Vanessa's Smokin' Mac N Cheese

August 18, 2025

Smokin' Hot Sauce Ultimate Mac & Cheese - 35 Minutes

Transform your basic mac into a smoky, sultry masterpiece that'll have everyone asking for seconds (and thirds).

Quick Stats:

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥 (Medium)
Featured Sauce: Vanessa's Smokin' Hot Sauce

This isn't your childhood mac and cheese—this is grown-up comfort food with attitude. Our signature Smokin' Hot Sauce brings fire-roasted depth and just enough heat to make your taste buds tingle. The smoky chipotle and habanero flavors meld perfectly with creamy cheese, creating layers of flavor that'll ruin you for the boxed stuff forever.

What You'll Need

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi pasta
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
4 oz smoked gouda, grated
2 oz cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons Vanessa's Smokin' Hot Sauce (shop here )
1 teaspoon garlic powder (use this one. You won't be sorry)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
2 tablespoons olive oil (if using breadcrumbs)
Fresh chives and parsley for garnish (if desired)

Equipment:

Large pot for pasta
Heavy-bottomed saucepan
Whisk
9x13 baking dish Or 10-12" cast iron pan
Cheese grater

Let's Make Magic

Step 1: Get That Pasta Perfect

Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions). You want it with a slight bite since it'll finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Build the Smoky Cheese Base

In your saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes).

Step 3: Melt in the Magic

Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese until smooth. Add grated cheeses handful by handful, stirring until melted. Now comes the star—whisk in 3 tablespoons of Smokin' Hot Sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Taste and add more hot sauce if you want extra attitude.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce until every piece is coated in that smoky goodness. Transfer to your baking dish. If you're using the breadcrumb topping (highly recommended), toss the panko with olive oil (or spray with your favorite non-stick spray) and sprinkle it over the top.

Step 5: The Golden Finish

Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Let it rest for 5 minutes—trust us, molten cheese burns are no joke.

The Final Reveal

Rich, creamy, smoky, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting. Each bite delivers layers of flavor that build and linger, making this the kind of comfort food that becomes legendary in your household.

Pro Tips & Variations

Add Bacon!
Protein boost: Fold in grilled chicken or braised chicken thighs
Storage: Keeps in fridge for 3 days; reheat with a splash of milk
Make ahead: Assemble without baking, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours

Spice Level Adjustments:

Mild version: Use 2 tablespoons of Vanessa's Smokin Hot Sauce
Fire version: Go full 4 tablespoons of Vanessa's Smokin Hot sauce (plus finish with a little more)

More Ways to Use Smokin' Hot Sauce

Fry Sauce: Mix with mayo, dijon mustard, and garlic powder for the ultimate fry sauce
Breakfast game-changer: Drizzle over scrambled eggs or breakfast burritos
Pizza perfection: Use as a base sauce or finishing drizzle
Burger upgrade: Mix into ground beef before forming patties

Love this recipe? Try these smoky favorites next:

[Coming soon: Smokin' Hot Sauce BBQ Pulled Pork]
[Coming soon: Spicy Smoked Mac Stuffed Peppers]
[Coming soon: Smoky Hot Sauce Cornbread]

Ready to make this legendary mac? Shop Vanessa's Smokin' Hot Sauce now →

Can't decide which sauce to try? Start with our Flavor Tease Sample Pack and discover your new obsession.

Recipe Schema Markup Code:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Smokin' Hot Sauce Ultimate Mac & Cheese",
  "image": ["https://vanessassauceco.com/recipe-images/smokin-mac-cheese-hero.jpg"],
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Vanessa's Sauce Co"
  },
  "datePublished": "2025-08-13",
  "description": "Transform basic mac and cheese into a smoky, spicy masterpiece with Vanessa's Smokin' Hot Sauce. Creamy cheese sauce meets fire-roasted heat for the ultimate comfort food upgrade.",
  "recipeCategory": "Main Dish",
  "recipeCuisine": "American",
  "keywords": "spicy mac and cheese, smoky hot sauce recipe, comfort food, easy dinner recipe",
  "prepTime": "PT15M",
  "cookTime": "PT20M",
  "totalTime": "PT35M",
  "recipeYield": "6 servings",
  "nutrition": {
    "@type": "NutritionInformation",
    "servingSize": "1 serving",
    "calories": "485"
  },
  "recipeIngredient": [
    "1 lb elbow macaroni",
    "4 tablespoons butter",
    "1/4 cup all-purpose flour",
    "3 cups whole milk",
    "8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated",
    "4 oz smoked gouda, grated",
    "2 oz cream cheese",
    "3-4 tablespoons Vanessa's Smokin' Hot Sauce",
    "1 teaspoon garlic powder",
    "1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika",
    "Salt and pepper to taste",
    "1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs",
    "2 tablespoons olive oil"
  ],
  "recipeInstructions": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Cook macaroni in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep", 
      "text": "Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly until thickened."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Remove from heat. Stir in cream cheese, then grated cheeses. Add hot sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Fold pasta into cheese sauce. Transfer to baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs mixed with olive oil."
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "text": "Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving."
    }
  ]
}
</script>

SEO Optimization Checklist:

[x] Target keyword in title (smokin hot sauce mac and cheese)
[x] Meta description under 160 characters
[x] Recipe schema markup included
[x] Internal links to product pages
[x] Related recipe suggestions
[x] Image alt text optimized
[x] Long-tail keyword variations throughout
[x] Call-to-action buttons strategically placed

Back to blog

Item added to your cart