Creamy Gouda is the star of this Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese. Ready in under 20 minutes and perfect as an easy weeknight meal.
Looking for even more creamy, cozy mac and cheese recipes? Then, you'll love my 3 Cheese Mac and Cheese, White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, and Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for details.
Table of Contents
Today we are enjoying another installation of my favorite food group: mac and cheese!
This mac and cheese recipe, though mild enough for most kids to enjoy, is for adults. With smoky gouda cheese and savory spices, smoked gouda macaroni and cheese has a stepped up yet still oh-so-comforting flavor.
Best of all: this homemade stovetop mac and cheese takes just 5 minutes longer to make than the boxed variety! When a dish this good is that easy and simple to make, just one taste and you may never go back. 😉
What is smoked gouda cheese?
Gouda cheese is a classic Dutch cow's milk cheese that is smoked over hickory wood chips. Though it's from the Netherlands, it can be easily found in most major grocery store chains in the U.S.
The younger a gouda cheese is, the more mild it will be. The more aged the cheese is, the more intense flavor it will have.
Is Gouda a good melting cheese for mac and cheese?
Yes, Gouda is an amazing cheese for mac and cheese. It melts smooth and is creamy and luscious, helping it to evenly coat the pasta. Now that I've discovered gouda mac and cheese, it's our new preferred way to enjoy macaroni and cheese!
Ingredients:
- Pasta - macaroni (also known as "elbow shapes"), small shells, or even orecchiette work best for this smoked mac and cheese.
- Smoked Gouda Cheese - the better quality cheese that you use for this recipe, the better it will taste. But, this recipe is still amazing with a standard smoked gouda cheese. I have used goudas from both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and both have been delicious, though the Whole Foods cheese adds a more complex flavor.
- Unsalted butter - if using salted butter, reduce the additional salt in this recipe to ½ teaspoon.
- All-purpose flour
- Milk - 2% or 1% dairy milk provides richness without making the gouda mac n cheese heavy.
- Seasonings - salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder complete the gouda cheese sauce!
How to make gouda mac and cheese:
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Boil the pasta.
Cook the pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water. Drain.
Step 2: Make the roux.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour to the butter and whisk vigorously, or until the mixture smells warm and nutty.
Step 3: Whisk the milk into the roux.
Pour the milk into the roux. Whisk and cook, or until the sauce thickens up.
Step 4: Make the gouda cheese sauce.
Whisk in the shredded cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder until smooth and melted.
Stir the pasta in until combined. Serve hot!
Recipe pro-tips:
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. Adequately salting the pasta water is key to great tasting pasta. I recommend at least 1 tablespoon of salt for every 1 ½ quarts of boiling water.
- Measure all of the ingredients out before making the gouda cheese sauce. The roux cooks quickly, so prevent burning it by having all of the ingredients ready to go as you need them.
Smoked Gouda macaroni and cheese mix-ins:
Add some extra flavor or staying power to your mac and cheese by stirring in any of the following.
- Bacon - crispy and crumbled
- Grilled chicken - top the pasta or mix it in
- Green peas - just steamed until they're cooked through and bright green
- Sautéed mushrooms - adds vegetarian heartiness and the savory flavor perfectly complements Gouda
- Flaked tuna - tuna packed in olive oil will add the best flavor but water packed tuna is also delicious.
Storage directions:
- Refrigerating: leftovers keep covered in a refrigerated container for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: warm the smoked gouda macaroni and cheese on medium heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, or until warmed through. Loosen the sauce with additional milk if needed.
- Freezing: Mac and cheese can also be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
Save this Recipe for Later on Pinterest
Tools needed to make this recipe
More mac and cheese recipes
- Healthy Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Kraft Mac & Cheese
- Taco Mac and Cheese
- Tuna Mac and Cheese
- Lactose-Free Mac and Cheese
Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz. macaroni pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cup milk 2% or 1%
- ¾ heaping teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
- ¾ tsp Onion powder
- ⅛ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard powder
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water and drain.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, just until it starts to foam. Add the flour to the butter and whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture smells warm and nutty. If the flour coats the bottom of the pan and starts to turn golden brown, turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Pour the milk into the saucepan while continuing to whisk the roux. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, whisking non-stop, or until the sauce thickens up and you can see the bottom of the pot when you whisk it.
- Turn the heat to low. Add in the shredded cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder. Whisk vigorously for 15-30 seconds, or until the cheese is smooth & creamy. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce. Serve hot!
