This Gouda Mac and Cheese incorporates flavorful gouda along with three other cheeses to create a wonderfully creamy yet simple four-cheese mac and cheese recipe that your whole family will devour!
Using gouda in mac and cheese takes this classic recipe over the top, as gouda is creamy, highly meltable, flavorful, and buttery. This adds to the cheddar cheese tang and cheesiness.
Great served with my Crock Pot London Broil. Add my favorite Sauteed Broccoli, and you have a delicious, complete weeknight dinner!
Other great pasta sides include my Macaroni and Tomatoes, Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese, and Panera Broccoli Mac and Cheese (copycat).
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💖 Why You'll Love This Mac & Cheese
- Creamy - No more dry mac and cheese! This recipe, even though baked, comes out perfectly creamy and luscious!
- Cheesy - Lots of cheesy goodness with 4 kinds of cheese chosen specifically for meltability, creaminess, and flavor. I believe you'll love it!
- Goes with Any Entree - From steak to chicken to pork to fish, this gouda mac and cheese recipe goes with any meat you're serving tonight!
🥘 Ingredients for Gouda Mac and Cheese
Ingredient notes:
- Cheese - For the gouda, you can use smoked or regular. I used regular in this recipe. For the cheddar, I used sharp and highly recommend it for its tanginess; however, you can use a milder cheddar if you wish. For the parmesan, you can use fresh grated (highly recommended) or already grated (which will not melt as readily). You can use neufchatel in place of the cream cheese.
- Butter - I used salted butter.
- Milk - I used whole milk. You could use lower fat milk, but it won't be as creamy.
- Pasta - Use any short pasta you wish - macaroni, cavatappi (as I used), penne, small shells, or rotini.
(See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of cooling water left in pan.
Step 2: On low heat, add milk and spices. Stir to incorporate and slightly warm the milk.
Step 3: Add butter, cream cheese, cheddar, and gouda to the pasta mixture.
Step 4: Stir while still on low heat until butter and cheeses are melted.
Step 5: Pour pasta mixture into small casserole dish (mine is 11 x 8 inches). Sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese evenly over top.
Step 6: Cook in 450-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbly.
(Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)
💭 Expert Cooking Tips
- Add the milk before the cheeses and let the milk warm up a bit before adding the cheeses. The cheese can get clumpy when added to cold milk. You don't want the milk to boil, however - just have the temperature on low heat while warming the milk and melting the butter and cheeses.
- Mixture will be a bit "soupy" when going into the oven. Just know that it will thicken and be a nice, creamy consistency out of the oven.
🧐 Recipe FAQs
Yes, gouda melts readily due to its high-fat content and is a great cheese for mac and cheese for this reason as well as its creamy, nutty flavor.
I wouldn't recommend freezing mac and cheese since the milk and cheese tends to get granular, and the pasta tends to break apart. Best eaten fresh or reheated within 5 days after refrigeration.
If you tried this Gouda Mac and Cheese Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Gouda Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 10 ounces uncooked pasta macaroni, cavatappi, etc.
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup butter salted
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (about 1-½ cups)
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 6 ounces gouda cheese shredded (about 1-½ cups)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
- salt to taste
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese shredded or grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of cooling water left in pan.
- On low heat, add milk and spices. Stir to incorporate and slightly warm the milk.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Add butter, cream cheese, cheddar, and gouda to the pasta mixture.
- Stir while still on low heat until butter and cheeses are melted.
- Pour pasta mixture into small casserole dish (mine is 11 x 8 inches). Sprinkle bread crumbs and parmesan cheese evenly over top.
- Cook in 450-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbly.
Notes
- For best results, add the milk before the cheeses and let the milk warm up a bit before adding the cheeses. The cheese can get clumpy when added to cold milk. You don't want the milk to boil, however - just have the temperature on low heat while warming the milk and melting the butter and cheeses.
- Mixture will be a bit "soupy" when going into the oven. Just know that it will thicken and be a nice, creamy consistency out of the oven.
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