Made from Scratch Mac and Cheese
Seriously, who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese? It has been a staple dish throughout my childhood and now it makes regular appearances on menus as a main entree for adults. The best part of making it from scratch is that it’s so simple and tastes amazing. Put the boxed mac n’ cheese back on the shelf and try this smoked gouda macaroni and cheese.
What You’ll Need to Make Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese
- Cheese – Smoked gouda cheese of course is the hero and what makes this dish so creamy with just a hint of smokey flavor. Feel free to go all in with 100% gouda, but I also include traditional cheddar cheese to provide just a bit of sharpness. Be sure to shred the cheese for a quick melt in this cheddar and gouda mac and cheese dish.
- Pasta – How you prepare the pasta is just as important as the sauce. I like to use a teaspoon of salt for every 3 cups of water to boil the pasta. The water should be flavorful like a salty broth. By doing this, you can almost eat the pasta plain. Plus, the reserved pasta water to add to the sauce with be flavorful too.
- Butter and Cream – the foundation of this sauce is a roux made with salted butter and flour. Find a good heavy whipping cream as the next layer, both the butter and cream ensure the sauce with be rich.
- Dry Mustard and Nutmeg – Both are completely optional. However, both give the creamy sauce more depth and balance the richness. Use more or less of each to your desired taste, try to add a bit at a time or leave them out altogether.
How to Make Macaroni and Cheese with Gouda
Honestly, the most effort you’ll put into this dish is grating the cheeses. I prefer to start boiling the pasta and let it do its thing while making the sauce. It’s important to prep the cheeses and have everything for the sauce ready to go before you begin.
I also recommend using room temperature butter. Keep a close eye and constantly whisk the sauce as you build it. First, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour and stir. Your sauce should maintain a pretty yellow color and may become frothy.
… More Smoked Gouda Saucy Goodness
Next, carefully whisk in the heavy whipping cream and increase the heat slightly. The sauce should get slightly bubbly and become thick. Then, turning the heat back down, add in the cheeses, salt, pepper, and spices. Mix until the cheese is completely melted, and all ingredients are combined. Done.
This isn’t too much more effort to make homemade smoked gouda mac n cheese recipe than mixing that boxed powdery stuff with milk and butter. You did it!
A Few Finishing Touches
All right, so by now you have an amazing smoked gouda cheese sauce, and your pasta should be done. If the pasta finishes before you are done with the sauce, it’s ok. Remove it from the heat. Remember to pull out a cup of pasta water. Once the sauce catches up, completely drain the pasta. Mix the sauce with the cooked elbows. At this point, the sauce will seem perfect, but be sure to add the pasta water. The pasta will soak up the sauce. All that’s left is to dig in!
Tips, Tricks, & FAQs
- How To Prep Your Leftovers. Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese is great the next day. If your mac is super thick, add more milk or heavy whipping cream as it reheats to loosen it up.
- Salt Water. Seriously, be generous with the salt in the water. The right amount of salt will make the pasta so good, you’ll be able to eat it without the sauce.
- Bacon On Top! Serve Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese topped with crispy crumbled bacon. Try this recipe to make clean up a snap: Mess Free Oven Bacon.
- Is Gouda a good melting cheese for mac and cheese? You bet! It’s soft, creamy, and mild. Smoked Gouda adds a bit of smoky flavor.
Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese
Equipment
- 2-quart saucepan
- cheese grater
- Colander
- cutting board
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- paring knife
- small saucepan
- spoon
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 1 teaspoon sea salt per 3 cups of water to boil pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to flavor sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup pasta water
Instructions
- Prep work: Gather all ingredients. Grate the cheeses, measure the butter, flour, and heavy whipping cream. You do not want your sauce waiting on you.3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded smoked gouda, 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Pasta: Prepare 2 cups of pasta in a 2-quart saucepan with enough water to cover the pasta by 2". I use 1 teaspoon of salt for every 3 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil. Add salt and stir. Then, add pasta and cook for 7-9 minutes or until desired tenderness. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.Â2 cups dry elbow macaroni, 1 teaspoon sea salt per 3 cups of water to boil pasta
- Butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring to prevent burning or browning.
- Roux: As soon as the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to make a roux. Continue to whisk over low heat 1 to 2 minutes to cook the flour. This mix will get frothy and should remain a pretty yellow color. If the mix turns brown, abort and start over. It's better to do this now, than to end up with a burnt flour taste in your sauce.
- Cream: While continuing to whisk the roux, slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream. Over medium low heat, mix until well combined, slightly thickened and bubbly. This will make a smooth, white sauce that will be runny but coat the back of a spoon.Â
- Cheeses: Next, add the cheeses; reduce the heat back to low and stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Finishes touches: Stir in salt, black pepper, dried mustard and nutmeg.1/4 teaspoon sea salt to flavor sauce, 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pasta water: Add the pasta water and combine. The sauce will seem soupy and too runny, but once it's added to the pasta it will all thicken up.1/4 cup pasta water
- Combine: Combine the sauce with well drained cooked pasta.
- Enjoy!
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