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This gouda mac and cheese is loaded with cheesy goodness, featuring a blend of creamy and smoked gouda! You can bake it with a crispy, buttery bread topping (trust me, it’s next-level!) or enjoy it creamy right from the stovetop. Either way, it’s the coziest comfort food, perfect as a main dish or a holiday side that everyone will love!
5 Reasons To Love This Gouda Mac & Cheese
- It’s so “goud-a”! My husband drops this bad Dad joke every time I make it so now it is totally stuck in my head. But hey, he’s not wrong! This mac and cheese recipe is incredibly good and a gouda lover’s dream – with not one but two types of gouda: creamy and smoked!
- Comfort food perfection! I love my mac and cheese super cheesy so this one is packed full of cheesy goodness!
- It’s versatile – make it stovetop or baked! You’ve got options! Mix the macaroni with the gouda cheese sauce and you can either stop there for a creamy stovetop version, or go all in and bake it with the crispy, buttery bread topping. Totally your call!
- A cozy main dish! Perfect for when you’re craving some cheesy comfort food! Since it’s so rich and delicious, I love pairing it with a fresh green salad or a simple veggie side like steamed broccoli or these garlic butter green beans.
- The perfect side dish for every holiday feast! A total crowd-pleaser that’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any celebration. It pairs well with holiday roasts – from roast turkey and chicken to pork tenderloin and roast beef.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this macaroni and cheese with gouda:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Macaroni: I like to use elbow macaroni for that classic mac & cheese look but you could also use small shells, spirals or your favorite shape of smaller pasta.
- Gouda: This recipe uses two kinds of gouda – mild gouda for creaminess and smoked gouda for a pop of flavor.
- Butter: To make the roux for the cheese sauce. Both salted or unsalted are fine.
- Flour: For the roux to make the cheese sauce. I use unbleached all purpose flour.
- Whole Milk: Whole milk provides the perfect level of creaminess and body for the sauce.
- Seasonings: A mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard powder, sea salt and cayenne pepper is used to season the sauce.
- Topping (for baked version): The baked version is topped with some extra shredded gouda and a buttery bread topping. For the bread topping, you need some chopped up bread (toast bread, French bread, sourdough, etc.), melted butter, seasonings of your choice and finely chopped parsley (optional). You could season it up simply with salt and pepper or use your favorite seasoning blend. I like to season it with this homemade bouillon powder.
How To Make Gouda Mac And Cheese
Let’s walk through how to make this incredibly delicious macaroni and cheese recipe, step-by-step!
Step 1: Cook the macaroni
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 pound (454 g) macaroni and cook until al dente (follow package directions).
Step 2: Make the gouda cheese sauce
While the pasta is cooking, melt ½ cup of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ½ cup of flour and the seasonings (1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper). Whisk together for 1 minute to form a paste (roux).
Slowly pour in 4 cups of whole milk while whisking until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Turn off the heat and stir in 3 cups shredded mild gouda and 2 cups shredded smoked gouda (a handful or two at a time) until melted. Adjust seasonings to taste if needed.
Step 3: Combine
Combine the cooked, drained macaroni with the gouda cheese sauce and stir well to combine. For a super creamy stovetop gouda mac and cheese, stop here! For the baked version with a crispy, buttery bread topping, let’s continue with the next step!
Step 4: Add topping and bake
Pour the mac and cheese into a casserole dish and spread out evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded gouda over the top.
In a bowl, mix together 4 cups roughly chopped bread (or cut into small cubes), ¼ cup melted butter, seasoning of your choice and some finely chopped parsley (optional). I like to season it with this homemade bouillon powder but you could also use salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning blend.
Scatter the buttery bread topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
Bake in a 375F (190C) oven until the topping is golden brown (about 15-20 minutes).
Variations
- Add-ins: There are tons of add-in options that you could play with. To keep it vegetarian, you could try adding some peas, spinach, broccoli or sauteed mushrooms. Meat lovers might enjoy mixing in some chopped cooked bacon, cubed ham or shredded chicken.
- Add some heat: For those who like things spicy, add some chopped hot peppers of choice, hot sauce, chili flakes or simply increase the amount of cayenne pepper called for.
- Make cute individual servings: Prepare the baked version in individual oven-safe ramekins or mini au gratin baking dishes. So fun!
- Don’t want the baked version but still want that yummy topping? Spread the bread topping mixture out on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crispy. Then simply sprinkle some over your stovetop mac and cheese when serving.
A Few Tips
Tips For The Perfect Gouda Mac & Cheese
- Grate your own cheese! The pre-shredded kind has a coating on it to stop it from clumping together in the bag but this also prevents it from melting smoothly. For the creamiest, dreamiest sauce, grab a block of cheese and shred it yourself—it’s totally worth it!
- Don’t overcook your pasta! For the baked version of this gouda mac and cheese, stop at al dente because it’ll keep cooking in the oven.
- Turn off the heat before adding your cheese! Turn off the heat (or put on low) before mixing in the shredded cheese so the sauce doesn’t get too hot and turn grainy or separate.
- Don’t overbake it! As soon as the topping is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges, it’s good to go. Bake it too long, and you’ll dry out that creamy sauce—nobody wants that!
Storage Tips
- To store: This mac and cheese is definitely best on the day it is made but leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- To reheat: If there’s no topping, warm it up on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of milk to make the sauce nice and creamy again. If it has a topping, pop it in an oven-safe dish and reheat at 350F until heated through.
- To freeze: Freeze unbaked mac and cheese (without the topping) in a freezer-safe dish covered tightly with a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. To bake, let it first thaw in the fridge overnight. Then let it sit at room temp for about 30 minutes, add the topping and bake. For smaller portions, I love to use these 2-cup Souper Cubes trays – pops out so easily! They even have a Freezer-To-Table Bundle with baking dishes that fit the frozen cubes perfectly.
- Making ahead: Prepare as directed but skip the baking. Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you’re ready, let it come to room temp and bake as usual. Just a heads-up, it won’t be quite as creamy as baking it fresh.
FAQ
Absolutely! Gouda melts like a dream and creates a creamy irresistible sauce (just steer clear of aged gouda). For this recipe, I’m using a mix of mild gouda for it’s smooth, creamy texture and some smoked gouda to add a little extra flavor kick. So good!
Sure you can – it totally works and breadcrumbs are convenient. But if you’ve got bread on hand, I HIGHLY recommend going for the bread topping. I tested this recipe both ways (with a panko breadcrumb topping and the buttery bread topping) and everyone agreed that the bread version was the clear winner. It’s just so much more delicious!
More Cheesy Pasta Recipes
Did you make this gouda mac & cheese? I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below.
Gouda Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish, Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This gouda mac and cheese is loaded with cheesy goodness, featuring a blend of creamy and smoked gouda! You can bake it with a crispy, buttery bread topping (trust me, it’s next-level!) or enjoy it creamy right from the stovetop. Either way, it’s the coziest comfort food, perfect as a main dish or a holiday side that everyone will love!
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni (or any smaller pasta you enjoy like shells or spirals)
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3 cups shredded mild creamy gouda cheese
- 2 cups shredded smoked gouda cheese
For Topping (if making baked version)
- 1 cup shredded gouda cheese
- 4 cups roughly chopped up white bread (or cut into small cubes)
- ¼ cup melted butter
- seasoning of choice (salt and pepper, your favorite seasoning salt, I use this homemade bouillon powder)
- 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente (follow package directions).
- Make the gouda cheese sauce: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour and seasonings (garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard powder, salt and cayenne pepper) and whisk for 1 minute to form a paste (roux). Slowly pour in the milk while whisking until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheeses (a handful or two at a time) until melted. Adjust seasonings to taste if needed.
- Combine: Combine the cooked, drained macaroni with the cheese sauce and stir well to combine. Stop here for the super creamy stovetop version of this gouda mac & cheese. For the baked version with a crispy, buttery bread topping, continue with the next step.
- Bake: Pour the mac and cheese into a casserole dish and spread out evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded gouda cheese over the top. In a bowl, toss together the chopped up bread with the melted butter, seasoning and optional parsley. Scatter the buttery bread topping evenly over the mac and cheese. Bake in a 375F (190C) oven until the topping is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges (about 15-20 minutes). Don’t bake too long or you can dry out the creamy sauce.
Notes
- Grate your own cheese! The pre-shredded kind has a coating on it to stop it from clumping together in the bag but this also prevents it from melting smoothly. For the creamiest, dreamiest sauce, grab a block of cheese and shred it yourself—it’s totally worth it!
- To store: This mac and cheese is definitely best on the day it is made but leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- To reheat: If there’s no topping, warm it up on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of milk to make the sauce nice and creamy again. If it has a topping, pop it in an oven-safe dish and reheat at 350F until heated through.
- To freeze: Freeze unbaked mac and cheese (without the topping) in a freezer-safe dish covered tightly with a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, for up to 3 months. To bake, let it first thaw in the fridge overnight. Then let it sit at room temp for about 30 minutes, add the topping and bake. For smaller portions, I love to use these 2-cup Souper Cubes trays – pops out so easily! They even have a Freezer-To-Table Bundle with baking dishes that fit the frozen cubes perfectly.
- Making ahead: Prepare as directed but skip the baking. Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you’re ready, let it come to room temperature and bake as usual. Just a heads-up, it won’t be quite as creamy as baking it fresh!
- Make cute individual servings: Prepare the baked version in individual oven-safe ramekins or mini au gratin baking dishes.
