Name: No Roux Gouda Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1.5 cup shredded gouda cheese (or other creamy, well-melting cheese); 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other flavorful, well-melting cheese); ½ tsp paprika powder; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp ground black pepper; 1.5 cup macaroni pasta (or gluten-free / 100% corn macaroni); 1.5 cup heavy cream; 1 cup milk (or cream / half and half)

Total time: 1 5

Prep time: 10

No ratings yet

Jump to Recipe

This Gouda Mac and Cheese is ridiculously easy to make - no roux, no flour, no stovetop cooking required! Just mix raw pasta with shredded gouda, cheddar, and cream in a baking dish, then bake 45 minutes. The result is creamy, cheesy, and so much easier than traditional mac and cheese. Perfect when you want comfort food without all the fuss!

A spoonful of gouda mac and cheese being lifted out of the pan with a cheese pull.

The Easiest Mac and Cheese You'll Ever Make

At this point I've made so many versions of my classic dump-and-bake mac and cheese, I had to create a whole new category for them. And this version? I think it's the creamiest, cheesiest one yet!

Gouda might be a milder cheese, but what it lacks in flavor it makes up for in texture. From now on, I think it will be one of my go-to cheeses for mac and cheese!

Apart from the ultra creamy texture, you'll love this recipe for exactly the same reasons as my other mac and cheese recipes:

No flour
No roux
No stove-top cooking whatsoever
Just dump, mix, and bake

Mac and cheese doesn't get any easier than this - I'd even wager it's easier than the boxed version!

These are the ingredients you need

Ingredients needed to make gouda mac and cheese including macaroni, gouda cheese, cheddar cheese, milk and cream.

What Cheese to Use

Gouda is the star of the show here, and gives this mac and cheese a super creamy texture. You can swap it for another well-melting cheese like mozzarella.

For my second cheese I opted for cheddar, which also melts really well, and adds great flavor. You can use mild, medium or sharp - whichever you prefer. Cheddar is best swapped for parmesan cheese or gruyere cheese. You can also swap it for more gouda or mozzarella - but you will then get a very mild cheese flavor.

If you need this dish to be truly vegetarian, make sure the cheese you use is made without animal rennet. Both gouda and cheddar are traditionally made with this.

Make It Gluten-Free

This recipe has been tested with both regular gluten-free macaroni and 100% corn macaroni, and both work really well.

Just Dump, Mix and Bake!

1. Macaroni + Cheese + Seasonings

Start by mixing together macaroni, cheese and seasonings.

Mixing macaroni, cheese and spices to make gouda mac and cheese.

2. Liquids + Even It Out

Pour over cream and milk, then even out the surface so all the pasta will cook.

Evening out the surface of a gouda mac and cheese before baking.

3. Bake & Mix

Bake 30 minutes, then bring it out and give it a good mix. This is so we release some starch from the pasta, which makes it creamy without any added flour.

Gouda mac and hceese after baking halfway, before mixing and baking again.

4. Bake & Enjoy

Bake 15 more minutes, until golden. Bring it out, let it sit for 10 minutes, then enjoy!

Expert Tips for the Best Mac and Cheese

Shred the cheese yourself. If using pre-shredded cheese, your mac and cheese can end up grainy. The reason is that it often comes with added ingredients to avoid clumping, and these mess up the texture of your dish. If you still want to use pre-shredded cheese, make sure it is 100% cheese with no added ingredients.

Do mix it after baking 30 minutes. The secret to making mac and cheese without adding flour is to mix it partway through the baking time. The pasta has a lot of starch, so we don't really need to add any (like flour) - we just need to make sure to release it and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. This is what we do with that mix after 30 minutes!

Allow it to rest - if you have time. I find it's best if you allow it to rest 10 minutes before serving. But, you can absolutely serve it straight away as well!

Storing, Freezing & Reheating Instructions

Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that the consistency will not be the same, and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Reheating in the oven: Cover with aluminum foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.

Reheating in the microwave: Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second increments. If it looks dry, add a dash of milk or cream before reheating.

Gouda Mac and Cheese

The Easiest Mac and Cheese You'll Ever Make

Want to save this recipe?