Stovetop Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese

Creamy Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese is made extra creamy and tasty with 2 kinds of cheese. And it's made extra-easy on the stove top!

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I generally make our family's favorite baked macaroni and cheese when our mac & cheese craving hits, but was recently inspired by Nicole at Heat Oven to 350 to try her Simple Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese recipe instead. And a truly simple recipe it is! But despite its simplicity, this recipe delivers up a creamy mac & cheese that's loaded with fabulous flavor. 

I was drawn to this particular recipe for several reasons:

1. It was prepared on the stovetop instead of baked, like I usually make. -- Which means it would be on the table ready-to-eat more quickly.
2. The recipe seemed super easy to make.
3. And, the recipe used Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, made by Cabot Creamery in Cabot, Vermont. -- I actually grew up in Vermont 20 minutes from the Cabot Creamery and am a loyal fan.  (Such a loyal fan, in fact, that after moving to North Carolina, I initially had Cabot cheese shipped to me. Fortunately, it's now readily available throughout the NC area so I no longer need to have it shipped in.)

Given my love of Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, you'll probably find it ironic, then, that one of the changes I made to Nicole's original recipe is to use Smoked Gouda in place of the cheddar.  That doesn't mean I don't love the original, because I sure do.  And I love our Smoked Gouda version just as much.

Stovetop Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese turns out very creamy with a mildly smoky flavor. This creamy texture and mild smokiness is the result of using a homemade white sauce and two types of cheese -- Monterey Jack and smoked gouda.

Monterey Jack cheese melts easily and smoothly, combining with the white sauce to create ultra-creaminess. Smoked gouda brings this mac & cheese's signature deliciously smoky flavor. And the resulting combination of it all is nothing short of amazing.

What's To Love About This Recipe:

There's sure a whole lot to love with this stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe. To name a few things, it's

• Quick - This tasty mac & cheese is ready in just the time it takes to cook the noodles. Prepare the cheese sauce while the pasta cooks, and you're good to go.
• Easy - Cook some macaroni noodles, whip up a simple basic white sauce, stir in shredded cheese, and toss it all together. -- That's all it takes.
• Creamy - A combination of homemade white sauce and melty Monterey Jack cheese come together to create ultra-creaminess.
• Flavorful - Smoked gouda brings this mac & cheese's signature deliciously smoky flavor. And the resulting combination of it mixed with the macaroni, white sauce, and Monterey Jack is nothing short of amazing.

Stovetop Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese Ingredients:

Besides its fabulous flavor, one of the beautiful things about this creamy smoked gouda macaroni and cheese is that it doesn't take very many ingredients to pull together. Just 7 simple ingredients (3 of which make up the homemade white sauce that's the foundation of its cheese sauce) is all it takes. 

To whip up a pan, you'll need:

• Macaroni - It's not macaroni & cheese without the macaroni that creates its base! Choose regular elbows, or get a bit more playful with large/jumbo elbow macaroni like the batch in the photos of this post, or corkscrew cavatappi like in the photo just below this ingredients section.

• Homemade white sauce - A simple basic white sauce made with butter, all-purpose flour, and milk creates the foundation of the dish's creamy cheese sauce. We recommend using whole milk for the best and creamiest result.

• Salt - Salt is a critical element to season both the macaroni and the cheese sauce. Salt the pasta cooking water to season the macaroni as it cooks, and salt the white sauce as well to fully develop its flavor.

• Monterey Jack cheese - A mild-flavored cheese that melts well and smoothly, Monterey Jack contributes greatly to the cheese sauce's creaminess.

• Smoked gouda cheese - Smoked gouda creates this mac & cheese's signature smoky flavor.

While I used large elbow macaroni to make the batch of mac & cheese in this post's photos, I do often use cavatappi pasta instead of elbows. Cavatappi is a fun twisty-shaped macaroni pasta that just adds a fun look and feel to mac and cheese.

When made with cavatappi, the finished mac and cheese has lots of curves to hold the melty, creamy cheese sauce. And it just has a fun and playful textural look.

How to Make Stovetop Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese:

Whipping up a pan of Stovetop Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese is pretty quick and easy. Truly, the cheese sauce can be made in the time it takes to cook the pasta -- so the dish comes together in about 30 minutes.

To get started, salt some water, bring it to a boil, and get the macaroni cooking.

While the pasta cooks, get a basic homemade white sauce started by melting some butter in a pan. Whisk in all-purpose flour, and then slowly whisk in some milk. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes or so until it thickens into a nice creamy white sauce.

Once thickened, remove the white sauce from the heat and stir in shredded Monterey Jack and smoked gouda cheeses until they're melted.

Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce. Then gently toss and stir everything together until the pasta is all coated in the cheesy sauce.

Then you're ready to dig into the creamy, cheesy deliciousness!

So, whether you choose to go with the original cheddar-based recipe or this Smoked Gouda version, we think you're in for a treat.  I know we certainly enjoy both versions.

Check out these other super tasty mac & cheese recipes:

• Mom's Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• 2-Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Ham Macaroni and Cheese
• 5-Cheese Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
• Slow Cooker Macaroni & Cheese
• Slow Cooker Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
• Mac & Cheese Muffins
• More side dishes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

stovetop macaroni and cheese recipe, stovetop smoked gouda macaroni and cheese recipe, macaroni and cheese with smoked gouda

Side Dishes

American

Yield: about 4-6 servings

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

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Stovetop Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese

Creamy Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese is made extra creamy and tasty with 2 kinds of cheese. And it's made extra-easy on the stove top!

Prep time: 10 MCook time: 20 MTotal time: 30 M

Ingredients:

• 14 oz. cavatappi pasta, large elbow macaroni, or regular elbow macaroni (about 3 to 3 1/2 c.)
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 c. milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 4 oz. smoked gouda cheese, shredded

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. While water is coming to a boil for the pasta, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk together. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Slowly add milk, just a bit at a time, whisking well after each addition until the milk is incorporated. Cook and stir mixture until it thickens, about 4-5 minutes. 
4. Remove milk mixture from heat and stir in cheeses until melted.
5.  Drain pasta and toss with cheese sauce. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed.

https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2011/09/stovetop-smoked-gouda-mac-cheese-crazy.html

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