Creamy Baked Seafood Mac and Cheese

Creamy Baked Seafood Mac and Cheese

This Creamy Baked Seafood Mac and Cheese recipe is made with crab, shrimp, and macaroni pasta. This is the perfect, simple cheesy casserole to add to any spread. Add Old Bay Seasoning and Cajun spices for an additional kick in flavor!

Ingredients

• 1 pound elbow macaroni or cellentani pasta
• 5 tablespoons butter Divided into 4 tablespoons for the cheese sauce and 1 tablespoon to cook with the seafood
• 8 oz lump crab meat
• 1 pound raw shrimp Peeled and deveined, sliced into 1 inch chunks.
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning You can substitute whatever you like.
• 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning Optional for additional flavor.
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2-3 cups milk I often use 2 cups. Use your judgment. Start with 2 and add more if needed (if the pasta appears too dry).
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese I used sharp.
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese Optional for really creamy mac
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pasta

• Cook the pasta in a large pot in accordance with the instructions on the package.
• Drain the macaroni and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Sauteed Seafood

• Heat a skillet or saucepan on medium-high heat. Add in 1 tablespoon of butter. When melted, add in the shrimp and Old Bay seasoning and optional Cajun seasoning.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes on both sides until cooked through. Add in the crab and stir. Remove from the heat and set aside. Keep the seafood in the butter sauce.

Cheese Sauce

• Heat a skillet or saucepan on medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt.
• Once melted, add the flour and whisk. Add the flour in stages to prevent clumping.
• This will create a roux. Continue to whisk until the four is fully combined.
• Add the milk and heavy whipping cream and stir.
• Add half of the shredded cheese and the 4 ounces of cream cheese stir until the cheese is melted. You don’t have to wait for the all of the cream cheese to melt. It will melt while the dish bakes.
• Add the onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Taste repeatedly and adjust seasonings as needed. This step is important because this sauce is what the mac and cheese will taste like.
• Return the pasta to the large pot. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir until fully combined.
• Add in the cooked seafood and the butter sauce the seafood was cooked in. Stir. Taste again. Add additional spices, salt, and pepper if needed.

Mac and Cheese

• Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• Begin to layer in the pasta. Start with the pasta and seafood, then add a layer of all of the shredded cheese.
• Add another layer of pasta, and then another layer of cheese. If your dish is piled high (mine usually is), place it on a sheet pan while baking. This will catch any potential drippings.
• Bake for 25-45 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbly. I like for the crust on top to turn a deep golden brown, which takes more time. Use your judgment based on what works for you.
• Cool before serving.

Video

Notes

• You can substitute any cheese you like in this recipe.
• Always purchase your cheese in block form and shred or grate it yourself. You can also use a food processor. Pre-shredded cheese has preservatives and potato starch to keep it from going bad quickly. These additives don’t melt nicely and the dish won’t be as creamy. Grate your own cheese. It makes a huge difference.
• Feel free to add more cheese as you deem necessary. To make this a really creamy and cheesy dish, I often add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of additional shredded cheddar. I typically add this additional cheese to the cheese sauce to make it really thick.
• If you’re using baby shrimp, you probably don’t need to slice them into chunks.
• You can whatever milk you choose in the recipe. 
• I often use a 9×13 rectangular dish. Sometimes I will opt for an 8×8 dish, as used in the photos here. With an 8×8 dish, you will really pile in the ingredients and as it bakes, the sides will bubble and ooze over. This provides a dramatic effect (that looks great), but isn’t necessary. I bake the dish on a sheet pan to prevent liquid from oozing into the oven.
• For baking dishes, I often prefer ceramic to glass. A ceramic dish will regulate heat better. When I use glass, the top of the mac and cheese, typically dries out quickly.
• You can also use cast-iron.
• If you’re making this for a crowd, I wouldn’t make it ahead. This is a dish that’s best served fresh while the cheese is still soft and gooey. After making it, I leave it in the oven on warm and covered in foil.
• I also wouldn’t prep it in advance. This will ruin the texture of the cheese.