Gourmet Seafood Mac 'n Cheese
A creamy four-cheese mac 'n cheese loaded with lobster and shrimp, topped with buttered breadcrumbs — restaurant-worthy comfort food you can stash in the freezer.
- Prep Time
- 30 min
- Cook Time
- 45 min
- Total Time
- 1 hr 15 min
- Servings
- 12 servings
My husband isn't really a foodie, so when he brings up a dish out of nowhere, it's a whole event. We were out with friends talking about the freezer meals I used to make when I first started my business, and he piped up about how much he loved this Lobster Mac 'n Cheese. I looked at him in shock — was that the wine talking, or did he actually mean it?
Since this recipe makes a serious batch, you've got options: feed a crowd, portion it into freezer meals, or do both — bake up a 9x13 for dinner this week and tuck the rest away for later. I love having options, especially when they involve four kinds of cheese and a whole lot of lobster.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 7 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 lb. white cheddar cheese, grated
- 8 oz. gruyere cheese, grated
- 8 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 lbs. sharp cheddar cheese, grated (plus extra for topping, if desired)
- 2 lbs. cavatappi pasta
- 1 lb. cooked shrimp
- 1 lb. cooked lobster
Instructions
- 1In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, then whisk in the dijon mustard. Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking well.
- 2While the sauce cooks, bring salted water to a boil in another pot and cook the pasta according to package directions, only to al dente. Drain.
- 3Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the sauce has cooked for 10-15 minutes and thickened, turn the heat to low and slowly stir in the grated cheeses until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the lobster and shrimp.
- 4Spoon into a dutch oven or 9x13 inch baking dish, spread into an even layer, and sprinkle with extra cheddar if desired.
- 5Bake for 35-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Storage & Reheating
Freezer instructions: distribute into foil or glass containers, cool completely, then cover, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking. Buy lobster and shrimp that's already been cooked and frozen for convenience — just make sure it's fully thawed in the fridge before adding it in. This recipe makes a big batch. Divide it in half for a smaller amount, or keep it whole and split the extra into freezer meals.
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