Here’s a rich and indulgent Seafood Mac & Cheese recipe that’s creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor:
🦀🧀 Seafood Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
1 lb elbow macaroni (or cavatappi, shells, etc.)
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk (warmed)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp Old Bay seasoning (or Cajun seasoning)
½ tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Gruyère (or Swiss) cheese, shredded
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Seafood:
½ lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
½ lb lump crab meat (fresh or canned, drained)
½ lb scallops (optional, cut into bite-size pieces)
2 Tbsp butter + 1 garlic clove, minced (for sautéing seafood)
Topping:
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Cook pasta:
Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
Cook seafood:
In a skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter, add garlic, then sauté shrimp and scallops for 2–3 minutes until just cooked. Stir in crab at the end. Set aside.
Make cheese sauce:
In a large pot, melt 4 Tbsp butter. Whisk in flour to make a roux, cooking 1–2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in warm milk and cream until smooth and thickened.
Stir in Dijon, Old Bay, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Add cheeses (cheddar, Gruyère, mozzarella, Parmesan) and stir until melted and creamy.
Combine:
Stir pasta and cooked seafood into the cheese sauce until evenly coated.
Bake:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Pour mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
Mix panko, melted butter, Parmesan, and parsley; sprinkle over top.
Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top.
Serve:
Let rest 5 minutes, then scoop and enjoy the gooey, seafood-packed goodness!
✅ Tips:
For extra indulgence, drizzle with a little truffle oil before serving.
Swap Gruyère with Fontina or Monterey Jack for a different flavor.
If you don’t want to bake it, you can serve straight from the pot for a creamier stovetop version.
Do you want me to also write up a quick one-pan stovetop version (ready in under 30 minutes), or keep it as the baked casserole style?