Seafood Mac and Cheese
This rich Seafood Mac and Cheese recipe combines elbow macaroni and a creamy cheese sauce packed with your favorite seafood and baked to a bubbly finish.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- 2 cups freshly grated gruyere cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pound coarsely chopped cooked seafood, like lobster, shrimp, crawfish, or crabmeat, or a combination
Parmesan breadcrumbs topping:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with melted butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook the pasta following the package instructions until almost al dente (about 2 minutes less than the cooking time indicated on the package). Drain and transfer the pasta to the baking dish. Lightly drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, butter, and sea salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns a light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat.
- Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Then, add in half and half, and continue to whisk until combined and smooth.
- Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, whisking until completely smooth. The sauce should be smooth and creamy.
- Gently fold the coarsely chopped cooked seafood (lobster, shrimp, crawfish, or crabmeat) into the cheese sauce.
- Pour the seafood cheese mixture over the pasta in the baking dish. Stir until well combined.
- Sprinkle the prepared Parmesan breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Cook pasta to al dente; avoid overcooking as it'll cook further in the oven.
- Mix up the seafood! Simple crab or a mix of crab, lobster, and shrimp both work great.
- Frozen seafood is fine. Just defrost according to the package before using.
- Spice it up with sausage or chopped ham for added flavor and heartiness.
- Add peas and corn for extra texture and color to your mac and cheese.
- Store seafood mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw well before reheating.
- Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts or the oven at 325°F until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 678kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1020mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 659mg | Iron: 2mg
