Smoked Mac And Cheese

You’ve never tried a smoker side dish so tasty!! This Traeger smoked mac and cheese is loaded up with gouda, cream cheese, cheddar, gruyere, and a crispy panko topping. And I share how to add bacon on top, too… Let’s smoke it…

First time smoking mac and cheese? Scroll to the bottom for a step-by-step recipe video.

Cook time

How long do you smoke mac and cheese? Mac and cheese cooks in the pellet smoker for about 60-90 minutes. It’s perfect for cooking at the same time as smoked chicken breast.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make smoked gouda mac and cheese.

For the pasta and cheese mixture

• Pasta noodles that will hold cheese sauce, like Cavatelli, shells, elbow macaroni
• Salt
• Butter, salted
• Flour
• Dijon mustard or mustard powder
• Heavy cream
• Milk 
• Cream cheese
• Gouda cheese
• Gruyere cheese
• Cheddar cheese

For the panko bread topping

• Butter
• Bbq rub
• Panko bread crumbs

Recipe steps

1. Boil smoked pasta noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt to the water with pasta noodles. Boil pasta to al dente, or a minute shy of the cook time on the box (because the cooked macaroni noodles will continue cooking in the smoker). Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 225 degrees F. 
3. Make the roux. Add butter to a large cast iron skillet on Medium-High temperature. Once butter is melted, add flour. Stir regularly. When the roux starts to bubble, turn the burner down to Medium heat. Continue stirring (literally: don’t leave it to sit!) until mixture is smooth, about 5-7 minutes, until it turns light brown.
4. Finish making cheese sauce for smoked mac and cheese. To the cast iron skillet over medium heat, add mustard. While whisking, slowly pour in heavy cream. Once it comes up to a boil, turn down to medium-low to get a simmer. Add in milk and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 tbsp more of milk as needed to get the sauce to the consistency of smooth pancake batter. (See how to griddle pancakes…)
5. Add cheese and noodles. Turn the burner to low and add cream cheese. Whisk until combined. Then slowly add in grated cheeses, stirring regularly until combined. Turn off the burner and add cooked pasta. Stir to combine and fully mix pasta with smoked mac cheese sauce. (Ours almost overflows in our large skillet, it always looks like it’s too much pasta, but once we get in there with a little muscle, it always works out!)
6. Make the crispy bread topping. To a mixing bowl, add melted butter, bbq rub / seasoning, and panko bread crumbs. Whisk to combine. Add a layer of crispy topping on smoked mac and cheese prepared in the skillet. 
7. Smoke mac and cheese with gouda, gruyere, and cheddar for 1-2 hours as desired. Mac and cheese is done smoking when the panko topping is lightly browned and crispy. The longer you leave it on the smoker, the more smoky it will taste. (We usually can’t wait and take it off around 60-90 minutes)
8. Mac and cheese will be hot. To serve immediately, leave uncovered and let it cool until it’s safe enough to eat. To keep it warm for longer, add foil on top while resting. Enjoy!

Looking for something to serve with this mac and cheese smoker recipe? Try oven baked tri tip, smoked ham, or smoked St. Louis ribs.

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Pro tip: One of my go-to tricks for perfectly cooked food every time is using the right BBQ meat thermometers.

Want to get better at smoked foods?

I’m here to help you put together delicious meals with your Traeger. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments. 

Chat soon!

– Jenna

Next, browse the Sip Bite Go recipe collection…

Smoked Mac And Cheese With Gouda Recipe | Sip Bite Go

You’ve never tried a smoker side dish so tasty!! This Traeger smoked mac and cheese is loaded up with gouda, cream cheese, cheddar, gruyere, and a crispy panko topping. And I share how to add bacon on top, too… Let’s smoke it…

5 from 27 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, BBQ

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: smoked gouda mac and cheese, smoked mac and cheese, traeger smoked mac and cheese

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 923kcal

Author: Jenna Passaro

Video

Equipment

• ▢
  Lodge 12″ Large Cast Iron Skillet
• ▢
  Traeger Pellet Grill Ironwood 650

Ingredients

For the pasta noodles and cheese mixture

• ▢ 1 LB noodles Cavatelli, shell, or elbow macaroni
• ▢ 1 tbsp salt more or less depending on taste, for seasoning water
• ▢ ½ cup butter salted
• ▢ ½ cup flour all purpose
• ▢ 1 tbsp mustard dijon (or 1 tsp mustard powder)
• ▢ 1.5 cups heavy cream
• ▢ ½ cup milk more as needed
• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese full fat
• ▢ 1 cup gouda cheese fresh grated
• ▢ 1 cup Gruyere cheese fresh grated
• ▢ 2 cups cheddar cheese fresh grated

For the panko bread topping

• ▢ ¼ cup butter salted, melted
• ▢ 1 tbsp bbq rub or your favorite seasoning
• ▢ 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

• Boil pasta noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt to the water with pasta noodles. Boil pasta to al dente, or a minute shy of the cook time on the box (because the cooked macaroni noodles will continue cooking in the smoker). Drain and set aside.
• Preheat Traeger Grills or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 225 degrees F.
• Make the roux. Add butter to a large cast iron skillet on Medium-High temperature. Once butter is melted, add flour. Stir regularly. When the roux starts to bubble, turn the burner down to Medium heat. Continue stirring (literally: don’t leave it to sit!) until mixture is smooth, about 5-7 minutes, until it turns light brown.
• Finish making cheese sauce for smoked mac and cheese. To the cast iron skillet over medium heat, add mustard. While whisking, slowly pour in heavy cream. Once it comes up to a boil, turn down to medium-low to get a simmer. Add in milk and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 tbsp more of milk as needed to get the sauce to the consistency of smooth pancake batter.
• Add cheese and noodles. Turn the burner to low and add cream cheese. Whisk until combined. Then slowly add in grated cheeses, stirring regularly until combined. Turn off the burner and add cooked pasta. Stir to combine and fully mix pasta with smoked mac cheese sauce. (Ours almost overflows in our large skillet, it always looks like it’s too much pasta, but once we get in there with a little muscle, it always works out!)
• Make the crispy bread topping. To a mixing bowl, add melted butter, bbq rub / seasoning, and panko bread crumbs. Whisk to combine. Add a layer of crispy topping on smoked mac and cheese prepared in the skillet.
• Smoke mac and cheese with gouda, gruyere, and cheddar for 1-2 hours as desired. Mac and cheese is done smoking when the panko topping is lightly browned and crispy. The longer you leave it on the smoker, the more smoky it will taste. (We usually can’t wait and take it off around 60-90 minutes,)
• Serve. Mac and cheese will be hot. To serve immediately, leave uncovered and let it cool until it’s safe enough to eat. To keep it warm for longer, add foil on top while resting. Enjoy!

Notes

See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/smoked-mac-cheese

Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video for smoked mac and cheese on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube channel.

Nutrition

Calories: 923kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 192mg | Sodium: 1695mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2023IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 674mg | Iron: 2mg

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