Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (Baked) is rich and delicious comfort food made with the most incredible cheese sauce and perfectly cooked macaroni pasta.
This hearty pasta casserole dish is loaded with 3 different kinds of cheese and topped with crispy bacon bites for extra crunch.
Ready in just 30 minutes, this super creamy casserole dish is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or an impressive holiday side dish.
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This homemade baked Macaroni Cheese recipe is incredibly easy to make, tastes fantastic, and is an absolute crowd-pleaser.
The key to success is to get the cheese sauce right and cook the pasta slightly undercooked.
For the perfectly creamy cheese sauce, I add 3 different types of cheese (smoked gouda, mature cheddar, and stilton) to the béchamel sauce, and flavor it with mustard powder.
Feel free to use different types of cheeses to create your perfect cheese combination.
If you love cheesy and creamy pasta dishes, make sure you have a look at these Creamy Shrimp Pasta and Spicy and Creamy Swedish Meatball Pasta recipes.
Why This Recipe Works?
- It is extremely easy to make with step-by-step pictures and instructions and tastes fantastic.
- This Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese recipe is an absolute crowd-pleaser and a popular choice for everyone, including picky eaters!
- It is a great comfort food you can serve as a comforting weekday meal or an impressive holiday side dish.
- You can make your variation with your favorite cheese selection and flavorings/toppings.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Pasta - Macaroni or shells are great options for this pasta dish. However, you can use any small pasta that would hold onto the creamy cheese sauce.
- Cheese - I use smoked gouda, mature cheddar, and stilton for this baked mac and cheese recipe. Go ahead and use your own favorites. Avoid using ready-shredded cheese, grate it yourself from a block of cheese for the best results.
- Butter - Use good quality unsalted butter. To make the béchamel, make sure it is melted before adding the flour.
- Milk - I use full-fat or semi-skimmed milk for the béchamel sauce. Add it slowly in small batches to the butter and flour mixture for a velvety sauce.
- Breadcrumbs - I use panko breadcrumbs for extra crispness but you can use any breadcrumb you have.
- Bacon - Use your favorite bacon to give a crunchy finish to your Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese. Optional but strongly advised!
How to Make the Perfect Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese?
Making this extremely creamy Smoked Gouda Macaroni Cheese is surprisingly straightforward.
Here are a few simple steps that you need to follow to achieve the best results:
Cook the Pasta
Place a large pot filled with water on medium heat to cook the pasta.
When the water comes to a boil, add plenty of salt along with the pasta, and give it a stir.
Cook the pasta a couple of minutes less than stated on the packaging, it will carry on cooking in the sauce while baking.
Preheat the fan oven to 200° C (390° F).
Start your cheese sauce while the pasta is cooking.
Prepare the Sauce
Have a saucepan placed on medium heat to start your cheese sauce.
Add the butter to the saucepan, let it melt, and stir in the flour.
Mix well using a wooden spatula or a whisk and cook for two minutes stirring all the time.
Whisk in a little of the warm milk at a time stirring continuously until you have a smooth, velvety sauce.
Cook on low heat for a few minutes stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened and the flour taste has disappeared.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the salt, black pepper, mustard powder, and stilton cheese.
Add the grated smoked gouda and cheddar cheese to the sauce.
Combine Pasta with Sauce and Bake
When the pasta is cooked, drain it, add it to the pot with the cheese sauce, and give it a good stir.
Transfer the macaroni cheese into a baking dish.
And then sprinkle on the panko breadcrumbs.
Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake it for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the top is slightly browned.
Prepare the crispy bacon bits while baking the macaroni cheese.
Remove the macaroni cheese from the oven, and garnish it with crispy bacon bits, and chopped parsley.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Cook the pasta a couple of minutes less than stated on the packaging, it will carry on cooking in the sauce while baking.
- Don't be tempted to buy grated cheese! Shred your own cheese using a box grater as the pre-grated cheese contains some coating that prevents the cheese from melting.
- The cheesy béchamel sauce is the most important part of the whole recipe. There are some great detailed tips and a video on my Baked Cheesy Cauliflower recipe post if you want to learn how to make perfectly silky béchamel sauce each time.
- If you want extra crust and color on your Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese, broil it for 2-3 minutes after baking it for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
What Goes Well with Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese?
You can serve this creamy Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese as a main dish along with a bowl of refreshing salad such as Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme), Coban Salatasi (Turkish Shepherd's Salad), or Gavurdagi Salatasi (Tomato and Walnut Salad).
If you want to serve it as a side dish, this macaroni cheese will compliment perfectly Air Fryer Sausage, Bamya - Turkish Okra Stew, Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant), Turkish Grilled Lamb Kofta - Izgara Kofte, and Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the recipe as per directions, transfer it to a baking dish, let it totally cool down, and keep it refrigerated for up to 3 days, or until you want to bake it.
Make sure to bring your dish to room temperature before you bake it and bake it until it is hot and bubbling away, for about 20 to 25 minutes in a 200° C (390° F) preheated oven.
The leftovers would be kept for up to five days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months if you want to keep them longer. However, the texture would be less creamy but would still taste amazing.
Of course, you can! Make sure to cook the pasta as it is stated on the packaging instead of undercooking it. You can eat it straight from the pan after mixing it with the sauce or put it under a broiler for a few minutes to get a quick browning on the top.
Related Recipes
For more delicious pasta recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this rich and creamy Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (Baked) as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (Baked)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 350 g macaroni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 65 g butter
- 65 g flour
- 600 ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 200 g smoked gouda (grated)
- 100 g cheddar (grated)
- 50 g stilton (crumbled)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 15 g panko breadcrumbs
- crispy bacon pieces (optional)
- chopped parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place a large pot filled with water on medium heat for cooking the pasta.
- When the water comes to a boil, add plenty of salt along with the pasta, and give it a stir.
- Cook the pasta a couple of minutes less than stated in the packaging, it will carry on cooking in the sauce while baking.
- Preheat the fan oven to 200° C (390° F). Start your cheese sauce while the pasta is cooking.
- Have a saucepan placed on medium heat to start your cheese sauce.
- Add the butter to the saucepan, let it melt, and stir in the flour. Mix well using a wooden spatula or a whisk and cook for two minutes stirring all the time.
- Whisk in a little of the warm milk at a time stirring continuously until you have a smooth, velvety sauce.
- Cook on low heat for a few minutes stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened and the flour taste has disappeared.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the salt, freshly ground black pepper, mustard powder, and stilton cheese.
- Add the grated smoked gouda and cheddar cheese to the sauce.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the pot with the cheese sauce, and give them a good stir.
- Transfer the macaroni cheese into a baking dish, sprinkle on the panko, and bake it for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the top is slightly browned.
- Prepare the crispy bacon bits while baking the macaroni cheese.
- Remove the macaroni cheese from the oven, and garnish it with crispy bacon bits, and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Cook the pasta a couple of minutes less than stated in the packaging, it will carry on cooking in the sauce while baking.
- Don't be tempted to buy grated cheese! Shred your own cheese using a box grater as the pre-grated cheese contains some coating that prevents the cheese from melting.
- The cheesy béchamel sauce is the most important part of the whole recipe. There are some great detailed tips and a video on my Baked Cheesy Cauliflower post if you want to learn how to make perfectly silky béchamel sauce each time.
- If you want extra crust and color on your Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese, broil it for 2-3 minutes after baking it for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
- The leftovers would keep for up to five days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
- You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months if you want to keep them longer. However, the texture would be less creamy but would still taste amazing.
Nutrition
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