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smoked gouda mac and cheese on a plate
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Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese

Smoked gouda mac and cheese has tender al dente pasta in a super creamy, velvety cheese sauce, topped with a buttery, crunchy crumb topping. It's so gouda!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Mac and Cheese, macaroni recipes, pasta recipes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 1093kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded-divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 cups smoked Gouda cheese, shredded-divided
  • 1 pound Dried Elbow Pasta

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside
  • Place bread crumbs (2 cups), crumbled bacon (8 slices), 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon) in a medium bowl;  In a small dish melt 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture, and toss to combine; set breadcrumbs aside.
  • In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk (5 1/2 cups). Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour (1/2 cup). Cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
  • While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
  • Remove the pan from heat. Stir in dijon mustard (1 tablespoon), salt (2 teaspoons), nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon), black pepper (1/4 teaspoon), cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon), cream cheese (4 ounces), 3 cups smoked Gouda cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; set cheese sauce aside.
  • Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add pasta (1 pound); cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the manufacturer's directions, until the outside of the pasta is cooked and the inside is slightly underdone. (Different brands of pasta cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Drain pasta well, return it to the pot it cooked in, then pour reserved cheese sauce over the pasta and mix well.
    How to make creamy smoked gouda mac and cheese, pouring the cheese sauce on to the pasta
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup smoked gouda cheese and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve hot.
    How to make smoked gouda mac and cheese with breadcrumbs, sprinkle breadcrumbs

Notes

  1. Cook Pasta Properly: To do so, cook one pound of pasta in 5 quarts of water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Don't skip the salt! It flavors the pasta as it cooks and that's important to the finished dish. Do not add any oil.
    • Make sure you bring the water to a rolling boil, then add the pasta. Stir the pasta within the first two minutes of dropping it in. Cook just until al dente (remember you're going to bake for another 30 minutes and you don't want to have the pasta get mushy!).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1093kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 2040mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1588IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1170mg | Iron: 2mg