Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

This Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese is a cheesy and smoky dish made with simple ingredients and a smoker.

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Smoked Mac And Cheese is the smoked version of the classic Mac And Cheese casserole made with Smoked Gouda. It’s the same cheesy dish but with a raft of smoked flavors to give it a completely different and surprising taste. While the base version is delicious, you can supercharge it with Smoked Bacon for a Smoked Bacon Mac and Cheese.

The full recipe is just below, but be sure to keep reading after that for all my ingredient selection tips, cooking tricks, and much more!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Let’s see what you need to make a smoky cheese casserole:

• Elbow Macaroni – Macaroni is small pasta that you can be made with wheat (the classic pasta), with low-carb ingredients (pea protein, egg whites), or even with zero-carb ingredients such as Konjac noodles.
• Milk of Choice – full-fat milk works better, or you can also use half and half. You can also use high-fat dairy-free milk.
• Cream Cheese – cream cheese brings a ton of creaminess.
• All-purpose Flour – or sunflower seed flour for a lower-carb option.
• Salt & Black Pepper
• Shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese – You can also use sharp Cheddar Cheese, regular Gouda Cheese, Colby Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, or Emmental. I recommend shredding the cheese yourself for a full flavor. Pre-shredded cheese brings less cheesy flavors.

And for the optional topping:

• Panko breadcrumb
• Melted butter
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Pinch of salt

How To Make Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese

This smoked macaroni and cheese casserole is a fantastic comforting family dinner to add a smoky flavor to your classic cheesy pasta casserole.

1. The topping is optional but delicious. Melt the butter, and stir with panko crumb, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder.
2. Sprinkle the crumb on top of the dish before smoking or baking.
3. Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
4. When the pasta is cooked, drain it over a sieve and wait 10 minutes before using it in the recipe.
5. In a large saucepan, melt butter, then stir in the flour. Stir with a spoon over medium-low heat until the mixture forms a roux. A roux is when pieces of flour and butter start to crumble.
6. Add the milk gradually and whisk to combine and create a thick sauce.
7. When the white sauce has thickened, add the grated cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring over medium heat until the cheese is melted.
8. Sprinkle some additional flavoring to the sauce, like onion powder, garlic powder, or salt and pepper.
9. Always taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed before assembling the casserole.
10. Select an oven-safe pan made from glass, ceramic, or cast iron pan. A 9-inch x 13-inch pan is excellent for this recipe, but you can also use a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet.
11. Return the drained cooked macaroni noodles to the large pot you used to cook them.
12. Pour the white sauce on top, and stir to combine. Pour in the cast iron skillet or baking dish you choose.
13. Sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top of the dish.
14. To turn this Smoked Mac n Cheese into a Smoked Bacon Mac And Cheese, add pan-fried diced bacon to the dish.
15. To smoke the casserole, first, preheat the smoker or grill to 225°F (110°C). Use mild wood chips you like in the tray. I recommend using applewood, cheery, or pecan chips, or it enhances the cheese flavor in the dish. If your smoker can’t reach high temperatures, the recipe will work well but requires a longer smoking time to get flavorsome.
16. Smoke the casserole for about 1 hour in indirect heat or until a delicious smoke flavor develop in the dish.
17. Don’t over-smoke the casserole or the sauce dries out.

Serving

This smoked Mac And Cheese is perfect served as a side dish to grilled meat, fish, or roasted vegetables. My favorite options are:

• 4-Ingredient Oven Baked Pork Chops
• Steak Alfredo In 30 Minutes!
• Blackened Chicken
• Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders

You can add fresh chopped parsley or dill on top of the dish before serving. The dish can also be supercharged with a drizzle of Dijon mustard, Bearnaise sauce, or by making your own sauce:

• Cilantro Garlic Sauce
• 3-Ingredient Alfredo Sauce
• 3-Ingredient BBQ Sauce
• Cilantro Garlic Sauce

Storage Instructions

Store your smoked Mac’n Cheese leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze individual portions in the freezer for up to 3 months in sealed containers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find below my answers to the most common questions about smoked mac and cheese.

More BBQ And Smoker Recipes

Below are some more recipes for using your smoker or barbecue this summer.