Sometimes you’re craving a mac and cheese that’s creamy, loaded with flavor, and kissed with chipotle heat and smoked cheddar goodness. But you don’t have to go to an expensive restaurant to get it. This Easy Chipotle Smokehouse Mac and Cheese recipe brings a touch of spice, rich smokiness, cheesy sauce right to your own kitchen without the premium price tag.
Ingredients
The magic of this smoky chipotle mac and cheese is all in the sauce. Every bite of pasta is coated in a velvety blend of smoky cheddar, melty fontina, and chipotle heat, creating a rich creaminess you can taste in every bite. The pasta and toppings add texture, but the sauce is where the bold, smokehouse flavor truly comes alive.
Smoky Chipotle Better than Bouillon
The signature smokiness in this dish comes from Smoky Chipotle Better Than Bouillon. As longtime fans this flavor packed base, we love how it adds a bold punch of chipotle heat and just the right amount of salt to help everything else shine. Plus it gives your dish a savory depth that you won’t find in salt alone. When I spotted the chipotle version at the store, I knew it was destined for a mac and cheese moment.
This flavor base is packed with chipotle peppers, garlic, onion, and cumin to bring smoky depth, a little heat, and just enough savoriness to round out the creamy cheese sauce.
We aren’t alone in our love for this product. Several authors wax poetic about this amazing ingredient online.
The Cheeses
In all my mac and cheese recipes, I use a simple strategy I call my “mac and cheese theory”. Through several experiments over time I noticed that cheeses behave differently. Some burst with flavor right away but fade quickly, while others take a few seconds to bloom but linger through the last bite. By pairing one of each, you get the best of both worlds. Your mac and cheese has instant cheesy satisfaction that lasts.
For this smokehouse mac and cheese recipe, I went with smoked cheddar and fontina. The smoked cheddar hits fast with bold flavor that sets the tone while fontina melts silky-smooth and carries the richness all the way through. The dish finishes with smoky flavor that balances fantastically with the chipotle base. Together they create a creamy, complex cheese sauce that makes this dish unforgettable. You can explore more about this approach in Using Cheese in Mac and Cheese.
Smoked Cheddar
Cheddar is a classic in mac and cheese, and I especially love using sharp or extra-sharp varieties for their bold, cheesy punch. I talk more about this in my post on how to use cheddar cheese in mac and cheese.
Remember how I pair “opener” cheeses with “closer” cheeses? Flavor timing shows up on the outside of cheeses too. Smoke, botanicals, even different alcohols can appear at the beginning or end of a bite, rounding out the experience. Smoked cheddar works beautifully here as the quick-hitting opener, delivering instant sharpness and a savory smoke that compliments the chipotle base.
I actually found this smoked cheddar from Westminster in the discount cheese bin, and it turned out to be the perfect flavorful compliment in this smoky chipotle mac and cheese.
Fontina
You could absolutely make this mac and cheese with only smoked cheddar. It pulls double duty as both an opener and closer cheese. But I’m a firm believer that mac and cheese always benefits from more layers of flavor.
That’s where fontina comes in. This creamy, melty cheese from Roth Käse adds silliness that cheddar alone can’t match. It acts as the “closer’ in my cheese pairing strategy, blooming slowly across each bite and extending the smoky, savory richness from the cheddar and chipotle base. The result is a sauce that’s not just cheesy, but luxuriously smooth and deeply satisfying.
Cavatappi
There’s a sweet spot when it comes to pasta size in mac and cheese. Too big, and every bite feels clunky. Too small, and you lose all texture, ending up with a soupy mess.
Cavatappi hits that perfect Goldilocks balance. Its corkscrew shape traps the creamy cheese sauce in every twist, while its medium size makes each bite satisfying without being overwhelming. That’s why it’s a mac and cheese classic. Cavatappi is the perfect vehicle for this smoky, chipotle-packed sauce.
Toppings
Great mac and cheese isn’t just about the cheese and pasta, the toppings make it unforgettable. They add texture, color, and flavor that contrast beautifully with a creamy sauce.
For this chipotle smokehouse mac and cheese, I used crispy fried onions. Their savory crunch cuts through the richness while the caramelized flavor balances the smoky heat of the sauce.
Pro tip: keep a bag of these onions in your pantry. They’re perfect for sprinkling over mac and cheese, casseroles, or even soups for the perfect instant upgrade.
Storage and reheating
One of the best parts about my mac and cheese recipes is how well they reheat. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat a single serving in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through so it heats evenly and stays creamy. For larger portions, you can also reheat in the oven: transfer the mac and cheese to an oven safe dish, cover with foil and warm at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until hot all the way through.
Smoky Chipotle Mac and Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Cheese Grater
- Large Pot for Pasta
- Medium Saucepan for Sauce
- Whisk
- Colander/Pasta Strainer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Large Spoon or Spatula for Stirring
Ingredients
- 16 oz Cavatappi Pasta or other medium sized pasta
- 2 tbsp salt for pasta water
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon smoky Chipotle flavor
- 1 tbsp garlic pre-minced
- 4 oz smoked cheddar grated fresh
- 4 oz fontina grated fresh
- crispy onions
Instructions
- Allow cheese to come to room temperature and grate fresh.
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions in well-salted water. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the Sauce
- Preheat your milk in the microwave for 45 seconds – just enough to take the chill out of it. It should be warm, but not hot.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and let it heat until it becomes foamy.
- Sauté garlic in the butter until fragrant.
- Mix in flour and cook this mixture for a minute while stirring constantly.
- Slowly add warmed milk to the butter mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk it continually until combined
- Once all of the milk is added, add Better Than Bouillon and cook for a few minutes while whisking this mixture. Do not let it boil.
- You will feel the sauce start to thicken. It’s ready for cheese when you rub a small amount between your fingers and it feels silky.
- Remove from heat and stir in your cheese until it’s melted and mixed into the sauce.
- Once the cheese is incorporated, use a cooked noodle to taste your sauce. If it doesn’t taste cheesy enough try adding a little more salt to bring out the flavor.
- Combine the pasta and sauce. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle crispy onions across the top and serve!
