Grown Up Gouda Mac and Cheese
Just look at the ooey, gooey, goodness! Grown up gouda mac and cheese takes a familiar favorite and makes it oh-so-much better!
Macaroni and cheese is one of my guilt pleasures. But I am so picky about it. I don’t want just any old mac and cheese. I wouldn’t be caught dead within 100 feet of Kraft (okay, that’s not true, I’ve whipped up many a box for kiddos over the years, but I draw the line at those microwaveable packages). And even restaurant macaroni and cheese is usually a no go for me.
The one place I LOVE the mac and cheese is at Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, which is unusual because it’s not a baked variety (which is my preference and why I don’t usually like cheesy restaurant concoctions). But it is delicious there!
Although, I’m not sure it’s as good as this gouda mac and cheese.
Why You’ll Love It:
This gouda mac and cheese is warm. I’s comforting. It’s oozing with gooey gouda goodness. It’s basically the perfect dinner for these chilly fall evenings.
Think of everything you love about macaroni and cheese. Now imagine it better. This recipe contains all real ingredient and three kinds of flavorful cheese. No cheese-like products or powdered cheese flavor here. Just a delicious combination fo sharp cheddar, gouda, and smoky gouda. I combine the the gouda with the cheddar so they flavor isn’t overpowering. And I love the little hint of smokiness from the smoked gouda. But you wouldn’t to use that for the whole dish.
I do believe that combining cheeses is the key to a complex and delicious baked macaroni and cheese.
How to Make Grown Up Gouda Macaroni and Cheese:
This recipe requires a few steps, but it’s actually pretty easy to pull together. And it only takes about thirty minutes of hands-on time.
The first step is to preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Set the pan aside and put on a large pot of salted water to boil.
Shred the Cheese:
While the water is boiling, shred your cheese. You really do need to buy block cheese and shred it. The pre-shredded cheese just doesn’t melt right. For this recipe I’d buy a 16 oz. block of cheddar cheese, two 8 oz. blocks of gouda cheese and 1 8 oz. block of smoked gouda cheese. You will have extra cheddar, but that’s okay. There are a zillion things you can make with shredded cheddar cheese (like these Barbecue Black Bean and Butternut Squash Nachos).
I shred my cheese in my food processor. And if you have a food processor I highly recommend using it because this recipe calls for a lot of cheese and your arm will get tired. But you can definitely use a box grater if you don’t have a food processor. You just might want to recruit help. Or start lifting weights.
Cook the Pasta:
When the water boils, add your pasta. You want it to cook for about ten minutes (or a minute less than it says on the box–different kinds of pasta have different cooking times) so it’s al dente because it will continue cooking in the cheese sauce and the oven. And you don’t want mushy gouda mac and cheese.
When the pasta is done, drain and drizzle with little bit of olive oil so it doesn’t stick together.
Make the Cheese Sauce:
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk. When it’s combined, it will be lumpy, slowly add one can of evaporated milk and stir until smooth. You can use a whisk or a wooden spoon. Then add the remaining two cans of evaporated milk, continuing to whisk almost continuously until the mixture thickens. It’s important to keep stirring so the bottom doesn’t burn.
When the mixture is thick, reduce the heat to low. Then, add the spices and about one-third of the cheese mixture and stir until combined. Add another third of the cheese and continue stirring. Finally, add the remaining cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
Pour about one-half of the cheese sauce into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Add the pasta and stir carefully. When the past is coated, pour in the remaining cheese sauce and stir again so all the cheese is mixed in. Sprinkle the gouda mac and cheese with the bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes until the cheesy sauce is bubbly and brown.
Enjoy!
This gouda mac and cheese is so delicious it deserves to be the star of the show. So we make this tasty casserole our main dish. I serve it with garlicky green beans, a simple green salad, and usually some kind of dinner rolls. Not that I think you need bread with mac and cheese, but that’s what my mom always did, so that’s what I always do. And that that’s why my kids expect.
Gouda mac and cheese is comfort food at it’s best. It’s the perfect Sunday dinner. But it’s just fancy enough to make an appearance on a holiday table or at a dinner party. I’ve also baked this gouda mac and cheese in muffin tins and served it as an appetizer.
One of the best things about big batch meals like this is leftovers. And I love leftover mac and cheese for lunch. I usually cover with foil and bake it in the. oven at 325 degrees for about ten minutes to reheat. But if I’m heating it up for the kiddos for school I pop it in the microwave with a little bit of milk or heavy cream so it doesn’t dry out.
Let me know if you try this grown up gouda mac and cheese and what you think.
Happy Eating!
Grown Up Gouda Mac and Cheese
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 lb. dried elbow pasta
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3 15 oz. cans evaporated milk
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided measured after shredding
- 2 cups shredded gouda cheese divided measured after shredding
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a large baking dish (9×13 or larger). Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add dried pasta and cook for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
- Meanwhile, shred cheeses and toss together to mix.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will look clumpy. Cook for approximately 1 minute, stirring often. Slowly pour in one case of evaporated milk, while whisking constantly, until smooth. Add remaining milk and continue whisking until combined and smooth.
- Continue to heat over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened.
- Reduce heat to low. Add spices and 2 cups of the cheese, stirring to melt and combine. When the cheese has melted, stir in another 2 cups of cheese, and stir until completely melted and smooth. Repeat with remaining cheese
- Pour half the cheese sauce into the bottom of your prepared pan. Add pasta and stir. Pour remaining cheese sauce in and mix. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
To make ahead:
Prepare pasta and cheese sauce, transfer to baking dish and cool completely. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate 1-2 days ahead.
Before baking, let dish sit on counter for 30 minutes.
Bake at recipe temperature for 35-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
To reheat: I prefer reheating in the oven at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes. If you reheat in the microwave, dd a little bit of milk, cream, or butter so it doesn’t dry out.
