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
Scale
- 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.
