Lobster Mac and Cheese

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword lobster-mac-and-cheese, lobster-macaroni-and-cheese, macaroni-and-cheese-recipes

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 656kcal

Ingredients

1 lb cavatappi pasta
1 lb cooked lobster meat, cut into large chunks. (If frozen, thawed)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp seafood seasoning i.e. Old Bay or Seafood Magic
1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt adjust to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper adjust to taste
1 dash ground nutmeg
2 oz chive and onion cream cheese softened
5 cups whole milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
Breadcrumb Topping:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp seafood seasoning
1 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Cook the pasta in salted water per the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
Add the cooked pasta and lobster meat to a large mixing bowl. Set aside while you make the sauce.
Sauce: In a medium-size heavy bottomed saucepan melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat.
To the melted butter add the flour, seafood seasoning, garlic, salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Mix until the flour has been absorbed by the butter stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk. Whisk constantly to prevent clumping.
Bring the milk to a boil then immediately lower the heat to low. Simmer for 3-5 minutes gently bubbling stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (You can add additional 1/2 cup milk if needed to thin.)
Turn off the heat. Add cream cheese to the sauce. Stir until melted.
Toss together cheddar and monterey jack. Add 3 cups to sauce. Remove pot from the heat, stirring until melted. Pour cheese sauce over cavatappi and lobster, and mix until fully coated and the lobster is evenly distributed.
Pour 1/2 macaroni into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat with macaroni then top with the final 1 cup shredded cheese.
Topping: Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter in a small microwave safe bowl. Mix with panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 tsp seafood seasoning. (Add more or less to your taste) Sprinkle on top.
Place into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden and and the edges are bubbly.
Garnish with chopped parsley just before serving.
How to Make Lobster Tails:
Thaw frozen lobster tails and skewer them through the middle to prevent them from curling.
Bring a large deep soup pot of water to a rolling boil. Season with 2-3 tablespoons sea salt.
Add 2 tablespoons butter per lobster tail. Lower heat to medium-high and drop the tails into the water.
Boil for 4-6 minutes depending on the size. (A 6 ounce lobster tail will take around 4-5 minutes) Test to be sure they're done, if they need more time simply drop them back into the boiling water.
Once cooked, immediately submerge in ice water to stop cooking. Remove from the shell for this mac and cheese recipe or serve with melted butter and lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Pasta - You can use twisted macaroni, classic elbow macaroni or a similar size pasta for this macaroni and cheese.
Best Seafood Seasoning - The seafood seasoning is a crucial part of the overall flavor of this dish. Use your favorite to season the sauce. You can use Old Bay seasoning, or any that you enjoy. I used Seafood Magic. (affiliate)
Lobster - You could adapt this recipe using jumbo lump crab meat.
Salt - Different seafood seasoning blends contain varying amounts of sodium. Adjust the amount of salt to your taste based on the brand you're using.
Cheese - You could adapt the type of cheese used. Gruyere cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, an Italian blend of cheese and Asiago cheese also work well in this dish.
Breadcrumbs - You could use Ritz crackers, or club crackers for the topping.
Fresh Herbs - You could garnish the top with fresh thyme or fresh chives.
How to Make Lobster Tail - If you're feeling adventurous and want to make your own lobster tails you can. Lobster can be boiled, steamed, baked or grilled. The easiest way to prepare them for this recipe is to boil them, then you'll be able to easily remove the lobster from the shell. Once cooked, remove the lobster from the shell, cool and chop for this recipe. See the Cook's notes in the recipe card for full instructions.

Nutrition