Crab Mac And Cheese

Crab Mac and Cheese an unbelievably creamy baked mac and cheese that is loaded with tender bites of crab meat and topped with a golden, buttery parmesan panko topping.
4.38 from 8 votes
38
Comments
Jump to Recipe
Crab mac and cheese in a baking dish with a scoop taken out.

My favorite way of making mac and cheese is baked mac and cheese. This time, I decided to make it extra special so I got some crab meat and added it. Seafood is great paired with pasta and parmesan cheese, and crab is one of my favorite types of seafood. I didn’t have a doubt that it would turn out perfectly.

To make baked mac and cheese even better, I also like to use more flavorful cheeses. I like to use sharp cheeses or smoked cheeses to really give it that extra oomph. Sharp white cheddar is one of my favorites! Of course, there’s nothing like fresh grated parmesan as well.

Serving a comforting seafood dish, like crab mac and cheese or lobster mac and cheese, at your next big dinner party, or any other special occasion will make it extra special. Of course, you could just make it on a random weeknight to really treat yourself. There’s never a bad time to enjoy a mac and cheese this good.

labeled ingredients for crab mac and cheese on a wood surface.

Tips to Make Crab Mac and Cheese

Collage of four images of the steps to cook crab mac and cheese.
  • Baking dish tip: use a 9×13 casserole dish (or a deep 9×9 baking dish). Note that is using a larger (9×13) baking dish, bake time will be less, when using smaller but deeper baking dish, bake time will be slightly more. (About 5-7 more minutes.)
  • Cook the pasta al dente. Since you will be baking the mac and cheese, make sure not to cook the pasta until it’s completely cooked though.
  • Shallots: shallots are small, light purple in color, and they are closely related to onions but with a more delicate and slightly sweeter flavor. When I need to substitute it, I prefer to use a Vidalia onion. You will just need to use less since shallots are so much smaller.
  • Crab: You can use claw or lump crab meat, either will work just fine. Remember to SIFT THOROUGHLY through the crab meat with your hands because there are always pieces of crab shell left behind.
Collage of 4 photos adding the cheese to the pot for the mac and cheese.
  • Grate cheese yourself! This is one of the most important part of a smooth cheese sauce. Do grate your own cheese off a BLOCK not pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese always had additives like separators and preservatives that will affect the texture of your sauce.
  • How to prevent lumps in cheese sauce: whisk in flour and butter until smooth and as soon as it’s combined and looks like paste, start slowly pouring in milk while constantly whisking. Keep whisking and pouring until all incorporated. Slowly stir until the milk mixture heats through and starts to thicken (Don’t let it boil!)
  • Never let the cheese sauce or mac and cheese boil! Cook the cheese sauce over medium to medium-low heat to let the milk heat through and the cheese melt. After adding the pasta, you will only cook for additional couple of minutes to heat up the pasta.
a collage of three photos of adding the uncooked mac and cheese to a baking dish and the baked mac and cheese.
crab mac and cheese in a bowl with a fork full of mac and cheese on a piece of burlap.

Gluten, Lactose, and Dairy Allergy Alternatives

  • Gluten free: First, you’ll of course need gluten free pasta. I’ve found that the Tinkayada brand of pasta is the least crumbly and is the closest to regular pasta. In the cheese sauce, swap the regular flour for 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour.
  • Lactose Free: Instead of regular milk, use lactose free milk. Use your favorite plant-based butter.
  • Tip about cheeses: Cheese that is aged 6 months and longer is naturally lactose free because of the aging process. Keep in mind that soft cheeses like blue cheese, brie, feta, cream cheese, and a few others are not lactose free. However, cheeses like cheddar, Monterrey jack cheese, parmesan and even some mozzarella are lactose free because of how they’re aged. (Check the label: almost all brands will put the lactose content under the nutritional information. Look for keywords like “contains 0g of lactose per serving.” If you can’t find the wording there, you can look at the sugar content instead. If sugar is 0g, there’s a low chance of lactose.)
  • Dairy free is tough in mac and cheese! While milk and butter can be substituted with non-dairy alternatives (like almond milk, cashew milk, or unsweetened oat milk), I have not found a vegan cheese that tastes good. If you have a vegan cheese that you love, try that!
Crab mac and cheese in a baking dish with a spoon scooping some out on a wood table.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!

Crab mac and cheese in a baking dish with a scoop taken out.

Crab Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe

Crab Mac and Cheese an unbelievably creamy baked mac and cheese that is loaded with tender bites of crab meat and topped with a golden, buttery parmesan panko topping.
4.38 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 6 oz claw or lump crab meat
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1-2 large shallots chopped finely
  • 2 1/3 cups whole milk
  • 3 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 10 oz sharp white cheddar cheese block, grate it yourself
  • salt more or less to taste
  • fresh cracked pepper more or less to taste

Topping:

  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2-3 tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter melted

Instructions

  • UPDATED: I've re-tested this recipe and made an update and an ingredient clarification based on the comments!
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a casserole dish.
  • Cook the macaroni according to the box instructions, drain well. Using your hands, sift through the claw meat to make sure no shell pieces are in there. Set both aside.
  • Melt butter in a large pot over medium to medium-low heat and thinly sliced shallot. Let let the shallot sauté until softened and starts to brown.
  • Sprinkle flour over the shallot and mix well. Slowly pour in the milk while constantly and carefully stirring with a whisk. Keep whisking until all incorporated and starts thickening.
  • Add grated cheddar cheese a handful at a time while slowly stirring. Keep slowly stirring until cheeses are melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper.
  • Stir in parmesan cheese, macaroni, and crab. Stir well, until all combined.
  • Transfer into the prepared baking casserole dish.
  • Mix Panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and melted butter in a bowl. Toss until completely incorporated and spread the topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
  • Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the edges are bubbly.

Notes

  • Crab meat: You can use claw or lump crab meat, either will work just fine. Remember to SIFT THOROUGHLY through the crab meat with your hands because there are always pieces of crab shell left behind.
  • *Read the post to learn how to make this mac and cheese gluten free and/or lactose free! 
  • Remember: NEVER let the cheese sauce boil! Cook the cheese sauce over medium to medium-low heat to let the milk heat through and the cheese melt
  • Reheating: You can reheat several portions at once on stove-top. Make sure to reheat it over medium-low heat and add about 1/4-1/3 cup of milk. Cover the pot as mac and cheese reheats and stir every few minutes.
  • When reheating individual portions in the microwaveadd a couple of tablespoons of milk to the bowl with pasta and use a microwave cover if you have one. Reheat the mac and cheese in 30-45 second incrementsstirring in between. Make sure to reheat only until heated through.

Nutrition

Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 833mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 609mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles or tag #willcookforsmiles!

Storing and Reheating Instructions

  • Storing: Keep any leftovers you have of crab mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Feel free to use the same dish you used to cook it in! If you have a lid, great. If not, wrap it twice in plastic wrap.
  • You can reheat several portions at once on stove-top. Make sure to reheat it over medium-low heat and add about 1/4-1/3 cup of milk. Cover the pot as mac and cheese reheats and stir every few minutes.
  • When reheating individual portions in the microwaveadd a couple of tablespoons of milk to the bowl with pasta and use a microwave cover if you have one. Reheat the mac and cheese in 30-45 second incrementsstirring in between. Make sure to reheat only until heated through.
  • PRO TIP: remember to add a few tablespoons of whole milk when you reheat baked mac and cheese. This will help invigorate the pasta again and add moisture. Pasta tends to soak up moisture, so adding a little milk will help bring it back to life after sitting in the fridge.

Make Crab Mac and Cheese Ahead of Time

  • You can prepare the mac and cheese up to the step of baking it.
  • Spread the pasta mixture in the baking dish and top it with bread crumbs. Make sure it’s cooled completely, then cover it airtight and refrigerate. You will want to make it just 1 day ahead for the best freshness of the dish.
  • The next day, take off the covering from the dish and let it warm up on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking. Bake per the recipe recommendation but add about 5-10 minutes since you’re starting with a cold dish.

Enjoy More Mac and Cheese Recipes

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in April 2013.

 

Categories:

, , , , , , , ,

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

4.38 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

38 Comments

  1. Holy. Moly. Please please please come visit me and bring this along. I’ll pay for your plane ticket, lol.

    Man. I literally want to lick the screen. This is bad.

    1. Awww, that would be fun, wouldn’t it, Amy?!
      Thank you so much 🙂

  2. I’m so hungry now!!! Thanks for sharing! Found you over at Your Whims Wednesday.

  3. Visiting from Recipe Sharing Monday. Crab is probably my favorite type of seafood–especially the claw meat. This looks good!

  4. Oh my gosh amazing! I just love your recipes!!

  5. My husband would fall over dead for these! Thanks for sharing! I’d love to have you visit me at Get Your Crap Together! We have a Pattern Party from the 1st of the month to the 10th and would love you to check it out. See you soon!

  6. ATasteOfMadness says:

    Yum! Any kind of mac and cheese is a-ok with me. This sounds fabulous!

    1. 5 stars
      After all these years, finally had to comment. This recipe is a family staple at this point. I do leave the crab out but this Mac is a must at several holidays! Delish!

      1. I am so glad you like it, Bree! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you like the recipe! 🙂

  7. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! This looks so delicious and sinful! I am pinning it right now!

  8. Brenda @ ChattingOverChocolate.blogspot.com says:

    This looks scrumptious! Pinned 😉 Thanks for the recipe! Have a wonderful weekend!

  9. Tammy @ A Walk in the Countryside says:

    Sounds like a great combination! Thanks for the recipe!

  10. Another great recipe! You always have the best food…can I come over for dinner? 🙂 I really want to try this. My family is also addicted to mac & cheese.

More Recipes...