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Best Gouda Mac and Cheese

Smoked gouda mac and cheese
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5 from 1 review

This gouda mac and cheese might be the best mac and cheese you’ve eaten, starring smoked gouda cheese and crunchy sourdough breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

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NEW! Order all the ingredients below in one click (just make sure to increment the Gouda cheese from 1 to 2!)

For the bread crumb topping

  • 2 medium slices Specialty Selected Sourdough Bread
  • 1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the gouda mac and cheese

  • 1 pound short pasta of any type (shells, macaroni, fusilli, or penne — we used Priano Pipe Rigate Pasta)
  • 14 ounces Specialty Selected Smoked Gouda
  • 3 tablespoons Countryside Creamery Unsalted Butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 3/4 cups 2% milk, divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Paprika, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Toast the bread slices until golden brown and crispy: place the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil for several minutes, turning a few times, or use a toaster oven or toaster. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until the bread becomes the consistency of bread crumbs. Then add the mustard powder, thyme, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to liberally salt it. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (start tasting the pasta a few minutes before the package instructions and stop cooking once the pasta is just tender but still firm). Then drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it quickly with warm water.
  3. Meanwhile, grate the smoked gouda and measure out the butter, flour, milk, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  4. (See the video below for this part!) In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium heat; when it melts, stir in the flour. Heat the mixture for several minutes, stirring constantly. Immediately when the color starts to turn light brown, reduce the heat to low. Start to add the 1 3/4 cups milk very slowly, whisking constantly until the mixture is completely smooth, then adding more milk. Add the salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, and continue cooking on low heat for about 2 minutes to thicken slightly, whisking frequently.
  5. After 2 minutes, gradually add the grated cheese and keep stirring until it is melted: it will be very thick and sticky once all the cheese is added. Then add 1 cup milk and stir until incorporated and a creamy sauce forms: a few bits of unmelted cheese are okay (see the video below).
  6. Place the pasta in an even layer in a 9 x 13” serving dish, then pour the cheese sauce on top. Top with the breadcrumbs and broil it for 2 to 4 minutes until lightly browned, turning the pan to even out the browning as necessary. Serve immediately.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/best-gouda-mac-and-cheese/