Description
This Extra Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese is a decadent, cheesy pasta dish loaded with tender lobster meat and a blend of rich cheeses, baked to golden perfection with a crispy Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Perfect for a special occasion or indulgent comfort food craving.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Lobster
- 8 ounces lobster meat (cooked, chopped, about 2 cups)
- 16 ounces cavatappi (or penne, shells, or other medium pasta)
Cheese Sauce
- ⅓ cup salted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 2 ¾ cups milk
- ½ cup half and half (or light cream)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ¼ cups shredded Gruyere cheese (or Swiss cheese, mozzarella, or Havarti)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Topping
- ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley (or ½ teaspoon dried parsley)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan to prepare it for the mac and cheese.
- Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the seasoned bread crumbs, melted butter, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. Set this mixture aside for topping the dish later.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.
- Make the roux: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour along with onion powder, dry mustard, salt, Old Bay seasoning, and black pepper. Cook this mixture for 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Add the liquids: Gradually whisk in the milk and half and half a little at a time. The mixture will thicken as you add more liquid, becoming smooth and creamy.
- Thicken the sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking frequently until it is thickened.
- Add cheeses: Remove the sauce from heat and stir in the cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesan cheeses. Whisk until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Combine with pasta and lobster: Mix the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta. Gently fold in half of the lobster meat. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Add topping and lobster: Spread the remaining lobster meat over the top of the pasta mixture, then sprinkle the prepared breadcrumb topping evenly over everything.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the dish is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Avoid overbaking to keep the mac and cheese creamy.
Notes
- Use fresh or good quality cooked lobster meat for the best flavor and texture.
- You can substitute other medium pasta shapes like penne or shells if cavatappi is unavailable.
- The dish can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated before baking; adjust baking time if baking from cold.
- For a lighter option, use light cream instead of half and half or reduce butter slightly, though it will affect creaminess.
- To add depth, a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika can be added to the cheese sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 887 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1053 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 27 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 75 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 182 mg
