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Can you smoke mac and cheese? Yes! Trust me, you NEED to try my smoked Stouffer’s mac and cheese recipe. With a stovetop smoker, you don’t even need to go outside to BBQ! Learn all the tricks to dress up plain frozen mac and cheese here. You will not believe how ridiculously good this smoked macaroni and cheese is!
Call it a fun food, call it comfort food, I’m just calling this smoky mac and cheese recipe DELICIOUS.
Perhaps best of all, this is a stovetop-only recipe. You heard me right. You’ll learn here to make mac and cheese without an oven.
Hot out, and you don’t want to heat the house with the oven? You can still make this mac & cheese.
Rainy or snowy out, and you don’t want to fire up the Traeger, Pit Boss, Masterbuilt, or another pellet grill?
You can still make this smoked mac n cheese. Heck yes, you can with an indoor smoker. My Nordic Ware kettle smoker cost under $100, and was well worth the cost.
🧀 Smoked Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese
Here’s how to smoke frozen mac and cheese that comes out creamy, cheesy, and delicious:
Thaw the mac and cheese in the fridge for 24 hours; it’s ok if it’s still partially frozen. You can put the mac and cheese in the smoker straight from the freezer. However, it will take longer to come to temperature and the bottom of the mac and cheese is more likely to stick to the container.
Remove the box and the plastic from the mac and cheese. If the pan isn’t oven safe or doesn’t fit in the stovetop smoker, you will have to move the mac and cheese to a different pan.
Prep the smoker by filling it with 2-3 tablespoons of wood chips. I prefer using a type of wood with milder flavors. I used apple chips but cherry chips and alder chips also provide subtle smoke flavors.
For a stronger smoke flavor, hickory chips and mesquite chips are two of my favorites.
Add the drip pan and smoking tray. We will be dry smoking the mac and cheese, so no additional liquid is needed.
Put your pan of mac and cheese in the smoker, on top of the smoking tray. Put the lid on the smoker.
Ensure the thermometer is attached properly and the lid vent is closed. Turn your stovetop vent fan on. I also like to open a few windows when using the indoor smoker.
⏲️ Smoking Time and Temperature
How long to smoke mac and cheese? I recommend smoking mac and cheese for 15 minutes at 190-210 degrees Fahrenheit (88-99C). Low and slow is the way to go!
Put the covered smoker on a large stovetop burner and turn the heat to medium-low. Allow the temperature to come to 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88C). (Warning: this always takes longer than I expect, so give it time!)
Once the temperature comes to 190F (88C), set a timer to smoke the mac n cheese for 15 minutes. Make sure that the smoker stays in the 190-210F (88-99C) range for the entire smoking period.
You may need to open the vent on the smoker lid or adjust the stovetop’s heat. Keep an eye on things to keep it at the right temperature!
After the smoke time is up, turn off the stovetop and remove the pan of mac and cheese. Make sure the middle reached a minimum internal temperature of at least 165F (74C) using a meat thermometer. Sprinkle with your favorite toppings (suggestions below), and enjoy!
Do you smoke mac and cheese covered or uncovered?
This smoked mac and cheese is covered for smoking. You must cover the Nordic Ware indoor smoker with its lid for proper use. This applies to all smoker recipes, not just this one. 
Can you smoke Kraft Mac and Cheese?
Smoking is pretty much the best hack to make boxed mac and cheese taste fantastic. Try undercooking the noodles a little and adding additional grated cheese and butter to the cheese sauce before popping in the smoker. You can smoke Velveeta mac and cheese too!
➕ How to Smoke Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese without a Smoker
To smoke mac and cheese without a smoker, simply follow the oven directions on the box and stir in a little liquid smoke at the end. If you have a gas grill, find grilling directions for frozen mac and cheese here.
🌡️ How to Reheat Smoked Mac and Cheese
Wait, there were leftovers?!? That seems unlikely. Haha
In the strange event that you do have leftover mac and cheese, you can store it in the fridge for 3-4 days. My favorite way to reheat baked mac and cheese is to remove it from the metal pan and microwave on high for 1½-2 minutes. You can also reheat it on the stovetop, but it tends to burn unless you dilute it with milk.
🥓 Smoked Mac and Cheese Add-Ins
There are a lot of ways to make Stouffer’s mac and cheese better! Feel free to customize this recipe by adding any of the following toppings after smoking:
- Crumbled bacon
- Caramelized onion
- Panko bread crumbs or pork panko
- Canned green chili peppers (hot or mild)
- Chopped fresh jalapeno
- Pulled pork
- Smoked chicken
- Gouda
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Smoked paprika
Watch How to Make It!
Smoked Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese (Ridiculously good!)
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs Stouffer's mac and cheese (family size, 1134g)
- mac and cheese toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Thaw the mac and cheese in the fridge for 24 hours; it’s ok if it’s still partially frozen.
- Remove the box and the plastic from the mac and cheese. If the pan isn’t oven safe or doesn’t fit in the stovetop smoker, you will have to move the mac and cheese to a different pan.
- Prep the smoker by filling it with 2-3 tablespoons of wood chips. I prefer using a type of wood with milder flavors such as apple chips.
- Add the drip pan and smoking tray. We will be dry smoking the mac and cheese, so no additional liquid is needed. Put your pan of mac and cheese in the smoker, on top of the smoking tray. Put the lid on the smoker.
- Ensure the thermometer is attached properly and the lid vent is closed. Turn your stovetop vent fan on. I also like to open a few windows when using the indoor smoker.
- Smoke Stouffer's mac and cheese over medium-low heat for 15 minutes at 190-210℉ (88-99°C).
- After the smoke time is up, make sure the middle of the mac and cheese reached a minimum internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) using a meat thermometer. Sprinkle with your favorite toppings (if desired), and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Mac and cheese is a high-energy food, with a lot of fat and non-fiber carbs packing a lot of calories into a relatively small volume. That, combined with the relatively low protein to energy ratio, means you may find this dish pretty easy to overeat! As for what goes with Stouffer’s mac and cheese, I’d add non-starchy veggies to mac and cheese as a main dish. Here are some options for side dishes that go with smoked mac and cheese: A better approach may be to make this smoked mac and cheese a side dish (and have a smaller portion). In that case, I’d pair it with one of these protein-packed BBQ recipes (plus a veg):- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers (No Breadcrumbs)
- Air Fryer Stuffed Burgers with Cheese
- BBQ Chicken Breast (Air Fryer Recipe)
Is Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese vegetarian?
Stouffer’s mac and cheese contains no meat, but they do not specify whether the enzymes in the cheese are animal rennet. Since product formulations can change, I would call the company for the most up-to-date ingredient information. They could use different enzyme sources depending on which is most cost-effective at a given time. Nutrition information is for one serving (as listed on the package).
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 More Stovetop Smoker Recipes
Here are some other recipes for smoked foods you’ll enjoy:
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
What other comfort foods do you think would taste amazing smoked?