Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

We love the flavor of smoked gouda. It taste even better when it is shredded and mixed with white cheddar cheese to make this delicious macaroni and cheese dish. There is no need to bake in the oven as everything melts easily in a cast iron skillet to create a side dish that everyone will love.

If you love cooking in your cast iron skillet as much as I do, then try these other recipes, Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread, Cast Iron Shrimp, and Cast Iron Queso. We have even made Cast Iron Brownies.

Why We Love This Mac and Cheese Recipe

Homemade mac and cheese taste so much better than the box stuff. We can add in ingredients such as garlic powder, breadcrumbs, paprika and chopped onion.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese is made with simple ingredients. We always make it for the holidays and now my family request it during the week.

Ingredients

• Elbow Macaroni Noodles – Use any small noodles such as cavatappi
• Butter – We like using unsalted butter
• All Purpose Flour – This is need to make the roux to thicken the sauce
• Mustard Powder – Added to the creamy cheese sauce to enhance the richness
• Smoked Gouda Cheese – Make sure to shred from black cheese and remove rind. You can also use regular gouda cheese
• Sharp White Cheddar Cheese – Feel free to substitute if you prefer 
• Whole Milk – You can also use 2% milk
• Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy cream is added to create a creamy sauce

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

How to Make Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Step 1 – Cook the pasta based on the package instructions and drain off the excess liquid. Set aside.   

Step 2 – Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat (over stove top or grill).  Whisk in the flour and continue whisking for 1 minute. Then whisk in the mustard powder.   

Step 3 – Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy whipping cream.  Continue to whisk as you slowly pour these in.  Continue to heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened (2-4 minutes).

Step 4 – Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the shredded smoked gouda cheese, shredded white cheddar, salt and black pepper.  Stir until all these ingredients are combined and the cheese has melted.

Step 5 – Then stir in the pasta until the pasta is completely covered in the cheese mixture.

Step 6 – Serve immediately while warm and enjoy! Sprinkle parmesan cheese when serving for even more flavor.

Mac and Cheese Recipe Tips

• Sauce Consistency – The cheese sauce will thicken quickly. If the cheese sauce is too thick, add more milk to thin out the sauce before adding the pasta and if it’s too thin, continue to let set until the sauce thickens. 
• Cooking Pasta – Boil pasta in a large pot before mixing into the cheese mixture. Cook the pasta according to the package instruction and al dente.
• Skillet – We like to make this pasta dish in a cast iron skillet but you can mix everything together in a baking dish.

Serving Suggestions

This Gouda Mac N Cheese makes an amazing side dish recipe to many recipes. Try these recipes for an easy dinner idea.

• Cajun Grilled Chicken
• Blackstone Sirloin Steak Recipe
• Hibachi Salmon
• Grilled Short Ribs
• Hawaiian BBQ Beef
• Hamburger Steak with Onion Gravy (Cast Iron)