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Ultimate Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese

Ultimate Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese

on Aug 26 2023
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    This is the gluten-free mac and cheese that ends the search: ultra-creamy, baked until bubbling, built on four cheeses, and finished with a crispy breadcrumb topping. The secret is a silky cheese sauce thickened with a roux made from our Bread Mix, so the whole dish is gluten-free without a single compromise on that classic, comforting flavor. Gouda, sharp cheddar, Fontina, and Gruyere melt into something genuinely special. So good, no one will guess it is gluten-free, the way Pamela's has done it since 1988.

    Why you'll love it

    • Four cheeses (Gouda, sharp cheddar, Fontina, Gruyere) for real depth of flavor.
    • Ultra-creamy sauce from a proper roux, made gluten-free with our Bread Mix.
    • A crispy breadcrumb topping, also from Pamela's bread.
    • Baked until bubbling, the ultimate comfort-food classic.
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time about 50 minutes
    Yield 4 to 6 servings
    Serving Size 1 cup

    Ingredients

    • 1 box (8 oz) gluten-free elbow pasta
    • 1½ tablespoons Pamela's Bread Mix
    • ⅛ teaspoon dry mustard
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 shallot, minced fine
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 large sprig fresh thyme
    • ¾ cup milk
    • 2 oz Gouda cheese, grated
    • 3 oz sharp aged cheddar cheese, grated
    • 2 oz Fontina cheese, grated
    • 2 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (reserved for topping)
    • ½ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs, toasted (see note)
    Shop Gluten-Free Bread Mix, 4 lb.

    Directions

    1. Toast the Bread Mix in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a soft light golden color. Remove from the heat, stir in the cayenne and dry mustard, and set aside.
    2. Melt the butter in the same saucepan. Saute the shallot with the salt, pepper, paprika, bay leaf, and thyme for about 5 minutes, until the shallot is soft and translucent. Add the toasted flour mixture and cook until thick, about a minute. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook over medium heat until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
    3. Remove from the heat and take out the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Slowly stir in the Gouda, cheddar, and Fontina until smooth.
    4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just al dente, about 9 minutes, and drain well. Immediately toss the pasta with the cheese sauce and pour into a buttered baking dish. Scatter the reserved Gruyere over the top and sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs.
    5. Bake in a 325°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbling. To brown the top, run it under the broiler for a minute or two. Let it sit 10 minutes before serving.
    6. Note: make the breadcrumbs from any Pamela's bread or rolls, toasted. Grate your cheese fresh for the smoothest sauce, and stir it in off the heat so it does not turn grainy.
    7. To keep it gluten-free: the roux and breadcrumbs are made from Pamela's GFCO-certified Bread Mix, so this mac and cheese is fully gluten-free. Use a gluten-free elbow pasta too.
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    Recipe Tips & Notes

    Variations

    • Smoked: swap in smoked gouda or smoked cheddar for a smoky depth.
    • Stovetop: skip the baking and serve it creamy straight from the pot.
    • Loaded: stir in cooked bacon, lobster or crab, roasted broccoli, or a diced jalapeno.
    • Extra cheesy: add another ounce or two of your favorite melting cheese.

    Make ahead & storage

    • Assemble ahead and refrigerate, then bake before serving, adding a few minutes.
    • Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.

    Gluten-Free Bread Mix, 4 lb.

    Featured Product

    $19.99

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    Size: 4 lbs

    Pack Size

    The same Pamela's Gluten-Free Bread Mix, in a 4 lb. bag for households that bake loaves on repeat. GFCO-certified, dairy-free, egg-free, and soy-free, at about half the cost per ounce of the 19 oz. bag.

    For the weekly bread bake

    Fresh loaves, dinner rolls, pizza night, weekend cinnamon rolls: the 4 lb. bag keeps a gluten-free household in homemade bread without constant reordering.

    Never run out

    Add Subscribe & Save and a fresh bag arrives on your schedule with 10% off every order. Pause or cancel anytime.

    Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Flour, White Rice Flour, Sweet Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Evaporated Cane Sugar, Inulin, Millet Flour, Honey, Rice Bran, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum.

    Pamela's Products are manufactured in a Gluten-Free Certified Facility and peanut-free facility. Our products are produced on equipment that processes Tree Nuts, Coconut, Eggs, Soy, and Milk.

    We've Got Answers

    A blend gives the best flavor and melt. This recipe uses four: Gouda and Fontina for creaminess, sharp aged cheddar for tang, and Gruyere for a nutty, golden top.

    Grate the cheese fresh rather than using pre-shredded, and stir it into the sauce off the heat. Pre-shredded cheese and too much direct heat are the usual causes of a grainy or broken sauce.

    A sturdy corn or rice gluten-free elbow works well. Cook it just to al dente, since it softens further in the oven.

    Yes. Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce and serve it creamy from the pot, skipping the bake and the breadcrumb topping.

    Yes. The roux and the breadcrumbs are made from Pamela's GFCO-certified Bread Mix, and with gluten-free pasta the whole dish is gluten-free.

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