Description
This Seafood Mac and Cheese combines tender pasta, succulent shrimp, sweet crab, and scallops in a velvety three-cheese sauce. Finished with a buttery crisp topping and baked until bubbling, it delivers comfort with a coastal twist.
Ingredients
Pasta Base
- Elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- Salted water for boiling
Cheese Sauce
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk (warmed)
- Heavy cream
- Dijon mustard
- Old Bay seasoning or paprika with cayenne
- Garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- Sharp cheddar (freshly shredded)
- Gruyère or Swiss cheese (shredded)
- Parmesan (grated)
Seafood
- Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Lump crab meat
- Scallops (halved if large)
- Olive oil or butter
- Salt and pepper
Optional Crispy Topping
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Melted butter
- Grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta
- Fill a large stockpot with water and add enough salt so it tastes like the sea. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Add the pasta and cook until just shy of fully tender. The pasta should still have a slight firmness when bitten.
- Drain thoroughly and spread slightly on a tray to stop further cooking. Set aside.
- Sauté the Seafood
- Place a wide skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil or butter and allow it to warm.
- Lay shrimp and scallops in a single layer. Avoid crowding the pan.
- Cook for about 2–3 minutes per side. Watch carefully—shrimp should turn pink and opaque, scallops should look milky white and slightly firm.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Gently fold in crab meat at the end, warming it briefly without breaking apart the lumps.
- Transfer seafood to a plate and set aside.
- Prepare the Cheese Sauce
- Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to melt fully.
- Sprinkle flour over the melted butter while whisking constantly. Continue whisking for 1–2 minutes. The mixture should bubble slightly and develop a faint golden tone. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in warmed milk while whisking vigorously. Add cream and continue stirring to prevent lumps.
- Allow the mixture to simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Mix in Dijon mustard, seasoning blend, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Melt in the Cheese
- Remove the saucepan from direct heat.
- Add shredded cheddar in handfuls, stirring until fully melted before adding more.
- Repeat with Gruyère and Parmesan.
- Continue stirring until the sauce looks glossy, smooth, and cohesive. Do not return to high heat, as overheating may cause separation.
- Combine Pasta and Seafood
- Add cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Stir until every piece is coated.
- Carefully fold in the seafood mixture. Work gently to maintain texture and avoid breaking the crab apart.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Prepare for Baking (Optional but Recommended)
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Transfer the mac and cheese mixture into the dish and spread evenly.
- In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan. Toss until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the surface.
- Bake
- Place the dish on the center oven rack.
- Bake uncovered for approximately 20 minutes. The top should turn golden brown, and the edges should bubble actively.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This brief rest helps the sauce settle and thicken slightly for perfect scooping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner