Kraft Mac & Cheese Powder Is Said to Be the Secret Ingredient to Smoke House’s Beloved Garlic Bread

If you’re ever in the greater L.A. area—particularly if you find yourself at Warner Bros. Studios for a tour or a taping—you should really have dinner at Smoke House. It’s a decades-old Burbank institution that specializes in steaks, ribs, and red-booth nostalgia, but the most popular thing on the menu isn’t a main or even their gargantuan shrimp cocktail—it’s the garlic bread. Ahem, sorry. The “World’s Greatest Garlic Bread.” I already know what you’re thinking: You want me to fly across the country and then make time for a meal at a notoriously busy restaurant in a bedroom suburb of the city for a basket garlic bread? Okay, maybe that’s not practical, but we have good news: The world-famous Smoke House garlic bread is (probably, most likely) made with an ingredient you already have in your pantry.

What makes Smoke House garlic bread so damn good?

Honestly, even calling it “garlic bread” diminishes what’s a pretty unique creation. “Cheesy garlic bread” wouldn’t quite do it justice either. You get a quartered loaf crusty bread that’s drenched with garlicky oil and then slathered with a salty, savory, bright-orange paste. That top layer is usually bubbly and browned from its quick sojourn beneath the broiler. A half order will only set you back five bucks, but you should obviously spend the three extra dollars for the full-size order (you’ll run out before your food even arrives, promise).

How do they make it? Or better yet, how do I make it?

Well, that’s a secret. The restaurant has never officially released the recipe, but most people swear up and down that the secret ingredient that gives Smoke House garlic bread its savory flavor and bright orange hue is the powder packet that comes in boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese.

There are a few recipes floating around online, including this one, which calls for a loaf of sourdough, a stick of butter, freshly chopped garlic (not jarred!), Kraft Mac & Cheese powder, and Kraft powdered parmesan cheese. One Redditor claims this recipe gets pretty close, but to really nail the flavor, you should also add some smoked paprika to the mix.

Is it possible to buy Kraft Mac & Cheese powder without buying the macaroni, too?

For a minute there, Kraft was selling its Mac & Cheese powder (or a version of it) in 16oz canisters, but I couldn’t find it at stores near us. So, looks like you’ll have to buy the box, pluck out the powder packet, and save the noodles for another day. If you’ve had Smoke House garlic bread, you know it’s worth it.

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.