Smoked Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Tender macaroni noodles tossed in a velvety cheese sauce and placed in the smoker to give it that rich, bold flavor. It's the perfect side dish to serve with BBQ or to have as a meal on its own.
Smoked Macaroni and Cheese is outrageously cheesy and combines a mixture of cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese and smoked gouda. It has a light smokey flavor and the crispy crusty edges we all love!
To give it a little Disney touch I added the character Anger from the movie Inside Out. He's made out of sliced pepperoni, black olives, provolone cheese, Colby Jack and cheddar cheese.
If you are looking for more delicious cheese recipes, try Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese, Cheddar Cheese and Chive Scones, and Philly Cheesesteak Fries.
Why You'll Love This Mac and Cheese
- Ultra creamy. Rich and creamy and made with a combination of cheeses to give you the most amazing cheesy flavor.
- Customized to your taste. Choose your favorite cheese, noodles and if you do not own a smoker, just pop it in the oven and it's still a winner.
- Easy to make. Boiled pasta and a one pot cheese sauce makes this an easy meal or side dish.
- Great for gatherings. This mac and cheese is such a crowd pleaser. Adults and kids will go nuts over how good it is.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Pasta- For this recipe, I use elbow macaroni. You can also use shells, penne or fusilli.
- Smoked gouda cheese- I love the extra smokiness this cheese adds to this dish. I peel off the rind and use a food processor with a shredder attachment. It's so fast and easy.
- Parmesan cheese- Use grated not shredded.
- Sharp cheddar cheese- Make sure to use block cheese instead of pre-shredded which has celulose to prevent clumping and will affect the texture of your sauce.
- Half and Half- To give it more creaminess, I add half and half in addition to using whole milk.
- Mustard powder- Gives this mac and cheese a great kick and helps elevate all the flavors.
- All purpose flour- This helps thicken the cheese sauce.
- Pecan chips- Mild and not over powering. You can easily find them inside your local hardware store.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Cook pasta. In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook for one 1-2 minutes shy of al dente according to the package instructions.
STEP 2: Drain pasta. Drain pasta and place inside bowl. Toss with olive oil and set aside.
STEP 3: Make béchamel. In dutch oven or deep sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour over medium heat and whisk for one minute until bubbly and golden. Gradually whisk in milk and half and half. Whisk continuously until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
STEP 4: Combine cheese. Stir in half of cheddar cheese and smoked gouda cheese. Mix until completely melted. Add mustard powder and stir to combine.
STEP 5: Toss pasta and sauce together. Add cooled pasta and stir until combined and pasta is completely coated with cheese sauce. Season with salt.
STEP 6: Prepare pan. Lightly grease cast iron or baking dish. Pour half of the mac and cheese inside the dish. Sprinkle with second half of cheddar cheese and then the remaining mac and cheese.
STEP 7: Add topping. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and extra cheddar cheese if you'd like.
STEP 8: Finish in smoker. Place uncovered mac and cheese inside smoker and keep it at a steady 225 degrees for 1 hour.
Expert Tips For The Cheesiest Mac and Cheese
- Add a variety of cheeses. No matter if they're tangy, smoked or salty, mixing up your cheese will add depth and flavor to your macaroni dish.
- Undercook your pasta. Avoid mushy and overcooked pasta by cooking it 1-2 minutes less than the recommended package instructions.
- Add extra cheese on top. This will give you a nice crust and golden brown color once it has finished cooking in the smoker.
- Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has cellulose to prevent it from clumping. Make sure to use block cheese to achieve a smooth sauce.
- Use mild-flavored chips for your smoker, such as apple or pecan.
Variations
Here are some delicious mix-ins that you can incorporate into your mac and cheese.
- Crisp and crumbled bacon
- Diced BBQ chicken
- Veggies such as peas and broccoli
- Pepperoni
- Lobster or shrimp
- Pulled Pork
Additional Toppings
Not only does adding toppings add more flavor to your mac and cheese, but it also helps insulate the pasta and keeps it from drying out. Any of these items would be a great choice.
- Buttery Panko breadcrumbs. Mix 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs with 4 tablespoon of unsalted butter. Sprinkle the top before place inside the smoker.
- Flavored breadcrumbs. Use Panko or homemade breadcrumbs and add sautéed garlic, herbs or bacon bits.
- Extra cheese. Who doesn't love more cheese? Sprinkle just a thin layer on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Make the entire dish, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to finish inside the smoker.
I would recommend a mild wood like pecan, apple or maple.
Breadcrumbs add a nice crunch texture to the mac and cheese. Toast them first with a bit of butter, then sprinkle on top before smoking for a golden crust. Panko works particularly well.
Leave uncovered to prevent the pasta from getting mushy. It will also help caramelize the top and give a great contrast to this creamy dish.
If you don't have a smoker, there's a couple options. First, use smoked cheeses to help achieve the smokey flavor you're looking for. Smoked Gouda, Smoked Cheddar, or Smoked Gruyere are great choices. Another option is cooking your mac and cheese on top of your grill over indirect heat for 30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Storing and Freezing
Place this Smoked Macaroni and Cheese inside a sealed, airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 5 days.
Freezing
Tightly wrap macaroni and cheese with plastic wrap. It can be kept inside the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place inside a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until it's hot and bubbling.
More Cheesy Recipes To Try
After trying out this recipe, I'd love to hear your feedback. Please consider leaving a comment below. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram and follow me on Pinterest for more mouthwatering recipes. Your support is greatly appreciated!
📖 Recipe
Smoked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb Elbow macaroni pasta
- 1 stick Butter unsalted
- ½ cup Flour all purpose
- 2 ½ cups Whole milk
- 2 cups Half and Half
- 1 tablespoon Mustard powder
- 4 cups Sharp cheddar cheese grated, divided, plus more for topping
- 1 cup Smoked gouda cheese grated
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- Salt To Taste
Instructions
- In large stock pot, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook over medium heat 1-2 minutes shy of al dente according to instructions on packaging.
- Drain pasta and place in large bowl. Toss with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
- Next, melt butter inside dutch oven or large stockpot. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute until mixture is golden and bubbly.
- Slowly add milk and half and half. Whisk continuously until mixture is thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cups of cheddar cheese and smoked gouda. Next, whisk in mustard powder.
- Pour cheese sauce over cooled noodles. Toss to combine and evenly coat pasta. Season with salt.
- Lightly grease baking dish and pour half of the pasta mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar cheese and ½ cup of parmesan cheese. Add remaining pasta mixture and top off with remaining cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese.
- Place pan inside smoker. Set temperature to 225 degrees for 1 hour.
TiredMamaMouse says
Love this! Will be trying out today!!
Would really appreciate a walk through on adding “Anger.” I’m going to give it the good ol’ college try based off the display picture, but I’d love to see your cutting technique — yours looks so great! Cheers!
Kristen Espino says
Hi there. I'm so glad you are going to try out the recipe. It's a delicious and fun one to make. I didn't take any progress shots of Anger. But hopefully I can explain it to you in a way that will be helpful. I use regular pepperoni (don't use turkey) there isn't enough fat in it so the ends will flare up and you won't be able to keep the shape. I make 4 rows of pepperoni slices (5-6) in each row. You don't want it wider than the slice of your cheese if that makes sense. I used a slice of cheese as sort of my guide.
I then go around and make a straight cut along all the edges making it a rectangular shape. From there, I use a small round cookie cutter for the eyes and cut that in half. For the flames, I used an exacto knife to get sharp edges and just used clip art for some inspiration on the look. I used small/medium size olives (don't use large ones) and cut them in half for the eyes. The mouth was the trickiest. Basically a rectangular cut of cheese and I used an exacto knife to make the angry expression.
Hope this helps 🙂
TiredMamaMouse says
Thank you!! I gave it a go and it turned out great! Really appreciate it. Also, for anyone repeating the art, I mistakenly bought Kalamata olives instead of black olives and you definitely need black olives to make the eyes look more cartoon-ish! Luckily, I found some and finished it up looking great. I also added the art after I let the mac and cheese bake and broiled it which made the fire top head look great (just don’t add the eyes or mouth because that looks melty)
Kristen Espino says
Fantastic! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. If you would kindly leave a star review, I would really appreciate it. Thanks again for commenting!