This Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese recipe is probably one of my absolute favorite macaroni and cheese recipes. And that’s saying a lot given I’ve published over 25 Gourmet Mac & Cheese recipes.
I’m often asked what makes a good mac & cheese. In my opinion, perfectly cooked noodles (al dente) is a must. Getting the cheese nice and creamy is also important.
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But for me, the mustard powder takes a plain macaroni and cheese up a couple of notches. Oh, and a nice crunchy topping doesn’t hurt either.
What is Al Dente
When making Mac and Cheese, it’s important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure the best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term “al dente”, it means cooking the pasta so it’s still chewy and firm and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
Tips
- While you can pretty much use any brand of cream cheese, I highly recommend you use Philadelphia brand cream cheese. You will taste the difference.
I often get asked why I add ground mustard to the cheese sauce. Basically the ground mustard makes the cheese “cheesier”.
Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Elbow Macaroni, Unsalted Butter, All Purpose Flour, Ground Dry Mustard, Half and Half, Cream Cheese, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Gouda Cheese and Panko Bread Crumbs.
How to Make Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni al dente.
- In a large oven-safe skillet or dutch oven, melt 1/2 a cup of butter and whisk in the all purpose flour until smooth. Whisk in the mustard powder.
- Pour in the half and half and bring to a boil while whisking. Reduce the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the cheddar cheese and Gouda cheese and whisk until melted. Turn off the heat and fold in the cooked macaroni noodles. Stir gently until all the noodles are coated with cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine a 1/4 cup of melted butter and the panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the Mac and Cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 1 lb Elbow Macaroni, cooked al dente
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
- 4 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbsp Ground Dry Mustard
- 2 Cups Half and Half
- 4 oz Cream Cheese
- 3 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1 ½ Cups Gouda Cheese
Panko Topping
- 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni al dente.
- In a large oven safe skillet or dutch oven, melt 1/2 a cup of butter and whisk in the all purpose flour until smooth. Whisk in the mustard powder.
- Pour in the half and half and bring to a boil while whisking. Reduce the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the cheddar cheese and Gouda cheese and whisk until melted. Turn off the heat and fold in the cooked macaroni noodles. Stir gently until all the noodles are coated with cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine a 1/4 cup of melted butter and the panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the Mac and Cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
I’ve made this several times and it’s great! The only change I made was that I baked it in my smoker for 60 minutes at 250 and added a little bbq spices to the panko mixture (brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika) to kick up the bbq flavor.
Baked Gouda Mac and cheese has got to be one of my family’s favourite meals. So tasty and fast to make. A 10 in my book.