Gouda mac and cheese is an irresistibly creamy and delicious meal or side dish. It will quickly become a family favorite thanks to creamy macaroni with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Prep Time: 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 40 minutesminutes
Total Time: 50 minutesminutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 ¼cupsdry elbow macaroni
½cupbutter(1 stick)
½cupall-purpose flour
¾teaspoonKosher salt, more to taste
¼teaspoondry mustard
¼teaspoononion powder
¼teaspoonsmoked paprika
pepper to taste
2cupsmilk
8ouncessmoked gouda, grated (plus additional cheese for topping if desired)
3Tablespoonsbutter
1cuppanko breadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook the macaroni according to package directions and drain. While the noodles are cooking, combine the flour, salt, mustard, onion, paprika and pepper in a small bowl.
While macaroni is cooking, melt the stick of butter in a separate saucepan over medium-heat. Add to the flour mixture and stir together for about 1 minute.
Add the milk a little bit at a time, whisking constantly. Once all of the milk is added, continue to stir and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese, then turn off the heat and stir to combine.
Add the sauce to the drained macaroni (or the macaroni to the sauce, whichever is in the bigger pot.) Stir to combine, then pour it into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with additional shredded gouda if you want.
In a small bowl, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Add the breadcrumbs and stir until they are moist. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs start to brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Can mix the extra shredded gouda and breadcrumbs into the macaroni mixture if preferred. Then also top with a little extra cheese/breadcrumbs.
To make homemade breadcrumbs: If you have some stale or dry bread, cut it into cubes than bake it in the oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, use a food processor to pulse it into crumbs.
Substitutes for gouda:If looking for a substitute, make sure the cheese has a smoky, creamy flavor and is a semi-hard cheese.