The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
You’ll find you can’t get enough of this Smoked Mac and Cheese, a family-friendly classic made on a Traeger grill! Cheesy, warm, satisfying, and with a smoky flavor, it’ll disappear from the pan before you know it.
It costs approximately $14.15 to make this recipe. The recipe makes eight servings and costs about $1.76 per serving.
While this dish can serve as the main course of a fabulous dinner, it works great as a side. Prep it next to our Smoked Meatloaf for a feast you won’t soon forget!
Everyone (or every family) has their homemade mac and cheese recipe they’ve been perfecting for years. We can say without a doubt that this smoky mac and cheese is ours because we’re addicted! We can’t get enough of it, and when we’re eating mac and cheese any other way, our mind wanders to this recipe instead.
This is the dish for you if you’re a fan of smoky flavors and mac and cheese. The combination is fantastic. Plus, it’s easy to make mac and cheese in the smoker, so there’s no reason not to try it!
Note that we use a wood pellet grill for most of this process. More specifically, this recipe assumes you have a Traeger smoker/grill. We highly recommend oak or signature blend wood pellets for smoked mac and cheese.
Ingredients & Estimated Cost:
- 16 oz penne pasta – $1.28
- 2 ½ cups whole milk – $0.45
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk – $1.08
- ½ cup unsalted butter – $0.88
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese – $2.24
- 8 ounces Muenster cheese – $3.38
- 16 ounces Colby Jack cheese – $4.44
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt – $0.04
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard – $0.32
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper – $0.04
To learn more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
How To Smoke Mac and Cheese
Smoking mac and cheese is a simple process with only 20 minutes of prep. Like most recipes that use a smoker, the rest of the recipe only involves hands-off cooking time!
- Boil your pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Start your Traeger and set the temperature to 180°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, milk, evaporated milk, cubed butter, cubed cream cheese, and Muenster/Colby Jack cheeses. Reserve a little cheese as a topping.
- Sprinkle the seasonings on top and mix in well.
- Lightly spray a large square foil pan with cooking spray and transfer mac and cheese into the pan.
- Place the pan on the pellet grill and smoke for 30-45 minutes, depending on how smoky you want the mac and cheese.
- Stir to blend the melted mac and cheese and sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese on top. Cover with foil.
- Increase the temperature to 400°F and cook until the sauce is thickened (20-30 minutes), then remove the foil and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the top of the mac and cheese is browned.
- Remove your mac and cheese from the grill and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Instead of Muenster cheese, you can use smoked Gouda.
- You can add a bunch of add-ins to this mac and cheese like bacon, green chile, etc.
Storage Tips
SERVE: Smoked mac and cheese is best served immediately and warm!
STORE: Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week. As always, an airtight container works best.
FREEZE: Smoked mac and cheese, like many dishes, can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
REHEAT: Use the oven to reheat your mac and cheese at about 300°F for 30 minutes. Be sure to let it come to room temperature first.
Recipe FAQs
Don’t worry – it’ll thicken as the mac and cheese cooks.
Yes – store it as you would store leftovers and then reheat it according to the instructions under “Storage & Serving Tips” above!
You can! If you have a favorite homemade recipe passed down through the generations that differ from this one, you can follow these instructions to smoke it.
Absolutely. It will still smoke to perfection if you customize this recipe by adding bacon, ham, lobster, chilis, etc.
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Let your little one sprinkle the seasonings on top of the mac and cheese before placing it on the smoker grill.
Ages 4-5: Your child can practice his measuring skills by pre-measuring the ingredients for the mac and cheese. They can also sprinkle the extra cheese over the top.
Ages 6-8: Ask your child to mix the pasta, milk, evaporated milk, cubed butter, cream cheese, and other cheeses.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Budget Tips
For less than $15.00, you can make this side dish to serve a crowd. This is a great, cost-effective dish for a potluck or family gathering.
More Side Dish Recipes
- Instant Pot Baked Beans with BBQ Sauce
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip
- Mexican Fruit Salad
- 5 Bean Salad
- Caesar Salad Kit Hack Without Anchovies
- Mom’s Crockpot Broccoli Casserole
- Oven Roasted Red Potatoes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Easy Garlic Bread
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Recipe Cost 14.15 Serving Cost 1.76Equipment
- Smoker Grill
- large pot
- Colander
- box grater
- mixing spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta such as shells, penne, macaroni
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 can 12 oz evaporated milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed
- 1 package 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 8 ounces shredded Muenster cheese
- 16 ounces shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
MAKE PASTA:
- Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.
PREP SMOKER:
- Start your Traeger and set the temperature to 180° F.
MAKE MAC AND CHEESE:
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, milk, evaporated milk, cubed butter, cubed cream cheese, Muenster, and Colby Jack cheeses – reserve a little cheese for topping.
- Sprinkle the seasoning on top and mix in well.
- Lightly spray a large square foil pan with cooking spray and transfer mac and cheese into the pan.
SMOKE MAC AND CHEESE:
- Place the pan on the pellet grill and smoke for 30-45 minutes, depending on how smoky you want the mac and cheese.
- Stir to blend the melted mac and cheese and sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese on top. Cover with foil.
- Increase the temperature to 400° F and cook until the sauce is thickened (20-30 minutes), then remove the foil and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the top is browned.
TO FINISH:
- Remove from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Cathleen says
I love mac and cheese of any kind, but now I am craving this mac and cheese! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe, I am so excited to make this!
MacKenzie says
This looks great. Budget is tight this month. Adding to my monthly menu
Gina Abernathy says
Love the smoked mac and cheese. Made this last night and it was perfect for dinner.
Ryan says
This mac and cheese was amazing!! It was so cheesy and had such amazing flavor. This is my new favorite mac and cheese.