Gouda Mac and Cheese – An Easy and Delicious Dish!

This simple one-pot dinner is as Gouda as it gets! Gouda mac and cheese with white cheddar is surprising simple to make from scratch, and so much better than boxed mac and cheese!

All cheesy jokes aside, if you’ve never made homemade mac and cheese from scratch, it truly doesn’t take much extra time.

Plus, once you have the basics down, you can experiment with all different types of cheeses until you find your favorite blend!

The base of the creamy cheese sauce is a simple béchamel sauce, and then you just add the grated cheese until it has all melted.

(You can read more about béchamel sauce in my recipe for aurora sauce, which also uses béchamel sauce as the base.)

What is Gouda cheese, and what does it taste like?

Gouda originated in the Netherlands, and takes its name from the city of Gouda in South Holland, where it was originally made and traded.

People often describe Gouda as sweet and nutty, which I would agree with. I would also call it rich and buttery.

Unsmoked Gouda is a nice and mild, yet still rich and creamy cheese that I would imagine most people would enjoy. (Wikipedia describes it as “one of the most popular cheeses worldwide.”)

Gouda is also one of the oldest recorded cheeses in the world still made today, and dates back to at least 1184 CE.

Traditionally, Dutch women made the cheese, and taught their daughters their techniques.

The name Gouda is now used to describe a number of similar farmer’s cheese style cheeses made with cow’s milk. It describes a traditional Dutch style of cheesemaking more than the final outcome.

The flavor of Gouda can vary widely based on how long it has been aged.

A Note on Ingredients/Substitutions

The cheese

I strongly recommend using blocks of cheese and grating your own.

Bags of pre-shredded cheese contain anti-caking agents. In addition to being unnecessary (and weird tasting) ingredients, they also slow down or even prevent the cheese from melting fully, so your sauce will take longer and not be as creamy.

If you grate the cheese while the pasta is boiling, it doesn’t take any extra time.

Gouda in particular is a soft cheese, so it is very quick and easy to grate by hand.

Gouda cheese

I’m usually not very adventurous with my cheeses, so I used a young, unsmoked Gouda that was mild and delicious.

If you are looking for more flavor, you can always try smoked Gouda or aged Gouda.

However, note that they will not melt as well, so you will probably need to reverse the ratios of Gouda to your melting cheese for your sauce to be nice and creamy.

Sharp white cheddar cheese

You can mix Gouda with any good melting cheese of your choice for a smoother sauce. Gouda all by itself can be a little grainy, although still delicious. Any type of cheddar works extremely well, as would:

• Colby
• Monterey Jack
• Fontina
• Gruyere
• Mozzarella
• Muenster
• Havarti

You can also taste the cheese sauce after each cup or handful of cheese and see how you like it. You may not need it all, and can use some for your next recipe, or for a baked crust if you choose.

Greek yogurt

I wanted a sauce with a little bit of tanginess to it. Although the sharp white cheddar added some nice tanginess, I added more.

You could also try sour cream, goat cheese, cream cheese, Feta, or whatever you’d like for more flavor.

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Whole milk

You can always make this dish richer by using half and half or cream.

Just note that if you go the opposite direction and pick a reduced fat milk, your sauce will be more liquid and less creamy, so you will definitely need a spoon.

Feel free to add extra milk for a soupier, creamier sauce.

Add just a tiny bit of milk at a time to your roux (butter and flour) when you are starting your béchamel sauce, and then as it becomes thinner you can add larger pours.

The pasta

I used cavatappi, but any pasta with ridges like penne would work to hold onto the sauce.

Shells and traditional elbow macaroni are also great choices as they scoop up the sauce.

Of course, you can use whatever you have handy, and if it doesn’t hold the sauce as well, just use a spoon instead of a fork!

Storing and reheating leftovers

This recipe will keep just fine in an airtight container in the fridge for several days (if it lasts that long, that is . . .).

It also freezes well, so you can make a double batch and portion it out for busy nights.

The cheese sauce will thicken as it cools. For the creamiest leftovers, add a splash of milk before reheating, and stir until smooth.

What to serve with this gouda mac and cheese

Try serving this gouda mac and cheese with my smoked asparagus on the side for some extra flavor and some greens.

(And if you are going to smoke asparagus, you can also smoke your own Gouda, which is supposed to be way better than what you can buy in the grocery store.)

Alternatively, add some of my vegan garlic bread for a comforting and hearty meal!

Pressed for time? Try this speedy frozen garlic bread in the air fryer!

Variations on this recipe

Smoked Gouda mac and cheese

Simply use smoked Gouda in place of plain, and swap the ratios of Gouda to your melting cheese for a creamy sauce.

Smoked Gouda appears to be much more sophisticated, hip, and trendy. However, I tried one recently I didn’t much care for (I know, I know . . . blasphemy to the true cheese connoisseurs out there).

Just try a small piece to make sure you like it before committing to it for the full recipe.

(I also don’t usually like smoke flavoring much in general, but if you do, you may love the more complex flavor. One could argue that plain Gouda is boring, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing.)

Baked gouda mac and cheese rather than stovetop

I usually prefer a soupier sauce, so I did not bake mine this time around.

However, for that delicious, golden-brown cheese crust, baking is the way to go. Here’s how:

1. Once you finish making the stovetop Gouda mac and cheese as described here, simply empty the pot into a large casserole dish.
2. Make a topping of extra grated cheese and/or breadcrumbs, then bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes, depending on how browned you want your toppings.

(If you are worried about burning it, you could also bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.)

Optional mix-ins

While plain Gouda mac and cheese is delicious on its own, it would also be fun with added ingredients, including but by no means limited to:

• Green chiles
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Mushrooms
• Peas
• Fresh spinach
• Jalapeños

Make it low carb

Substitute a low carb “pasta” made with cauliflower, chickpeas, or other reduced carb options.

Change the seasoning

As always, feel free to play around with the seasonings to your preference. Some people include:

• Nutmeg
• Old Bay
• Dijon mustard (instead of ground mustard)
• Dried basil
• Fresh parsley
• Cumin
• Chile powder
• Cayenne
• Hot sauce

Use homemade pasta

Absolutely delicious! Thinner shapes tend to be silky soft and can almost disappear into the sauce, so I would pick a thicker shape.

If you don’t mind being untraditional, homemade pappardelle would be great with this cheese sauce!

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Other pasta recipes you may enjoy

• Aurora sauce and broccoli pasta bake
• Pomodorini penne
• Lemon pepper pasta
• Hearty marinara sauce

Gouda Mac and Cheese Ingredients

Before you begin, you will need:

Edible Ingredients

• 1 lb of pasta
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 cups grated Gouda
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar
• Fresh basil, to garnish (optional)

Tools and equipment

• Large pot, like a Dutch oven
• Spoon with holes (or a whisk)
• Colander
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cheese grater

How to Make Gouda Mac and Cheese

1. First, cook your pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside. The chewiness of the pasta will ensure that it doesn’t just melt into the sauce and disappear. (Optionally, you can reserve some pasta water in case your sauce gets too thick. Otherwise you can just add extra milk.)
2. While the pasta is boiling, remove the wax from the Gouda and grate your cheeses.
3. When you’re ready to begin the sauce, melt your butter over medium-low heat. You can use the same pot you boiled the pasta in.
4. Once the butter has all melted, sprinkle the flour evenly over the bottom of the pan to discourage clumping. Stir it in until smooth, then continue cooking for at least 1-2 minutes, stirring all the time so it doesn’t burn. (Eating raw flour can be dangerous.)
5. Then, start pouring in a little milk at a time, stirring continuously until thoroughly incorporated.
6. Once all the milk has been blended in, keep stirring and mix in the spices and the Greek yogurt.
7. After that, starting adding a handful of grated cheese at a time, stirring all the while, until all of the cheese has melted and been fully incorporated.
8. When all the ingredients have been added, keep stirring until the cheese sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. (Don’t let it come to a full boil or the milk will curdle.) It should coat the back of the spoon (or whisk) like pancake batter, not a liquid.
9. Finally, stir in the cooked pasta until fully blended, garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, paprika, and/or fresh basil, serve, and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this simple recipe for Gouda Mac and cheese!