Smoked Mac and Cheese

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Mac and cheese is a favorite of many, but you haven’t  really lived until you tasted smoked mac and cheese.

This recipe is similar to a southern baked macaroni and cheese, but uses a pellet smoker for another level of flavor.

Here in Texas, you’ll usually find macaroni and cheese as a side at most bbq restaurants, and it actually shocks us that none of the bbq restaurants smoke their mac and cheese. 

Why not make this favorite at home with the added smokey, Texas bbq twist?

Smoked macaroni and cheese is prepared by making a roux, adding shredded cheese, and folding in al dente macaroni. Then, pop it on the smoker.

You want to ensure your pasta is quite el dente since it will continue to cook for another 2 hours on the smoker.

We recommend dropping the recommended boil time of your macaroni by 1-2 minutes. For us, that meant we only boiled our macaroni for about 4 minutes.

We use our Traeger grill pellet smoker for an easy way to control the temperature of the smoker. 

Smoking your mac and cheese adds extra flavor, makes the cheese extra melty, and fully cooks the pasta.

Now that you have our Traeger Mac and cheese recipe, are you looking for other Traeger recipes? 

You’ll love these favorite recipes using a smoker:

• Smoked chicken wings
• Traeger ribs using the 321 method
• How to smoke a turkey on a pellet grill
• Smoked prime rib

Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 pint half and half
• 4oz. mascarpone cheese  or cream cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 24 oz. of your cheeses of choice, shredded (one cup reserved for the top) 
• Chopped green onion, for garnish 

1. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees. We use the super smoke setting on our Traeger grill.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and add the macaroni. Boil until al dente, about 4 minutes.
3. Strain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
4. In a skillet, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour, cooking it until it becomes a light brown color.
5. Whisk in your half and half and bring to a boil. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
6. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder and the mascarpone cheese until combined with the sauce.
7. Fold in the shredded cheese, ½ cup at a time, once about half of the cheese is added, whisk in the cup of milk. Continue to add the cheese, reserving one cup.
8. Add in the pasta, stir to combine.
9. Transfer to a cast iron skillet or a disposable roasting pan.
10. Smoke for 1 ½ hours, then add the remaining cup of cheese to the top. Continue to smoke for another 20-30 minutes until melted.
11. Top with chopped green onion, serve and enjoy.

Continue to Content

Smoked Mac and Cheese

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Macaroni and cheese with a smoky BBQ twist!

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Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 pint half and half
• 4oz. mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 24 oz. of your cheeses of choice, shredded (one cup reserved for the top)
• Chopped green onion, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees. We use the super smoke setting on our Traeger grill.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and add the macaroni. Boil until al dente, about 4 minutes.
3. Strain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
4. In a skillet, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour, cooking it until it becomes a light brown color.
5. Whisk in your half and half and bring to a slight boil. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
6. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder and the mascarpone cheese until combined with the sauce.
7. Fold in the shredded cheese, ½ cup at a time, once about half of the cheese is added, whisk in the cup of milk. Continue to add the cheese, reserving one cup for the top for later.
8. Add in the pasta, stir to combine.
9. Transfer to a cast iron skillet or a disposable roasting pan.
10. Smoke for 1 ½ hours, then add the remaining cup of cheese to the top. Continue to smoke for another 20-30 minutes until melted.
11. Top with chopped green onion, serve and enjoy.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker with Wifi
• 
  Traeger Grills Signature Blend 100% All-Natural Wood Pellets for Smokers
• 
  Stay Dry Pellet Bin, Wood Pellet Storage with Locking Lid
• 
  Cast Iron Cleaning Set
• 
  Lodge Cast Iron Seasoning Spray
• 
  Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, 10.25"

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