Traeger Smoked Mac and Cheese: Extra Creamy 3-Cheese Recipe

There is a reason Traeger smoked mac and cheese has become one of the most popular pellet grill side dishes: it is a crowd-pleaser that is nearly impossible to mess up, and the wood-smoke flavor elevates a comfort food classic into something genuinely special. This version uses a three-cheese blend of sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and cream cheese that produces a sauce so rich and creamy it borders on indecent.

The technique is straightforward. You make a stovetop cheese sauce, combine it with cooked pasta, and then smoke the entire pan at 225°F for about an hour. The low temperature lets the smoke permeate the sauce without breaking the cheese or drying out the pasta. Then you bump the temperature to 350°F for a final 20 to 25 minutes to bubble the top and crisp up a buttery panko breadcrumb crust. The result is creamy on the inside, crunchy on top, and infused with a subtle smokiness that makes people ask for the recipe.

Why These Three Cheeses

The cheese selection is what separates mediocre mac and cheese from truly outstanding mac and cheese. Each of the three cheeses in this recipe serves a specific purpose:

Sharp cheddar (8 oz): The backbone of the dish. Sharp cheddar provides bold, tangy flavor and melts smoothly. Do not use pre-shredded cheddar from a bag -- it is coated in anti-caking starch that prevents it from melting into a silky sauce. Shred a block yourself. It takes 30 seconds and makes a significant difference.

Smoked gouda (6 oz): This is the secret weapon. Smoked gouda has a rich, buttery flavor with an inherent smokiness that amplifies the wood-fire flavor from the pellet grill. It melts beautifully and gives the sauce a velvety texture. If you cannot find smoked gouda, regular gouda works but you will lose that extra layer of smoke flavor.

Cream cheese (4 oz): Cream cheese is the ingredient that makes this version extra creamy. It thickens the sauce and gives it a luxurious, almost fondue-like consistency that does not break or become grainy as it cools. It also adds a subtle tang that balances the richness.

Making the Cheese Sauce

The cheese sauce is made on the stovetop using a roux (butter and flour) as the base. This ensures a thick, stable sauce that does not separate during the smoking process.

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Cook 1 lb of elbow macaroni for 2 minutes less than the package directions. The pasta will continue to cook on the Traeger, so you want it slightly underdone at this stage. If the pasta is fully cooked before it goes on the grill, it will be mushy by the time the smoking is done.
3. Drain the pasta and set aside. Do not rinse -- the surface starch helps the cheese sauce cling to the noodles.

Step 2: Make the Roux

1. In the same pot over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp of butter.
2. Add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and whisk constantly for 2 minutes. The mixture should turn a light golden color and smell slightly nutty. This is your roux -- it thickens the sauce and prevents the cheese from clumping.
3. Do not let the roux turn brown. If it starts to darken, reduce the heat.

Step 3: Build the Sauce

1. Slowly pour in 3 cups of whole milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the milk about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking each addition smooth before adding more.
2. Continue whisking over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. You will feel the resistance increase as you stir.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until it melts completely and the sauce is smooth.
4. Add the shredded sharp cheddar and smoked gouda in two batches, stirring after each addition until fully melted and incorporated.
5. Stir in the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
6. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be boldly flavored -- keep in mind that the pasta will dilute the flavor somewhat.

Step 4: Combine

1. Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until every noodle is evenly coated.
2. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 aluminum pan (disposable pans work great for this) or a cast-iron skillet.

Smoking the Mac and Cheese

Phase 1: The Smoke (225°F for 1 Hour)

1. Set your Traeger to 225°F. Use Traeger Hickory Pellets or Cherry Pellets for the best results. Hickory gives a classic BBQ smokiness, while cherry adds a slightly sweeter, milder smoke.
2. Place the uncovered pan of mac and cheese directly on the grill grates.
3. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour. The low temperature slowly infuses the smoke flavor into the cheese sauce without drying out the pasta or breaking the sauce.
4. Stir the mac and cheese once at the 30-minute mark to ensure even smoke distribution. The top layer absorbs the most smoke, so stirring halfway through gives you more consistent flavor throughout.

Do not cover the pan during the smoking phase. Covering it blocks the smoke from reaching the cheese sauce, which defeats the purpose. The sauce is thick enough that it will not dry out at 225°F.

Phase 2: The Bake (350°F for 20-25 Minutes)

While the mac and cheese smokes, prepare the breadcrumb topping:

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp melted butter, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Toss until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated with butter.
2. After the 1-hour smoke, remove the pan from the grill and sprinkle the breadcrumb topping evenly over the surface.
3. Increase the Traeger temperature to 350°F.
4. Return the pan to the grill and cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
5. Remove from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, and the resting period prevents the mac and cheese from being a runny mess on the plate.

Tips for the Best Smoked Mac and Cheese

Use whole milk, not skim or 2%. The fat content in whole milk is what gives the sauce its creamy texture. Lower-fat milks produce a thinner, less stable sauce that is more likely to break during smoking.

Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese from a bag is coated in potato starch and cellulose to prevent clumping. These additives prevent the cheese from melting smoothly, resulting in a grainy sauce. Spending 2 minutes shredding a block of cheese makes a dramatic difference in the final texture.

Undercook the pasta. This is the most common mistake people make with smoked mac and cheese. The pasta spends over an hour on the grill after it is boiled. If it goes on the grill fully cooked, it will be overcooked and mushy by the time you serve it. Two minutes short of the package directions is the sweet spot.

Do not skip the dry mustard. It sounds like an odd ingredient, but dry mustard powder enhances the sharpness of the cheddar without adding a noticeable mustard flavor. It has been a secret ingredient in Southern mac and cheese for generations.

Use a disposable aluminum pan if possible. The smoke flavor adheres better to the exposed top surface, and a wider, shallower pan gives you more surface area for smoke absorption compared to a deep dish.

Variations and Add-Ins

Once you have mastered the base recipe, try these additions:

• Bacon. Stir in 6 strips of crumbled crispy bacon after the smoke phase. Even better, cook the bacon on the Traeger first (see our Traeger breakfast recipes for the technique).
• Pulled pork. Top each serving with leftover pulled pork for a decadent BBQ plate.
• Jalapenos. Dice 2 fresh jalapenos and stir them into the cheese sauce for a spicy kick.
• Pork belly burnt ends. Pile smoked pork belly burnt ends on top for the ultimate comfort food mashup.
• Buffalo chicken. Add diced smoked chicken breast and a few tablespoons of hot sauce for a buffalo mac and cheese.
• Truffle. Drizzle truffle oil over the finished dish just before serving for an elevated version.

Pairing Smoked Mac and Cheese with Main Courses

Smoked mac and cheese is the universal BBQ side dish. It pairs with virtually everything:

Pellet Choices for Smoked Mac and Cheese

For a side dish like mac and cheese, you generally want a mild to medium smoke flavor. The cheese sauce absorbs smoke aggressively, so strong pellets like mesquite can easily overpower the dish.

Best choices:

• Cherry pellets -- mild and slightly sweet, our top pick for mac and cheese
• Apple pellets -- light and fruity, great option
• Hickory pellets -- more assertive, good if you want a pronounced smoke flavor

Avoid: Mesquite pellets for this recipe. The strong, earthy flavor of mesquite can make the mac and cheese taste bitter.

For a comprehensive breakdown of pellet flavors and pairings, read our guide on the best wood pellets for smoking.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Smoked mac and cheese freezes well for up to 2 months. Freeze in individual portions for easy reheating. The breadcrumb topping will not be crispy after freezing, so you may want to add fresh breadcrumbs when reheating.

Reheating: Add a splash of milk (about 2 tablespoons per serving) before reheating to restore the creamy consistency. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes (covered with foil for the first 10 minutes, then uncovered to re-crisp the top), or microwave individual portions for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Reheating on the Traeger: Place the pan on the grill at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. This is the best method because you get a second round of smoke flavor and the breadcrumbs re-crisp nicely.

Final Thoughts

Traeger smoked mac and cheese is one of those recipes that punches way above its difficulty level. It is genuinely easy to make -- anyone who can boil pasta and stir a pot can handle this -- but the combination of three premium cheeses, a properly built roux, and an hour of wood smoke produces a result that tastes like it came from a professional BBQ restaurant.

This is the side dish that will steal the show at your next cookout. Whether you pair it with pork belly burnt ends, smoked chicken thighs, or serve it as the star of the meal on its own, it never disappoints.

For more recipe inspiration, browse our full recipe collection, and for help choosing the right pellets for every dish you smoke, check out our guide on the best wood pellets for smoking.