Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese with Chorizo

5 from 1 vote

Baked Gouda Mac and Cheese with Chorizo

Imagine a tangy Gouda mac and cheese, then take it to the next level by adding smoky chorizo… This Gouda Mac and Cheese is going to become your new favorite comfort food.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Global

Servings: servings as a side

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

6.3 oz chorizo sausage diced into cubes (optional)
1.75 oz unsalted butter about 3 1/2 tbsp
1 garlic clove crushed (optional)
1.75 oz all-purpose flour (plain flour) about generous 1/3 cup
25 fl oz full-fat milk about 3 1/8 cups (see the post for full info)
5.25 oz Gouda grated (or use extra mature Cheddar) * you can use more cheese depending on how cheesy you like it (see Notes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
10.5 oz dried macaroni pasta
1 oz breadcrumbs (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C/190°C fan).
Place a medium-sized non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo (if using) and render down for a couple of minutes until crisp - you don’t need to add any oil as the chorizo has its own fat.
Remove the chorizo from the pan and place in the bowl.
If you aren't using chorizo, preheat the oven and start here. Add the butter and garlic to the pan, stir well, then add the flour and whisk to a paste. Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously to form a smooth sauce - you want it to be slightly runnier than a regular white sauce, as it will thicken in the oven.
Stir in around 4 1/4 oz (120 g) of the grated cheese. Return the chorizo to the pan, stir through, then season to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, boil the macaroni in salted water according to package instructions - or until al dente. Drain (reserving some of the pasta cooking water) and stir through the cheese sauce until completely coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
If it's looking really thick, you can loosen it a little with some pasta cooking water, but you don't want loads - probably only 1 3/4-3 1/3 fl oz (50-100 ml), and you may not find you need any. Tip into an ovenproof dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
Pop in the oven and bake for 20 minutes - or until the top is golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for 2 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Make-ahead and storage

To store: Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To reheat: If reheating individual portions of leftovers, I like to just blast in the microwave on high for 2 minutes roughly (depends on your microwave) until hot all the way through.

To freeze: You can assemble the whole dish until the breadcrumbs and extra cheese on top. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. It will keep for 2 months. When ready to eat, defrost and bring to room temperature, top with breadcrumbs, before placing in a 410°F (210°C/190°C fan) oven for 20 minutes until hot all the way through (it may take longer if it's still very cold in the middle before heating).

To make this ahead of time: You can assemble the whole dish until the breadcrumbs and extra cheese on top. Pop it in the fridge until ready to use. It will keep for 1-2 days before serving. Bring to room temperature, top with breadcrumbs, before placing in a 410°F (210°C/190°C fan) oven for 25 minutes until hot all the way through (it may take longer if it's still very cold in the middle before heating).

More quick tips

Cheese: If you want it more on the cheesy side, I have added 15 3/4 oz (450 g) grated cheese in the past, and it's good!! I recommend 5 1/4 oz (150 g) each of grated cheddar, gouda, and mozzarella. But Red Leicester is also really good, as is Parmesan. And this is a great one for using up the odds and ends you might have left from a cheeseboard. Don't get me wrong, the recipe's smaller amount of cheese is really good and works well, but just know you can add more cheese if you want to.

Make this one pan and save on the washing up: This is easily a one-pan dish if you want it to be. Simply choose an oven-safe frying pan and then fry the chorizo in the pan first. Once crispy, remove it and set aside. Make the white sauce in the pan, and once you've done the rest of the recipe, tip in the boiled pasta and pop the whole lot in the oven. Bring to the table hot from the oven and enjoy!

Oven or broiler: I like a baked Mac and cheese so I always tend to bake mine but I know a lot of people prefer them broiled. If this is you, simply preheat the broiler and pop the Mac and Cheese under it for about 5 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately. Doing it this way will result in a looser Mac and Cheese - when you bake it, it tends to get a little thicker and stodgier - but stodgy in a good way! It just depends on how you like yours.

Make it vegetarian-friendly: You can adapt this for vegetarians by using a plant-based chorizo, or skip it altogether.

Nutrition