A crazy delicious baked Gouda mac and cheese that will have your family or guests WOWED. A simple creamy cheese sauce made with a mix of aged Gouda cheese and cheddar. The topping is an extra special blend of panko crumbs with herbs, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. This is a really easy and delicious recipe to make at home, I know you'll love it.
Hi! Sometimes you research new recipes and other times the world or circumstances choose for you. I had Erin from Cloudy Kitchen come to stay and she bought me an amazing wedge of aged Gouda. I knew I had to use it in a pasta dish.
Homemade macaroni and cheese is so easy and probably one of the most comforting things you can make?! I don't want to toot my own horn but the topping is pretty fantastic and takes this to another level. I guarantee this will become a family favorite.
If you want some other baked dishes, try:
What is Gouda cheese?
Gouda is a really traditional Dutch cheese that changes a lot with age. When young it has a creamy texture and mild cheddar like taste. When aged it transforms into a more crumbly and sharp cheese, not dissimilar to parmesan.
In this dish I used an aged Gouda but this is a pretty forgiving recipe so use whatever you can find or like. Because mine was a lot sharper in taste I used a ratio of that and a more mild cheddar.
Smoked Gouda is also really popular and delicious so feel free to try that as well! Freshly grated is always best, there are additives in pre-shredded cheese that will stop it melting into the sauce as well.
Main Ingredients:
Pasta - I use elbow macaroni but use whatever shape you like.
Cheese - I use a mixture of aged gouda and a normal supermarket white cheddar cheese. If you can't find any aged Gouda then a regular Gouda or any sharp cheddar will be great!
Flour - I use an all purpose flour for the roux base, it will work with a gluten free flour too.
Whole milk - The base of a good velvety cheese sauce HAS to be whole milk.
Butter - Is used in the topping and the white sauce. I generally use unsalted butter but doesn't matter too much here.
Herbs - I use fresh rosemary in the topping and sauce. It's the perfect complement to the Gouda. Substitute for thyme if you prefer.
Lemon - You might think it is strange in a mac and cheese but I add lemon juice to 90% of my recipes. It cuts through the richness of cheese so well. Trust me!
Panko breadcrumbs - Panko is the best topping for pasta bakes. It's so easy and you don't need to faff around leaving bits of bread out to go stale.
Cheese substitutions
Gouda is really available all round the world. As I say above it comes in all different ages. Use whatever you can find. You could use all regular cheddar instead, I promise anything will work.
The recipe calls for 300 grams of cheese so use a couple to make up the weight, gouda, white cheddar, parmesan or mozzarella.
How to make this recipe:
The full recipe, ingredient list and short tutorial video are in the recipe card below. These instructions are for making the cheese sauce and assembly. I boil the pasta first then make the sauce.
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I used a 31cm x 21cm porcelain baking dish.
ONE: Over a medium heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan and when sizzling add the flour and whisk for a minute.
TWO: Add the milk in a slow stream, whisking at the same time. Make sure you whisk well to get all the lumps from the bottom and sides incorporated.
THREE: Let it thicken for a few minutes until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
FOUR: On a low heat add the grated cheese in 2-3 separate lots, letting it melt in between.
FIVE: Add the black pepper, rosemary and lemon juice.
SIX: Add the cooked macaroni and mix well.
SEVEN: Pour into the baking dish then sprinkle the breadcrumbs in an even layer on top.
EIGHT: Bake at 350f (180c) for 20 - 25 mins until golden brown.
Expert Tips
- Undercook the pasta by a minute from package directions. I also add a tablespoon of butter to it so it doesn't keep cooking when drained. Al dente pasta is still key in a baked dish so this is very important.
- Grate your own cheese. Pre shredded cheeses are usually full of additives.
- Whisk the butter and flour mixture into the milk thoroughly. The key to a velvety sauce with no lumps is getting well into all the corners of the pan and whisking constantly to make sure it's incorporated. A flat whisk is really helpful for this.
- Watch your heat. Nothing should ever be on a high heat. When you add the milk it should never be boiling, hardly even a simmer. Let it gently thicken over a medium-low heat. Add the cheese on a low heat or even off the heat.
- Don't over bake! Get the the top golden brown then pull that bad boy out. The longer it bakes the more it will dry out.
Making a mac and cheese ahead of time
I definitely suggest making this fresh at the time, it doesn't take hours and will be much better. If you want to make it ahead:
- Mix cooled cooked pasta through the cheese sauce then leave on bench until room temp.
- Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- Bring out for 30 mins or so before baking then bake as normal. You might need to bake slightly longer so cover with foil if it browns too much.
Try my butternut mac and cheese!
A cozy Fall inspired mac and cheese with roasted butternut mixed through the cheesy sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Ok take a deep breath. This recipe is super forgiving. I used some aged Gouda and some run of the mill cheddar. If you use a sharp aged gouda you'll want to mix in something more mild or it could be too intense. Can't find Gouda? No probs! Use all cheddar, anything will work. You could look at the cheese ratio in my Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Leeks for a non Gouda vibe.
The key is to have the heat really low, or even off when adding the cheese. If you feel like it is too thick, just add a splash of milk.
You have leftovers?! Haha, no fair enough, we are a home of two so some of this is tucked up in my freezer. It will last for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge or up to three months in the freezer.
Some other pasta dishes to try
If you loved this Gouda macaroni and cheese I have so many delicious pasta recipes for you to try! For a more tomato based baked dish please check out my Cheesy Baked Gnocchi! For another macaroni cheese recipe my Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Leeks is a must. For something equally creamy and addictive try my Creamy Chicken Pasta.
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Incredibly Delicious Gouda Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 280 grams pasta macaroni or any shape you like
- 1 tbsp butter
For the topping:
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 60 grams butter melted
- 20 grams about ½ cup very finely grated parmesan
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 heaped tablespoon rosemary roughly chopped
For the sauce:
- 70 grams butter
- 50 grams flour
- 300 grams cheese I used 175 grams aged gouda and 125 grams cheddar
- 3 cups milk
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350f (180c).
- Make the topping first. Mix all topping ingredients together, add a good pinch of salt and set aside.
- Cook the pasta, undercooking by 1 minute from package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter (helps it stop cooking and sticking).
- Make the sauce. In a large saucepan heat the butter over a medium heat and when sizzling, add the flour.
- Whisk vigorously for a minute.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the milk in a slow stream, whisking the whole time making sure you get all the flour mixture from the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- When ready it should almost be at a slight simmer but not quite.
- Lower the heat right down and add the cheese in three lots, whisking well and letting it melt in between each addition.
- If there are still some small chunks not melted in, it's fine!
- Add the rosemary, black pepper and lemon juice and mix in.
- Add the pasta, mix and season to taste with salt.
- Pour into your baking dish (I used a 30cm x 21cm rectangular dish) and top with the panko crumb mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until nice and golden. You don't want to bake it any longer than that as you don't want to overcook the pasta and dry out the sauce
- Leave it to sit for 5 - 10 mins before serving.
Jenn F says
The gouda cheese in this mac and cheese makes it sooo creamy and delicious. This made the perfect side dish to my Christmas dinner.
Emilie Pullar says
So honoured it was on a Christmas table! 🙂
Blanca says
I just made this for dinner and it was so easy to make for such a big pay off! So so deliciously oozy, balanced with the crunch from the crumb topping. It’s rich but the addition of the lemon really balances the flavours and brightens it up. We had it with leftover steamed greens from Christmas and it was perfect!
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much for sending me a pic on insta too!! Looked so so delicious 🙂
Jess says
Absolutely love this recipe!! The rosemary and lemon worked so well, I’ll be making this again for sure ?
Helen B says
I made this tonight after a tough weekend - and just scraped the plate clean in joy! So delicious. Thanks for sharing BBT. And
Emilie Pullar says
Yay!! Hope it made the weekend a little less tough, thank you so much for making 🙂
Liz Tully says
Great recipe, Em. The family loved it. "Best mac and cheese ever!"
Emilie Pullar says
Yay so happy to hear!! X
Yvonne makeupworks says
I love this account/bligger! All those delicious recipes, yummm. And so different from all the rest. Follwing for awhile now and already made several recipes. Only one word comes to mind….. DELICIOUS