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    Home » Recipes » Grill Recipes » Smoker Recipes » Smoked Mac And Cheese

    Smoked Mac And Cheese

    Published: Apr 25, 2023 · Modified: Oct 14, 2023 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    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…

    Best Traeger Smoked Mac And Cheese With Gouda
    This recipe makes ridiculously good smoked mac and cheese.

    Table of Contents

    • Why is this smoked mac and cheese recipe so amazing?
    • How long to smoke mac and cheese?
    • Ingredients
    • How to smoke mac and cheese
    • FAQs 
    • More Tasty Grill + Smoker Recipes
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • See how to shred cheese for smoked mac n cheese the easy way…
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • Smoked Mac And Cheese With Gouda Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Why is this smoked mac and cheese recipe so amazing?

    • DECADENT. Indulgent. Creamy. Perfect. 
    • Fast smoke time – After whipping up the ingredients, it takes just 1-2 hours to smoke, depending on how smokey you want your mac. 
    • Start in the kitchen mixing the noodles and cheese sauce, then finish on the grill.
    • SO EASY FOR BEGINNERS – I’m here to help you… See my step by step video for smoking mac ‘n cheese for the very first time on the pellet grill (scroll to bottom of page). 

    HEY THERE — Are you on instagram? See more smoker mac and cheese recipes @sipbitego.

    How long to smoke mac and cheese?

    It takes about 60-90 minutes to smoke mac and cheese until it picks up smoky flavor and the cheese is all melted together.

    But you can leave it on the pellet grill for a smoke time of closer to 2 hours if you want extra smoke flavor.

    See how to cook smoked turkey thighs…

    Ingredients

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

    Infographic with ingredients for smoked mac and cheese recipe on the Traeger with gouda
    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.

    For the pasta noodles 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

    *You can substitute extra cheddar for the gouda or gruyere cheese

    Creamy 3 cheese filling smoker mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet

    For the panko bread topping

    • Butter
    • Bbq rub
    • Panko bread crumbs

    See the notes in the FAQ below on how to turn this into smoked bacon mac and cheese.

    Prepared Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese With Crispy Topping
    Traeger smoked mac and cheese is one of the best dishes for serving a crowd at a BBQ party. 

    How to smoke mac and cheese

    Now I’ll walk you through it…

    Infographic with recipe steps and captions for smoking mac and cheese on pellet grill

    Quick look at this smoker mac n’ cheese

    1. Cook pasta.
    2. Make cheese sauce on the stove. Mix pasta and cheese sauce (aka roux) together. 
    3. Add panko topping and top smoked mac and cheese with bacon if desired.
    4. Preheat the pellet smoker and smoke mac and cheese for 1-2 hours.
    5. Cool and enjoy tremendously!
    Smoked Dinner Side Dish Traeger Mac And Cheese With Smoked Meatloaf

    Here I’m serving this smoked side dish of mac and cheese with the always-moist smoked meatloaf.

    Detailed 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!
    Best Traeger Smoked Mac And Cheese With Gouda And Cavatelli Noodles

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

    Smoked Macaroni with Cheese On The Traeger Grills

    See how to get more smoke flavor from your favorite Traeger dishes and check out these game day smoker recipes including smoked cream cheese. It’s so good!

    FAQs 

    How do you season mac and cheese with bbq rub?

    You can add a sprinkle of any BBQ seasoning in with the panko bread crumb topping to change up the flavor profile. You can also add diced jalapenos or smoked bacon to the top. 

    How long does it take to smoke mac and cheese at 225 degrees F?

    This recipe for gouda smoked mac and cheese on the Traeger takes about 1-2 hours to make. The mac and cheese is melted and gooey at the 45 minutes / 1 hour mark.

    So it’s pretty forgiving smoked appetizer or side if you want to leave it in the smoker while waiting on your other BBQ menu items to finish up. This is helpful when timing a party or finishing up one of my favorite burger recipes. The extra time in the smoker will build up to make a more smokey taste over time.

    Do you use parmesan cheese in smoked mac n cheese?

    I usually don’t If anything, I’ll change up the flavors of the soft cheese, like use a super sharp cheddar instead of a medium heat one. Or even a smoked gouda to amp up the smokiness.

    The reason being, Parmesan cheese is a hard cheese that doesn’t melt as easily. The best parmesan cheese smoker side dish I recommend is this smoked meatballs recipe. It has a ton of smoke flavor for what’s standard Italian food.

    Why don’t you use pre shredded cheese for your mac and cheese smoker recipe?

    Because I find shredding cheese fresh from the block is the most reliable way to get good, melty cheese. Some shredded cheeses are better than others, but the ones that aren’t good for mac and cheese are ones that are coated with materials that keep the cheese shreds from sticking to each other, which ultimately prevents them from melting as smoothly as I like. 

    Traeger Grills with Smoked Mac And Cheese in a cast iron skillet to feed a crowd

    More Tasty Grill + Smoker Recipes

    • Smoked mac and cheese
    • Smoked cream cheese
    • Smoked brisket flat
    • 321 ribs
    • Beer can chicken on the smoker
    • Smoked wings
    • Smoked tomahawk steak
    • Traeger tri tip
    • Smoked turkey breast
    • Smoked turkey legs
    • Whole smoked turkey
    • Smoked Traeger pizza
    • Smoked onion rings
    • Traeger smoked ham
    • Smoked whole chicken
    • Smoked jalapeno poppers
    • Smoked corn on the cob
    • Traeger beef ribs
    • Smoked leg of lamb
    • Smoked shrimp
    • Roasted chicken
    • Grilled chicken wings
    • Grilled skirt steak
    • Flank steak marinade
    • Grilled potato wedges
    • Smoked pulled pork
    • Want more? See my lineup of easy smoker recipes

    See this Traeger Flatrock grill review.

    See my favorite smoker tools and seasonings in my Amazon Storefront.

    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    See how to shred cheese for smoked mac n cheese the easy way…

    When your kiddo asks for Annie’s and Kraft mac and cheese as often as mine does, and your a food blogger…

    A time is going to come when you want to figure out how to make smoked macaroni and cheese easier at home…

    Check out the Kitchenaid Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder Attachment…

    And see more helpful KitchenAid Attachments…

    Pellet Smoker Mac And Cheese recipe

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chefs, I hope that answers all your questions about smoking mac and cheese to perfection. In the future, I’ll be sharing more tips on cooking smoked cheeses. 

    For now, check out my smoked jalapeno poppers.

    If you love a good cheese sauce, check out this white pizza sauce. It’s so tasty on smoked pizzas. Try it on Philly cheesesteak pizza on the Traeger.

    If you don’t follow me on instagram you totally should @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel and see the Sip Bite Go recipe collection. 

    Best Traeger Smoked Mac And Cheese With Gouda

    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 23 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, BBQ
    Diet: Vegetarian
    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

    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!

    Video

    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
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anik St-Amour says

      September 23, 2023 at 8:38 am

      Sooo good and goo-y! Instead of the Panko topping, I put crushed up Hickory Sticks chips, it was a huge hit! Thanks for this recipe!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Charie says

      June 13, 2023 at 6:48 pm

      This is the best Mac and cheese! I made this for my son and his friend. His friend is all about an amazing Mac and cheese! And this one made him and his stomach very happy! I served this with pulled pork sandwiches. Top the pulled pork with the Mac and cheese and it makes for an amazing sandwich!5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenna Passaro says

        July 02, 2023 at 6:32 pm

        All sounds delicious! We make this smoked mac and cheese on repeat. Try smoked mashed potatoes next, if you haven’t already.

        Reply
    3. George Greenhalgh says

      May 22, 2023 at 10:53 am

      Do you think I can transfer to an aluminum pan to smoke and for easier cleanup

      Reply
      • Jenna Passaro says

        July 02, 2023 at 6:33 pm

        Yes I do it all the time!

        Reply
    4. Craig says

      September 29, 2022 at 11:36 pm

      This amazing recipe I’ve never tasted before, it definitely helps Traeger Grill owners.5 stars

      Reply

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    Primary Sidebar

    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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