If you’re trying to avoid gluten, there are several things that you might consider completely off the table. Anything involving pasta, for example, will be tricky to do without gluten. However, there are actually several options for gluten-free pasta dishes in the frozen food market, and Evol recently threw a hat into that ring with the Evol Gluten Free Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese.
Obviously, this isn’t our first shot at trying out a gluten-free mac and cheese. Trader Joe’s offers one, as does Amy’s Kitchen. Gluten-free mainstay Udi’s even has two takes on the dish: one with bacon and one without. So how does this Evol version stack up against the competition? That’s the exact question we’re hoping to answer today.
The back of the box offers instructions for both microwave and oven heating. Since the microwave is the option we think most people will go with for this particular item (you’ll shave off more than 40 minutes of cook time that way), we heated ours in the microwave. If you want to see the full, detailed cooking instructions, simply check out our package scans at the bottom of this article.
First off, you should know going into this that it’s not your traditional creamy, cheddar-y mac and cheese. It uses a smoked gouda, which you’ll smell before you even pull this out of the microwave. It’s a strong, sharp scent, with a flavor that’s equally as pungent. This isn’t your children’s mac and cheese; this is a sophisticated dish for discerning adults!
The noodles are your typical elbow shape, but the thing that sets them apart is their lack of gluten. These aren’t exactly like their gluten-loaded brethren, but they’re definitely passable. The texture is a little bit chewier than you’d expect from a typical macaroni noodle, but it’s not super distracting. You’ll be able to tell that there’s something a little bit off about these noodles, texture-wise, but we don’t think they’re bad at all. In fact, these are a fine substitute so long as you acknowledge that they are a substitute.
Now, a little chewiness is certainly not uncommon in gluten-free macaroni. We noted the same thing when we reviewed the Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Mac & Cheese, as well as the Udi’s take on this dish. Amy’s Kitchen avoids the problem by using rice noodles, but those end up a bit too flimsy as a result. Since it seems like there’s no absolutely perfect solution here, we’ll take what we can get with the Evol version. After all, this is certainly one of the better options in the world of gluten-free macaroni dishes.
This bowl of macaroni is not lacking in the calorie department. One dish of this stuff will run you 410 calories (190 from fat). The sodium isn’t bad for a frozen food, though, at 510 mg.
The Evol Gluten Free Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese isn’t perfect, but it’s still a pretty great option for anyone avoiding gluten. While the noodles aren’t 100% convincing, they’re convincing enough that they shouldn’t get in the way of enjoying this tasty macaroni dish.
To learn more about the nutrition content, ingredients, or cooking instructions for this gluten-free macaroni dish, check out our package scans below.
