Gouda Mac and Cheese

This creamy and flavorful mac and cheese combines the richness of Gouda with the sharpness of white cheddar. Baked in the oven, it’s perfect for a comforting family dinner or a satisfying side dish.

If I say macaroni and cheese and your taste buds start tingling, this is the classic baked mac n cheese recipe for you. With everything we love: cheese, cheese, and cheese.

And even if I say baked, it doesn’t mean a long cooking time or a complicated recipe. It is still an easy and delicious comfort food.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Extra cheesy and ultra-creamy. The 3 most delicious cheeses in one dish are gouda, Cheddar, and Parmesan. Gooey baked dinner is guaranteed.
• Quick. Together with prep and baking, takes barely 40 minutes.
• Best comforting family food that even kids love. Homemade macaroni and cheese never have any leftovers. You’ll never go back to boxed mac and cheese again! This recipe can feed a family of 6 if you serve it as a main dish, and a small party if you use it as a side.
• The must-have for BBQ, Labor Day cookout, or just a big family gathering.

Main Ingredients & Notes

• Elbow macaroni is the classic choice of pasta for macaroni and cheese recipes. However, any small and short pasta works. Follow the package instructions to cook it. We need al dente pasta since we will also bake the dish.

For the Cheese sauce

• Unsalted butter. Salted butter is an option too but you will need to adjust the salt in the recipe and taste it to check if it is too salty. We will use melted butter.
• All-purpose flour is often used to simply thicken the sauce. It will be fully incorporated so you won’t taste it. Together with butter, they make a base for white sauce bechamel style.
• Whole milk. Full-fat milk gives the best creamy texture and thickness to the white sauce but if you want a lighter dish, use lower-fat or vegan milk. For extra creamy gouda mac and cheese add a cup of heavy cream or sour cream.
• Seasoning: garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Minced garlic and shallots are great substitutes for the powder.
• Shredded cheeses: Gouda cheese and cheddar cheese. I use regular gouda and white cheddar cheese (mild cheddar). I also use grated Parmesan cheese.
• Panko breadcrumbs make the crust of the baked mac and cheese taste crunchy. For stovetop recipes, I don’t use breadcrumbs.

What Are The Best Cheeses For Mac And Cheese?

To make amazing mac and cheese you need to use a good melting cheese, better a few different types.

Regular and smoked gouda cheese, sharp cheddar or mild one, and Parmesan are the 3 most popular cheeses in mac and cheese.

• Regular gouda cheese is a cow’s milk Dutch cheese. It is a great melting cheese for mac n cheese and one of the classic ingredients. Aged gouda has more tang and a more pronounced nutty taste, while young gouda is milder. For BBQ cookouts, smoked gouda mac and cheese is the best.
• Cheddar cheese. Sharp white cheddar is a popular choice for its pungent taste and amazing melting quality. But any cheddar cheese will work well in this delicious recipe. Cheddar and gouda make one of the best and classic cheese combos for mac n cheese.
• Parmesan. Grated parmesan works best in a trio with cheddar and gouda and adds a nice salty flavor. Usually, I add it to the crust.
• Gruyère is salty and hard Swiss cheese with a nutty flavor. A popular melting cheese for fondue and mac and cheese recipes.
• Monterey Jack is a fatty American cheese with a subtle light flavor. Since it is a semi-hard cheese it melts very well. Colby Jack marble cheese works too.
• Velveeta – white cheese that makes cheese mixture smooth.
• Brie without the crust is actually a great mac and cheese option too because of how creamy and delicious it is.

Avoid using greasy (most aged cheese) and bland cheeses (mozzarella) and cheeses that don’t melt (feta) or blend well (pecorino). Sharp cheeses (sharp cheddar) are also not a good idea since the punchy flavor will overpower everything else.

Kitchen Equipment

• Saucepan (or a large pot) to make the creamy cheese sauce.
• 9×13-inch baking dish to bake the assembled mac and cheese.

How To Make Gouda mac and cheese

First, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). This is a baked mac and cheese recipe.

For stovetop mac and cheese notes, see below.

1 – Boil Pasta Al Dente

1. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of water according to the package directions until al dente, cook 1 minute less to make sure they are still firm. 
2. Drain and set aside.

2 – Prepare The Cheese Sauce

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. 
2. Add the flour and whisk continuously for about 2 minutes until the flour mixture is smooth and bubbly.
3. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. 
5. Add the shredded Gouda and white cheddar cheeses, stirring until completely melted and smooth. The cheesy sauce is done when it is thick and can cover the back of a wooden spoon.
6. Fold the cooked macaroni into the roux, stirring well to coat all the al dente pasta.
7. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
8. Combine the panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Baking add this lightly browned cheesy crust we all crave.
10. Let it cool slightly before serving. It tastes best when served right away after short cooling.
11. Optional, top with extra shredded cheese.

Notes On Stovetop Gouda Mac And Cheese

You can easily make creamy gouda mac and cheese on the stove without baking it. Use all the same ingredients except for breadcrumbs.

Boil the pasta, cook the sauce, and then cook the sauce a bit longer with cooked macaroni added to it. That’s it! Takes less than 25 minutes.

Stovetop gouda mac and cheese is more saucy but I love the cheese crust of the baked gouda macaroni and cheese more! A matter of preference.

Serving

Serve as a side or main dish with bacon, sliced green onions, peas, and hot sauce. Potato salad is a classic complement to mac and cheese too.

Alongside potato salad, coleslaw, and beans, this mac and cheese recipe makes the staple BBQ sides list.

Storing

Cooked pasta and cooked mac and cheese can be stored well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

To keep the mac and cheese creamy even the next day, reheat it with a little bit of milk.

Making Ahead

You can make this gouda mac and cheese 3 days ahead and store it before baking. When you need to serve it, you will only need to bake it for 20 minutes at 375F.

When making ahead, always store the dish covered, and if possible store the cheesy sauce and the macaroni separately to prevent the pasta from getting soggy.

Tips &Tricks To Make The Best Gouda mac and cheese

• For more pronounced seasoning add ground mustard and/or smoked paprika, or celery salt, spices, and paprika (Old Bay seasoning). Dijon mustard actually enhances the cheese flavors.
• I shredd the cheese, but pre-shredded cheese packages will save you time. However, I would strongly advise against them and just grate your own cheese.
• To make a smoother cheese sauce, add the cheese gradually, stirring it always.
• To prevent drained pasta from sticking, don’t let it sit out for too long, and drizzle some olive oil over it. Also, always boil pasta in salted water.
• Do not overbake otherwise the mac and cheese will turn out dry. If you feel like it is getting dry, add some of the drained pasta water or a little bit of milk.
• To reduce gluten, get gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
• If you like herbs, rosemary, parsley, and thyme enhance Gouda flavors really well. You can add them to the sauce.

Popular Questions About Mac and Cheese Recipes

Is Gouda Stronger Than Cheddar?

Cheddar, especially sharp cheddar is stronger in flavor and harder in texture than Gouda.

But they both are great for mac and cheese recipes and complement each other well in the sauce.

Is Gruyere Or Gouda Better For Mac And Cheese?

Gouda is one of the classic choices for mac and cheese because it melts better than Gruyere. Gruyere has also a stronger and saltier flavor than Gouda. The flavors are quite different, Gruyere is closer to Cheddar than to Gouda.

How To Melt Gouda Cheese?

Gouda cheese melts great in a double boiler or a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave using 15-second intervals. 

As Gouda is a great melting cheese, we often use it in mac and cheese recipes.

If you love this mac and cheese recipe, you’re going to love these other tasty versions of mac and cheese too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

More Great Cheesy Recipes

Cream Cheese Pasta

Five Cheese Ziti al Forno

Beer Cheese Soup

Sausage Cheese Dip

---

---