Lobster Mac and Cheese is rich, decadent and oh so cheesy! Cooked pasta and lobster are tossed in creamy white cheese sauce and baked with a parmesan crumb topping. Serves 6 to 8 in under an hour.
If for some reason, I should require a “last meal” it would be filet mignon, lobster mac and cheese and endless stemless glasses of sauvignon blanc. Because omg is this dish heavenly.
Picture this: elbow shell (shellbow?) pasta and lumps of cooked lobster in a white cheese cream sauce. Sound decadent? IT IS!
With that said, put on your comfiest of pants because this is going to get cheesy.
To Make This Lobster Mac and Cheese You Will Need:
- dried short pasta (like large macaroni)
- sharp white cheddar
- fontina
- rated parmesan cheese
- unsalted butter
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- half & half
- kosher salt
- white pepper
- nutmeg (freshly grated)
- chopped cooked lobster
- panko
- unsalted melted butter
I love this pasta shape! Depending on the brand will decide the name, so look for jumbo macaroni with ridges, shellbow or pipe rigate. You’ll need 10 ounces.
Before starting the recipe, spray a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil spray and preheat your oven to 325℉ (or 160℃).
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, you’ll want to stir in a palmful of sea salt before adding in the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente. Note: I always try to aim for the sauce and pasta to be done at the same time. So add the pasta to the water right when you’re starting the sauce.
Then, freshly grate 1-1/2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, 1 cup fontina and 1/2 cup grated real parmesan (not the stuff in the can).
Roughly chop 10 ounces cooked lobster.
To make the sauce, add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter to a large saucepan and heat on medium-low.
When melted, sprinkle in 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour.
Whisk to combine.
Continue to whisk while pouring in 2 cups half & half. You can substitute the half & half with 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Season with 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
Stir until the sauce thickens and resembles a creamy soup – so not too thick.
Add in 1/3 of the cheese mixture.
Stir until smooth, then remove off of the heat.
Drain the pasta.
And add it to the cheese sauce.
Stir well to combine.
Place half of the lobster Mac and cheese into your prepared dish and top with half of the remaining cheeses.
Spoon on the remaining lobster Mac and sprinkle with the last of the cheese in the bowl.
Quickly toss, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss to combine.
Top the mac with the crumb mixture before sliding the pan onto the middle rack of your preheated 325° oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Once baked, switch your oven to broil and carefully move the lobster macaroni and cheese to the highest rack in your oven. Watch carefully and broil until the top is golden brown.
Hello gorgeous cheesy baked pasta!
I honestly don’t know what I love more; the creamy cheesy sauce or the pasta or the lobster or the parmesan crumb topping.
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Enjoy! And if you give this Lobster Mac and Cheese recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
FOR THE MAC AND CHEESE:
- olive oil spray
- sea salt
- 10 ounces short pasta, like jumbo macaroni, shellbow or pipe rigate
- 1½ cups sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup fontina, grated
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half & half
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, ground
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 10 ounces lobster, cooked and chopped
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon parsley, minced, for serving
Instructions
- Spray a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil spray and preheat your oven to 325℉ (or 160℃).
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, stir in a palmful of sea salt before adding in the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente. Try to aim for the sauce and pasta to be done at the same time.
- In a bowl, combine the white cheddar, fontina and 1/2 cup parmesan. Stir to combine.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium to medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the half & half and whisk until thickened to the consistency of a creamy soup.
- Remove off of the heat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, stir to incorporate.
- Add 1/3 of the cheeses and stir until smooth.
- Next add in drained cooked pasta and chopped lobster, stir to combine.
- Spoon half of the mac and cheese to the prepared baking dish and top with half of the remaining cheeses. Repeat with the remaining mac and cheese and top with the last of the cheese.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko, 1/4 cup parmesan and 2 tablespoons melted butter, stir to combine and sprinkle over top of the pasta.
- Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 10 minutes. If needed, switch the broiler on and broil the top of the crumbs are until golden brown.
- Serve with a sprinkle of minced parsley.
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I’ve done this recipe step by step and every time I make the roux it becomes clumpy. And it taste pretty bland. 🙁
I made this for the first time last night and omg. Amazing. I did have to add an extra cup of liquid but maybe that’s because I used almond milk. (Didn’t want to go to the store) eating the left overs right now. Definitely going to make again.
This recipe is great, I’ve made it a few times, I do usually sub for gruyere and Monterey Jack because I can literally never find fontina cheese and the one time I made it with sharp white cheddar it was way too strong! This my go to for hosting/ holidays!!