Looking for a smoked mac and cheese recipe that's a step up from the usual stovetop version? This one starts in a cast-iron skillet, then finishes on a Traeger or pellet grill for real wood-fired smoke flavor - with a kick of chipotle for extra depth. It's rich, cheesy, and just spicy enough, and it's the perfect side for this grilled ribeye recipe or smoked beef ribs.
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This recipe uses four cheeses (cream cheese, Irish cheddar, smoked gouda, and Colby Jack), so it stays creamy even after an hour on the smoker - something plainer versions can struggle with. Want a high-protein option instead? Try this high protein mac and cheese, with 44 grams of protein per serving.
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🔖 Ingredient & Substitutions
- Macaroni: Use macaroni noodles or elbow macaroni.
- Chipotle Peppers: Canned Chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce they're canned in are an essential part of this recipe. Not only do they add spice to the recipe, but they also elevate the smokiness of this dish.
- Bacon: After the bacon is fried, the rendered bacon fat is mixed with flour to make a roux. If you prefer to leave the bacon out or not use the grease, use 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter to make the roux instead.
- Cheese: Four types of cheese are used in this recipe (cream cheese, Irish cheddar, smoked gouda cheese, and Colby Jack). Like sharp cheddar cheese? Feel free to add it, or make substitutions. However, don't replace the cream cheese, which gives the cheese sauce a creamy texture.
- Crispy Jalapeños: The Crispy Jalapeños are mildly spicy and add a nice little crunch. Some recipes do this by adding crushed crackers, but I personally prefer not to mess with the creamy texture. However, the crispy jalapeños are my son's latest obsession, which is why I added them... and they're so delicious!
🧀 How to Make Smoked Mac and Cheese
Set smoker to 225°F.
Step 1: Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add elbow pasta to the pot of boiling water, and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Set a timer for 7 minutes. Cook the pasta until al dente (not completely soft and tender).
Step 2: Meanwhile, using a 10" cast-iron skillet, fry the bacon until crispy, then drain on paper towels. Add minced garlic and fry for approximately 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour into the pan to make a roux. Stir over low heat for about a minute, then turn off the heat.
Step 3: Drain cooked pasta and add to a medium-sized bowl. Pour milk over the pasta, then add cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Shred cheddar and gouda and add, along with bacon.
Step 4: Stir in the diced chipotle peppers and their sauce into the pasta, then pour the contents of the bowl into the cast-iron pan. Mix with a rubber spatula to incorporate the garlic and roux that are in the pan into the pasta.
Step 5: Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir pasta and place uncovered on the grill. Smoke for 30 minutes (not you, the pasta). Stir once more and sprinkle with the Colby Jack cheese. Smoke, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes.
Optional: Sprinkle the finished Macaroni and Cheese with crispy jalapeños before serving.
🥣 Why Did My Smoked Mac and Cheese Turn Out Oily or Grainy?
This is the most common problem with any smoked mac and cheese recipe, and it comes down to heat and cheese choice.
- Pre-shredded cheese is the usual culprit. It's coated in anti-caking starches that keep it from melting smoothly. Shred your own block cheese for a silkier sauce.
- Too much direct heat breaks the sauce. Keep your smoker at 225°F - anything hotter and the fat separates from the cheese, leaving a greasy layer on top.
- If it's already broken, whisk in a splash of warm milk or half-and-half off the heat. It won't fully reset a badly broken sauce, but it helps bring it back together.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Serve this smoked mac and cheese with these juicy smoked burgers or this yummy smoked tri-tip. For salad options, choose from this Greek cucumber salad or a pear arugula salad!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQ
Almost anything can be smoked, including boxed Mac and Cheese. Simply pour the prepared Mac and Cheese into a 10" cast iron skillet and smoke, uncovered, at 225°F for one hour.
Many ingredients can add creaminess to Macaroni and Cheese. Here are just a few:
• cream cheese
• sour cream
• Velveeta cheese
• goat cheese (if you enjoy the strong flavor)
• Mascarpone cheese
Whole milk is the preferred milk to use in Mac and Cheese. However, you can whisk in any of the following:
• 2% milk
• half and half (which is a combination of whole milk and cream).
• cream (but not for the entire amount of milk called for). Substitute cream for only ¼ of the amount of milk called for in the recipe.
The following ingredients can be stirred into Mac and Cheese to improve the flavor.
• Pace Picante sauce or your favorite hot sauce
• Huckleberry Barbecue Sauce
• Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce
• Bacon (bacon makes everything better).
Elbow macaroni is the classic choice and what this recipe uses, but cavatappi or shells work well too - their ridges and curves hold onto the cheese sauce better than smooth pasta shapes.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If you don't own a cast-iron skillet, you can use a disposable aluminum pan instead. You'll want to spray the pan with cooking spray before pouring the pasta mixture into it.
- This recipe is not meant to be smoked at a higher temperature. It will dry it out.
- If the Smoked Mac and cheese gets too dry, add additional milk (1 tablespoon per cup of pasta). You can also use half and half or cream to rehydrate the pasta.
- To make Macaroni and Cheese creamier, stir more cheese or sour cream into the pasta.
- Besides bacon, you can add other pulled pork, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, chives, or whatever ingredient you are fond of.
- For a crispy topping, add crumbled crackers or panko crumbs on top before smoking.
- To reheat the Mac n Cheese, stir approximately 2 tablespoons of whole milk or half and half (per serving) into the Mac and Cheese. Microwave it for 30-60 seconds.
- You can freeze leftover Macaroni and Cheese by placing it in an airtight container or in a freezer Ziploc bag. Be sure to remove all the air from the bag before sealing it. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat Mac and Cheese in the oven, place it in a glass dish, stir in 2 tablespoons of milk per serving, then cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes.
🍖 Other Traeger Recipes
- Traeger Pulled Pork
- Traeger Brisket
- Smoked Turkey Breast
- Traeger Smoked Potatoes
- Smoked Traeger Ribs
- Traeger Prime Rib
🥩 More Smoker Recipes
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set smoker to 225°F.
- Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add elbow pasta to the pot of boiling water, and add 1 teaspoon salt. Set a timer for 7 minutes. Cook the pasta until al dente (not completely soft and tender).
- Meanwhile, using a 10" cast-iron skillet, fry the bacon until crispy then drain on paper towels. Add minced garlic and fry for approximately 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour into the pan to make a roux. Stir over low heat for about a minute then turn off the heat.
- Drain cooked pasta and add to a medium-sized bowl. Pour milk over the pasta, then add cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Shred cheddar and gouda and add, along with bacon.
- Stir in the diced chipotle peppers and their sauce into the pasta, then pour the contents of the bowl into the cast iron pan. Mix with a rubber spatula to incorporate the garlic and roux that are in the pan into the pasta.
- Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir pasta and place uncovered on the grill. Smoke for 30 minutes (not you, the pasta). Stir once more and sprinkle with the Colby jack cheese. Smoke, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes.
- Optional: Sprinkle the finished Smoked Mac and cheese with crispy jalapeños before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- If you don't own a cast-iron skillet, you can use a disposable aluminum pan instead. You'll want to spray the pan with cooking spray before pouring the pasta mixture into it.
- This recipe is not meant to be smoked at a higher temperature. It will dry it out.
- If the Smoked Mac and cheese gets too dried out, add additional milk (1 tablespoon per cup of pasta). You can also use half and half, or cream to rehydrate the pasta.
- To make Macaroni and Cheese creamier, stir more cheese or sour cream into the pasta.
- Besides bacon, you can add other pulled pork, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, chives, or whatever ingredient you are fond of.
- For a crispy topping, add crumbled crackers or panko crumbs on top before smoking.
- To reheat the Mac n Cheese, stir approximately 2 tablespoons of whole milk or half and half (per serving) into the Mac and Cheese. Microwave it for 30-60 seconds.
- You can freeze leftover Macaroni and Cheese by placing it in an airtight container or in a freezer Ziploc bag. Be sure to remove all the air from the bag before sealing it. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat Mac and Cheese in the oven, place it in a glass dish, stir in 2 tablespoons of milk per serving, then cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes.
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