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A close up picture of the finished Mac and cheese smoker recipe.
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5 from 4 votes

Smoker Mac and Cheese

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.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cooling Time10 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: main dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mac and cheese, smoker recipe
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 718kcal
Cost: $14.15

Equipment

  • 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.

Notes

The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cup | Calories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1334mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1345IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 802mg | Iron: 1mg