Smoked Baked Mac + Cheese Rigatoni
Ultra creamy, cheesy + bursting with flavor, our Smoked Baked Mac + Cheese Rigatoni is an instant crowd-pleaser. This irresistible dish features tender rigatoni pasta enveloped in a velvety, smoky cheese sauce, baked to golden perfection. It makes the perfect side dish or main meal that everyone will go crazy for! Gluten-free + Vegan Option.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 206kcal
Ingredients
MAC + CHEESE:
- 1 (16 oz.) package rigatoni pasta, organic (You can also use ANY other pasta shape as desired)
- 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsps organic all-purpose flour
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tsps mustard powder
- 2 cups Almond milk, unsweetened (You can use whole milk or your fave plant-based milk)
- 1 ½ cups Gouda cheese, shredded or grated
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (You can also use mild Cheddar)
TOPPING:
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
BOIL THE PASTA:
- Cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 10-13 minutes. NOTE: I always add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the boiling water to prevent pasta from sticking together. Drain and set aside.
MAKE THE MAC + CHEESE:
- In a large deep skillet (oven-safe) over medium-high heat, add butter and let it melt. Once melted, add flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cajun seasoning, mustard powder, and cayenne, whisking until combined and "paste-like".
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking frequently until lump-free, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the Gouda and sharp cheddar, stirring (using a wood spoon or spatula) until fully melted and smooth, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the cooled rigatoni and stir together until well coated, combined, and creamy!
TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
- In a bowl, add the breadcrumbs and smoked paprika, stirring to combine.
ASSEMBLE + BAKE:
- Evenly spread the breadcrumb topping atop the mac + cheese until covered.
- Bake on the center rack for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown, the sides are bubbly, and the mac and cheese center has set. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
- Bon Appetit!
Notes
- STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated when ready to serve. To re-heat, simply heat in the oven for the best results or microwave for a minute or two until heated through.
- FLOUR: If you don’t want to use all-purpose flour, feel free to substitute with regular starch or arrowroot starch, tapioca flour, which all act as a thickening agent.
- VEGAN OPTION: To make this Mac + Cheese vegan, simply substitute cheeses with dairy-free shreds and use vegan butter. Also, check out my Vegan Mac + Cheese recipe.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To ensure that this recipe is GF, be sure to use GF-friendly pasta, breadcrumbs, and flour.
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 523mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 704IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 243mg | Iron: 2mg