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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!
Just like our broccoli mac and cheese, this recipe is made on the stovetop, but if you’re looking for a pressure cooker version, check out our Instant Pot mac and cheese recipe.
Ingredient highlights
This recipe has:
- Shell or elbow noodles – or another pasta you like. Rotini works well too.
- Butter -salted or unsalted; chef’s choice.
- Evaporated milk* – Not to be confused with condensed milk! They’re often sold side-by-side, so it’s easy to pick up the wrong can, but evaporated milk is unsweetened.
- Nutmeg and dry mustard – Two optional ingredients to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- Cheese – I recommend a blend of smoked gouda and extra sharp cheddar. Sharp cheddar cuts through the ultra-creamy profile of the smoked gouda.
- Shredded Parmesan
- Salt
Step by Step Instructions
*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.
Bring 4 & 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan (I used my enameled cast iron Dutch oven). Stir the pasta, salt, and butter into the boiling water.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook until almost all of the water has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the evaporated milk, dry mustard, nutmeg, and delicious cheeses. Keep stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and ridiculously creamy. Seriously, get ready.
That’s it! You did it, and you’re about the enjoy the most delicious homemade from scratch mac and cheese ever.
Recipe Variations Optional Add-Ins
If you can’t find smoked gouda, look for “double-cream” gouda for a super creamy mac and cheese.
You can use whole wheat pasta if you’d like, but I don’t recommend other alternative kinds of pasta, like the ones made with bean flour. They have a tendency to foam and fall apart. And because they cook so differently than wheat pasta, they’ll produce different results for this recipe.
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
- 1 lb shell or elbow noodles {feel free to use any preferred pasta}
- 4 1/4 cups water
- 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.1 lb shell or elbow noodles
- Add pasta, salt, and butter to the saucepan. Stir to combine.4 1/4 cups water, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt
- 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, (optional) dry mustard, (optional) nutmeg, 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.
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.