As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This smoked Gouda mac and cheese recipe is full of flavor, incredibly creamy, and kid-friendly. Even better, this homemade mac and cheese can be made in one pot – no muss, no fuss, no draining, and no roux.
Creamy and so delicious, this smoked Gouda mac and cheese is absolutely
packed with cheesy flavor.
It’s the perfect twist on a classic, and totally family-friendly! Even better, this homemade mac and cheese can be made in one pot— no muss, no fuss, no draining, and no roux. Ready within 20 minutes!
Reader Review
“Made this for a birthday party and it was delicious! Sarah doesn’t mess around – she said 20 minutes and she meant it. Flavor is perfect, texture is smooth and creamy, reheated beautifully. Definitely have a new family recipe and will recommend to anyone who asks.”
Shannon
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Shred your own cheese! It’s totally worth the extra 5 minutes. Store-bought shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent added to it (AKA the white powdery stuff) that affects the way it melts. While it will melt, it’s just not quite as smooth as freshly shredded cheese.
- If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can sub in regular milk, half-and-half, or cream. Just make sure you heat it before adding it to the hot pasta. This prevents the milk from curdling, resulting in a grainy cheese sauce.
20-Minute Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 1/4 cups water
- 1 lb shell or elbow noodles {feel free to use any preferred pasta}
- 1/2 cup butter {1 stick}{cut into cubes}
- 12 oz evaporated milk {1 can}
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg {optional}
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard {optional}
- 2 cups smoked gouda, shredded
- 2 cups extra sharp cheddar
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring 4 1/4 cups of water to a boil.4 1/4 cups water
- Add pasta, salt, and butter to the saucepan. Stir to combine.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 lb shell or elbow noodles
- Reduce the stove temp to medium-high, and occasionally stir the mixture, until almost all of the water has been absorbed by the pasta (~8 minutes).
- Add the evaporated milk, dry mustard (optional), nutmeg (optional), and cheeses, and stir gently until all the cheese has melted.12 oz evaporated milk, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 2 cups smoked gouda, shredded, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, 2 cups extra sharp cheddar
Notes
- Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk are NOT the same thing. Only evaporated milk will work in this recipe.
- If you don’t have evaporated milk, you can sub in regular milk, half-and-half, or cream. Just make sure you heat it before adding it to the hot pasta. This prevents the milk from curdling, resulting in a grainy cheese sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This made our Thanksgiving exceptional! Luckily I had bought a big chunk of gouda, shredded and froze it and then used it to make this AMAZING homemade mac & cheese. THANK YOU for this super easy and fabulous dish!
Honored to have been a small part of your Thanksgiving, Sarah!!
My daughter often tells me to have a “gouda” day, so when she wanted mac & cheese, and we were out of the basic box, I luckily had all the cheeses on hand and was delighted to make it for her. She loved it (and my children don’t usually appreciate my cooking). Hurrah-thanks for a gouda-great recipe Sarah!
My one question-it was a bit soupy even after I drained off some of the butter water, so perhaps where I’m in Ohio at I need to add less water or need to use better pasta? I had halved the recipe and used spiral pasta, but even with 2 cups of pasta (1/2 a pound) and 2 1/4 cups of water that was then drained a bit, it felt extra.
Yay for some gouda parenting wins, Sarah!
Not sure about the extra water. I’m basically at sea level but I don’t think it should matter unless you’re at a crazy high elevation.
My kid requested this for his birthday party after having it at his cousin’s birthday party. He loves it so much that he requested it again while having a playdate at the cousin’s house.
Definitely a hit. 5 stars over and over again.
I’m always honored to be a part of families, especially at special occasions like birthdays. So glad he liked it!
Made this for a birthday party and it was delicious! Sarah doesn’t mess around – she said 20 minutes and she meant it. Flavor is perfect, texture is smooth and creamy, reheated beautifully. Definitely have a new family recipe and will recommend to anyone who asks.
I love hearing that, Shannon! And I’m honored to have been a small part of the birthday celebration.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
This looks GOOD!!!!!! (or maybe I should have gone for the bad pun and said that this looks GOUDA)
Funny, this is the second mac & cheese post I have seen in a short time span that cooks it in a way that needs no draining. (the first one looked awful though). I think this is a sign that I have to try it.
Total missed opportunity for a good pun. 🙂
I have another no drain mac and cheese recipe, but it uses different cheese and contains (optional) broccoli. It’s truly a life-changing hack to cook everything at once.