Smoked Mac and Cheese

This creamy smoked mac and cheese recipe is the cheesy, melty, and oh so good! It has a mix 5 different cheeses for the most epic cheese pull and is topped with panko bread crumbs for a nice buttery crunch.

This smoked mac n cheese is comfort food to the max and everyone's favorite side dish made even better!

Are you a mac and cheese lover? Try this creamy backed mac and cheese and this old bay lobster mac and cheese too!

Jump to:

• Why You'll LOVE this Recipe
• Ingredients
• Equipment
• How to Make Smoked Mac and Cheese
• How to start a fire in a Smoker
• How to make Smoked Mac and Cheese without a Smoker
• Additions
• Tips to make the Best Smoked Mac and Cheese!
• Storing Mac and Cheese
• Recipe FAQs
• More delicious recipes!
• Smoked Mac and Cheese

Your dinner table just called and said that it needs this smoked mac and cheese on it immediately! This smoky and creamy mac will quickly becomes one of your new favorite recipes.

The melted cheese turns into a rich cheesy sauce that coats each noodle like they're best friends.Just when you thought macaroni and cheese couldn't get any better - we smoked it and the entire dish got an upgrade.

Creamy macaroni with boat loads of different types of cheese, the perfect amount of seasoning, and a little cream to jazz the party up and you've got a dish that will be the star of any gathering.

Warning: once you make this smoked mac and cheese, your family will be asking you to make it for every event thereafter. You will be the designated "mac and cheese person" for Christmas, Thanksgiving, cookouts, Easter - you name it! You've been forewarned!

Why You'll LOVE this Recipe

• Five different cheeses! This mac and cheese has five different types of cheese - sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, mozzarella, colby jack, and white cheddar. I also added cream cheese for added creaminess - it's delicious!
• It's SO easy to make! Literally combine all of your ingredients and smoke it in the smoker. An hour later, you've made the perfect side dish!
• Bread crumb topping! The panko topping is optional but such a great addition to this mac and cheese for a nice crunchy texture on top!
• The smoky flavor! This smoky mac and cheese takes everyone's favorite comfort food to a whole new level. The smoky flavor adds an entirely different taste that pairs so well with the mix of five different cheeses! It's such a great recipe.
• Creamy, cheesy, and rich! This homemade mac is cooked in a large cast iron skillet in the smoker and has that yummy bbq smoke flavor that's irresistible.

Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni or cavatappi noodles: I love using cavatappi noodles because each noodle hugs the cheese perfectly. They're the best noodles for mac and cheese in my opinion but elbows are great choices too!
• Cheese: this recipe calls for 5 different cheeses. Too much cheese? NEVER! I used mozzarella, white cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar, colby jack, and smoked gouda cheese. TIP: Use block cheese - the flavor is better and pre-shredded cheese has additives that prevent the cheese from melting.
• Milk, heavy cream, and cream cheese: these ingredients work with all of the cheese and allow them to melt together and become creamy and saucy. They also prevent the smoked mac n cheese from drying out while in the smoker. It becomes it's own cheese sauce in the pan and it's so good! Tip: make sure to use room temperature cream cheese!
• Butter: I used salted butter, but feel free to swap out for unsalted butter if you're watching your sodium intake.
• Seasonings: ground mustard powder, nutmeg, garlic powder, black pepper, and the star of the show - cajun seasoning. These simple spices add great flavor to the mac and cheese for the perfect balance of cheesiness and

Equipment

• Charcoal Smoker or Pellet Smoker
• Protective grilling mitts and potholders - if you're anything like me (clumsy), these are mandatory. I've mistakenly burned myself more than I care to admit. I cannot recommend these enough.
• Cast Iron Skillet or Aluminum Pans

For the smoker, you'll need:

• Charcoal
• Wood chips - I recommend using a mild wood or fruit woods like apple, pecan, cherry, peach or maple - these flavor pair exceptionally well with cheese. You can also experiment with strong woods like hickory or oak for a more powerful smokey flavor.
• Temperature gauge - you need a temperature gauge to monitor the temperature of the smoker. It if gets too hot, the macaroni and cheese will dry out so this is important!

How to regulate temperature on a Smoker

Controlling the temperature can be tricky. A couple tips help to keep that temperature at 225 degrees F!

• Open the vents if the temperature has gone below 225 / Close the vents if the temperature goes above
• Monitor your coals - after a while, the coals burn down and the temperature can drop. Add more coal.
• Open the lid sparingly. Every time you open the lid, the temperature drops (just like an oven). Only open the lid when absolutely needed.

How to Make Smoked Mac and Cheese

• Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F.
• Boil the pasta in a large pot of water until al dente, according to the package directions.
• While the pasta is boiling, shred all of the cheese into one large bowl and toss together.

• Once the pasta is al dente, drain the cooked macaroni noodles and add cooked pasta back into the pot. Then add four tablespoons of butter, cream cheese, about ¾ of the cheese mixture, milk, heavy cream, mustard powder, cajun seasoning, and nutmeg (just a tiny pinch). Stir together until the cheese begins to melt and the butter and cream cheese have melted into the pasta.
• Add mac and cheese to a cast iron pan / large skillet (12 inch) or disposable aluminum pans.

• In a small bowl, melt the remaining butter (four tablespoons) and combine melted butter with breadcrumbs, onion powder, and salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle breadcrumbs and remaining cheese mixture on top.
• Place the pan into the smoker and cover with the smoker lid. Cook over indirect heat for 1-2 hours, depending on how much smoke you like.

How to start a fire in a Smoker

If you're a pro and know how to work a smoker, skip this part!

1. Make sure all of the vents are open.
2. Place fire starter in the charcoal starter/chimney and light. At the beginning, the coal smoke will be cloudy. Allow the fire to burn from cloudy to clear to burn off all of the chemicals.
3. Once the smoke is clear, pour the coals from the chimney into the smoker and add wood chips on top. The wood chips will burn black or white - this is referred to as dirty smoke. Similarly to the coals, allow the wood chips to burn until the smoke is translucent or clear.
4. Depending on the smoker, place the lid on top to maintain temperature.
5. Ensure the smoker is preheated to 225 degrees F.

How to make Smoked Mac and Cheese without a Smoker

Don't have a smoker and still want to make smoked mac n cheese? Use smoked cheeses! You can buy smoked cheeses at your local grocery store or order this smoked cheddar (it is my favorite cheese of all time).

Simply follow all of the steps in the recipe card to make the macaroni and cheese and then bake in the oven at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Additions

• Make a smoked mac and cheese with bacon! Add crumbled bacon on top of the mac for more smoky flavor and a nice crunch texture.
• If you have any pulled pork or smoked brisket, cut it up and add it into the mac and cheese.
• Try adding caramelized onions - they add so much flavor to the mac, especially when cooked in the smoker!
• Add a little hot sauce on top, it's delicious.

Tips to make the Best Smoked Mac and Cheese!

• For more smoky flavor, allow the mac and cheese to sit in the smoker for 1.5 - 2 hours.
• When boiling the pasta/macaroni noodles, make sure to salt your water. For added flavor, boil the pasta in chicken broth.
• While the mac and cheese is in the smoker, be sure to check your temperature gauge frequently to ensure the temperature stays around 225 degrees F.
• Use a cast iron skillet, it heats evenly and maintains heat better than other types of pans.
• Use mild flavored wood chips. You don't want the flavor of the chips to overpower the flavor of the mac and cheese. Using mild flavored chips gives you the balance of both mac and cheese flavor and smoky flavor!
• Keep your temperatures low. It is better for the temps to be on the lower side than to be too hot!

Storing Mac and Cheese

This smoked macaroni and cheese is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days. You can also freeze any leftover mac and cheese just make sure it's cooled completely prior to adding it to an airtight container. It'll last up to 3 months!

Recipe FAQs

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