Skip to Main Content
  • Shop Black Friday Deals and Save Up to $300 on Select Grills  |Shop Sale
4 Cheese mac and Cheese

4 Cheese mac and Cheese

By Danielle "Diva Q" Bennett

What's better than mac and cheese? A homemade 4 cheese mac and cheese by Diva Q. But skip the elbow macaroni and use cavatappi, a thick curly tube that grabs hold of all that cheese.

Prep Time

30 Min

Cook Time

45 Min

Pellets

Cherry

Ingredients

This recipe serves:

8

Activating this element will cause content on the page to be updated.
Units of Measurement:
Mac and Cheese
Kosher salt
1 Pound cavatappi or other short tubular pasta
8 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch cayenne (optional)
3 Cup whole milk, plus more as needed
1 Pound Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
8 Ounce Gouda (smoked if you like), coarsely grated
8 Ounce fontina cheese, coarsely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Topping and Baking
1 1/2 Cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Cup panko breadcrumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch smoked paprika

Steps

  • Watch Video

    4 Cheese Mac and Cheese

    4 Cheese Mac and Cheese thumbnail
  • 1

    Cook and sauce the pasta: Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.

  • 2

    Make the cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter. While whisking, gradually add the flour and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan for 2 minutes. Add the mustard powder and whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk while whisking. Continue cooking and whisking, being careful to scrape the bottom edges of the pan, until the consistency of heavy cream. (A finger run across the back of a sauce-coated spoon should leave a path.)

  • 3

    Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cheese in batches starting with the Velveeta. Cook, whisking, until melted, then add the Gouda and Fontina by the handful, whisking after each addition. The sauce should fall off the whisk in ribbons. If too thick, gradually add more milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour and scrape the cheese sauce into the pasta and stir to coat well.

  • 4

    Top and bake: Butter a 9x13 oven safe baking dish or a large cast-iron pan with butter. Scrape the pasta and cheese mixture into the pan. Sprinkle the grated cheddar over the pasta.

  • 5

    Preheat the Traeger with the lid closed to 350°F; this will take about 15 minutes.

    350 ˚F / 177 ˚C

  • 6

    Meanwhile, melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Season with a pinch each of salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pasta.

  • 7

    Transfer the baking dish to the grill and bake until hot and bubbling and golden brown on top, 45 to 55 minutes.

    350 ˚F / 177 ˚C

    00:45

  • 8

    Let cool briefly before serving. Enjoy!

My Notes


In order to add notes for this recipe, you must log in or create an account.