways to put it to good use.
Add bacon to your mac and cheese. I'm convinced pretty much everything is better with bacon and in this case, it's a game changer. Unless you are serving this as a meatless main dish or side - sprinkling cooked, crumbled bacon on top of the baked mac and cheese is incredible!
Serve mac and cheese with (affiliate link) sliced jalapenos. The heat and spice from a few slices of pickled or canned jalapenos are wonderful with the creamy cheese pasta. This is my husband's favorite way to enjoy this mac and cheese.
Pro Tip: Use the same saucepan to cook the pasta and make the cheese sauce. This makes cleaning up a breeze! Cook the pasta and drain it in a colander over the sink. Then use the same pan to make the cheese sauce on the stovetop.
🥗 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Grate the smoked gouda and white cheddar cheese. Set the cheese aside. I often do this step while I'm waiting for the water to boil, but it's also a good option to grate the cheese first. That way it's ready for you. Be sure to grate an extra ½ cup of the combined cheeses for the topping. More on that in a minute. (Photo #1)
Step 2: Boil the water for the pasta. Fill a 3 or 4-quart saucepan about ¾ full of water. Place the pan on the stove and heat the water over high heat, until boiling. Once the water starts to boil, stir in 2 teaspoons of garlic salt and stir until the salt dissolves. This will take just a few seconds and it's a great way to add a boost of flavor to your pasta. (Photo #2)
Step 3: Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir. Set the timer and cook the pasta for 9-10 minutes. You’ll want the pasta to be al dente, or somewhat firm, so the cooking time will vary depending on what shape of pasta you use. Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander over the sink, leave the pasta there and return the empty saucepan to the stove for the next step. (Photo #3)
Step 4: Turn the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once the butter melts, whisk in the flour and keep whisking for one minute so the butter and flour blend. (Photo #4)
Step 5: Pour the milk into the pan with the butter and flour mixture and continue whisking until the ingredients create a creamy sauce. Increasing the heat a little is fine, but watch it carefully so it doesn’t scorch. (Photo #5)
Step 6: Turn off the heat and add the smoked gouda cheese, white cheddar cheese, smoked paprika, white pepper and salt. (Photo #6)
Step 7: Whisk and stir until blended. This is a great time to taste the cheese sauce! (Photo #7)
Step 8: Add the cooked pasta to the saucepan with the cheese sauce. Stir again to get all the pasta coated with the cheese sauce. You could serve the mac and cheese right after this step if you'd like, but believe me, it's even better after baking in the oven. (Photo #8)
Step 9: Spread the pasta and cheese sauce into a 9” x 9” or any 2-quart baking dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. (Photo #9)
Step 10: The mac and cheese is ready once you see bubbling around the edges and the center is hot. Remember, everything was fully cooked when we placed this in the oven. (Photo 10)
Pro Tip: After you remove the dish from the oven, stir the baked mac and cheese gently (one or two quick turns with the spoon) and sprinkle the ½ cup of reserved smoked gouda cheese and white cheddar cheese on top, cover lightly with foil and let set for about 10 minutes before digging in.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, it is edible although it's not as creamy and pleasant as the cheese itself. I have eaten it many times especially when I've used it for a cheese tray or charcuterie board. But for the best, creamiest results for mac and cheese I trim it off before grating it.
The brown part, or the rind, on Smoked Gouda, doesn't melt as smoothly as the cheese itself. Generally, cheese rinds are perfectly fine to eat as long as they aren't made of wax or cloth. And some rinds are so thick and hard they just aren't palatable.
It's totally up to you. I like using 2% milk but I've made this recipe using half and half and wow, does that make for a rich cheese sauce! If you prefer an ultra creamy cheese sauce half and half is a great option.
Yes, any type of cheddar cheese is an excellent substitute. I like white cheddar the best for its tangy "sharpness" which complements the rich smoky gouda beautifully.
🥘 What to Serve with Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
If you are serving this as a side dish, it goes beautifully with pretty much any protein. From Cheeseburger Pie to Buttermilk Chicken Tenders, Crusted Chicken Romano, Grown-Up Pigs in a Blanket or even seafood recipes like Old Fashioned Salmon Patties and Smoked Salmon on the Pellet Grill. Homemade mac and cheese with gouda is an incredible side dish!
It's also a very versatile and hearty homemade macaroni and cheese and can be served as the main course.
Pair it with a crisp salad topped with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette and follow it with a comforting dessert like Classic Vanilla Cheesecake or Pumpkin Pie made with Sweetened Condensed Milk, so delicious!
🥣 Leftovers and Storage
Store Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese leftovers - if there are any - in a covered, airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. A scoop or two make a wonderful lunch the next day!
For reheating, you may notice the cheese sauce and the chilled pasta tighten up a bit after refrigeration but it helps to sprinkle a few drops of water on the top before reheating. This will help soften the sauce as it warms up.
Either microwave leftovers on individual serving plates or reheat a dish of leftovers covered in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes.
🍽 Other Tasty Dinner Recipes
I have lots of other dinner recipes for you and your family to enjoy! Here are a few that are some of my favorites.
If you make Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese I'd love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a 🌟 star rating and a comment below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Recipe
Corinna Provant says
I made the smoked gouda mac and cheese for my husband and he is in heaven. 🙂
Perfect timing -- I had a big block of smoked gouda and -- bam there was your email with a great way to use my gouda. We love it and have plenty frozen for future meals. Thank you... a great yummy twist on Mac -n- cheese.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Hi Corinna! This really is a wonderful, new way to serve mac and cheese isn't it? I'm thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe and thank you for the five star rating!
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
(Admin Melinda's rating.)