Can I use 100% smoked gouda cheese?

We tested this recipe with 100% smoked gouda cheese (no white cheddar) and honestly didn't like it as much. The smoked-gouda-only sauce was overpowering, and it lacked depth and complexity. It was just kind of one-note and blah . Using smoked gouda alone also increased the likelihood that some cheese would clump instead of melting smoothly (adding white cheddar seemed to solve this problem). Adding some sharp white cheddar balances the richness of the gouda and gives this cheese sauce a more interesting flavor. Our tasters unanimously agreed that the addition of white cheddar (and, later in the process, a pinch of garlic powder) made this recipe much better. PS - For another gourmet cheese blend, check out our three cheese mac and cheese recipe !

Can I use heavy cream or half and half instead of milk?

You can use half and half or heavy cream if you like, although we really don't find it's necessary to use such heavy dairy products here. If you do use heavy cream for this gouda mac n cheese, just keep in mind that the béchamel will thicken more quickly, and you'll end up with a VERY rich sauce.

Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese

Description

This smoked gouda mac and cheese is rich and creamy. Serve it as-is or top with toasted breadcrumbs and bake!

Ingredients

Scale

3/4 pound pasta
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
5 ounces shredded smoked gouda cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

Optional bread crumb topping:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Heat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. (If you're not baking the mac and cheese, you can skip this step).
Cook pasta in very salty water until it’s a few minutes less than al dente. (See recipe notes).
Make the sauce. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to form a roux; cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant and bubbly. Slowly stream in milk, whisking constantly to work out any lumps. Cook, whisking frequently, until sauce has thickened - about 6-10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Add the cheeses. Stir smoked gouda, white cheddar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into sauce. Stir until cheese is smooth.
Add cooked, drained pasta to sauce; stir until noodles are evenly coated. Taste and add additional salt or pepper as needed.

Bake the mac and cheese (optional)

Make the toasted breadcrumbs. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Toast, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.
Assemble. Butter a large baking dish; pour in the mac and cheese. Press it into a fairly even layer, then top with toasted breadcrumbs.
Bake at 350° F for 30-40 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are a deep golden brown.

Notes

Pasta cooking timeline. I like to start the cheese sauce in a separate pot while I wait for the pasta water to boil. Drop the pasta into the boiling water to cook while you wait for the sauce to thicken after adding the milk (this way, the pasta and cheese sauce are ready at about the same time!) Use a spider strainer to transfer the pasta directly from the boiling water to the cheese sauce: This lets some starchy water drip into the sauce, which helps it cling to the noodles. If you don’t want to manage the pasta and cheese sauce simultaneously, or if you prefer to use only one pot, just cook and drain the pasta first, then set it aside while you make the sauce.

How long to cook pasta. If you’re baking the mac and cheese, cook your noodles until they are a few minutes less than al dente (they’ll continue to cook in the oven). If you’re serving this mac and cheese right away - without baking - cook the noodles until they are fully al dente.

Additions and Substitutions. Add cooked protein (chicken, chorizo, andouille sausage, diced ham, crispy bacon) or veggies (broccoli, kale, spinach) to this mac and cheese to make it a bit heartier. Add herbs or additional cheese to the bread crumb topping if you like.

For best results, shred your cheese yourself! Store-bought cheeses are often coated with preservatives that keep them from melting smoothly.

Why didn’t my cheese melt? Different brands of smoked gouda melt more smoothly than others. If your sauce is clumpy or grainy, smooth it out with an immersion blender.