Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
This smoked gouda mac and cheese is ultra-creamy, deeply smoky, and ready in 20 minutes — a roux-based béchamel sauce loaded with freshly shredded smoked gouda and savory spices. Better than any boxed version, and only about 5 minutes more work.
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 freshly shredded smoked gouda cheese
- ¾ tsp Onion powder
- ⅛ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard powder
Instructions
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until just foaming. Add flour and whisk vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the mixture smells warm and nutty.
- Pour in milk while continuing to whisk. Cook 2–3 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens and you can see the bottom of the pot when you draw the whisk through.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the shredded Gouda, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and mustard powder. Whisk vigorously for 15–30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
- Stir in drained pasta until fully coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Critical tip: Always shred gouda from the block — pre-shredded contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- Grainy sauce fix: Always add cheese on low heat, whisking quickly. High heat causes the sauce to break.
- Using salted butter: Reduce added salt to ½ teaspoon.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta and swap all-purpose flour for a 1:1 GF flour blend.
- Pasta water: Reserve a splash to thin the sauce if needed.
- Pasta shapes: Cavatappi, small shells, or orecchiette also work great.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 35.5gProtein: 15.2gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 520mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4g
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