Lobster and Shrimp Mac and Cheese (Restaurant Quality)
This version of a Lobster and Shrimp Mac and Cheese recipe isn't your average comfort food. Rich seafood meets a quadruple-cheese sauce with techniques that separate luxury from lazy. Save this one for your next dinner party.
Equipment
- Large pot (6-8qt) to cook the pasta and make the cheese sauce
- medium pot (3-4qt) to poach the shellfish
- whisk
- Gratin dishes ramekins, or other baking dish
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 6.5 oz short tubed pasta (188g) cavatappi or similar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Breadcrumb Topping
- 2 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Poached Shrimp and Lobster
- 3.25 oz lobster tail removed from the shell (94g)
- 3.25 oz medium shrimp peeled and deveined (94g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 allspice berries
- 10 black peppercorns
- ½ cup dry vermouth
For the Cheese Sauce
- ½ small shallot finely diced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 3 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese (40g)
- ¼ cup fontina cheese freshly grated
- ¼ cup gruyere cheese freshly grated
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
For Garnish
- ½ lemon - juice only
- Finely chopped parsley and/or thyme for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Pasta and Topping
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook per the package directions for al dente (no more than that). While the pasta is cooking, prepare a bowl of ice water to stop the pasta from continuing to cook once removed.6.5 oz short tubed pasta, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- When done, remove the cooked pasta and transfer to the ice water for a minute. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water to use to thin out the béchamel if needed. Once the pasta has cooled, drain the pasta, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- For the topping, simply melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat, then add the panko breadcrumbs and stir. Once the breadcrumbs have absorbed the butter and just start to get the slightest bit of a golden brown color, remove from the heat and set aside.2 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs, 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Poach the Lobster and Shrimp
- Add the bay leaf, allspice, peppercorns, and vermouth to a medium pot of water over medium heat until gently simmering.1 bay leaf, 10 allspice berries, 10 black peppercorns, ½ cup dry vermouth
- Reduce the heat to low, then add the lobster tails and poach for 2 minutes, then add the shrimp. Poach for an additional 4 minutes (6 total minutes). When done, the flesh should be opaque all the way through and it should have firmed up a bit without the tails curling tight. If it's not quite done, add it back into the simmering water for another 1-2 minutes until fully cooked.3.25 oz lobster tail, 3.25 oz medium shrimp
- Transfer the cooked shrimp and lobster to a cutting board and cut the lobster meat and shrimp into manageable bite-sized pieces. Add the lobster and shrimp to the large bowl with the pasta while you make the sauce.
Prepare the Cheese Sauce Base
- Discard the remaining pasta cooking water from the large pot used to cook the pasta to use for the cheese sauce. Over medium heat, add the shallot, white wine, and sherry. Cook for several minutes until there is only about 2 teaspoons of liquid left.½ small shallot, ¼ cup dry white wine, 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
- Next, add the butter and stir until melted. While whisking, slowly add the flour. Bring all of this together, making a roux. You want a blonde roux so keep the heat down and just cook until the smell of raw flour is gone but the mixture isn’t brown. This will take just a few minutes.3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Next, slowly add the cream while whisking constantly and once combined whisk in the mustard powder, creating a béchamel sauce.1 cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- Finally, stir in the fontina, gruyere and mascarpone cheeses, thyme, salt and pepper. Continue to stir until the cheeses are completely melted and you have a nice smooth sauce. If it seems too thick, add a little water to thin it out. You want the sauce to be thick and creamy but still saucy enough to coat the pasta and seafood.3 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese, ¼ cup fontina cheese, ¼ cup gruyere cheese, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, Pinch black pepper
Combine, Portion and Broil
- Add the cooked seafood and pasta to the large pot of warm cheese sauce and gently mix with a spatula to combine. The seafood and pasta will gently warm up once combined with the warm cheese sauce, but you can turn the heat up to low if the sauce cools down too much and doesn’t stay smooth and creamy.
- Make sure the oven rack is positioned at the top of the oven with enough room for the baking dishes to fit and set the oven to broil.
- Place the gratin dishes, ramekins or other oven-safe dishes on a baking sheet. Divide the pasta mixture among each of the dishes. Sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese then the buttered, toasted breadcrumbs. Place in the oven for a couple minutes or so, keeping a close eye on the breadcrumb topping. Once nicely browned, remove immediately from the oven.¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Garnish And Serve
- On each individual bowl, add a spritz of lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley and/or thyme and serve.½ lemon - juice only, Finely chopped parsley and/or thyme for garnish
Notes
Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a main course.
Substitutions:
- All shrimp version: Use 6.5 oz of shrimp total and skip the lobster. It's still luxurious and way more budget-friendly.
- Crab instead of lobster: Lump crab meat is sweet, delicate, and easier to find than lobster in some areas. Use 3.25 oz of lump crab and fold it in gently at the very end so it doesn't break apart. Don't poach it. Just warm it through in the sauce.
- Spicy kick: Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the béchamel. Or fold in a tablespoon of Calabrian chili paste with the cheese for a smoky, spicy undertone that plays surprisingly well with seafood.
- Seasonal swap: In the fall, add ½ cup of roasted butternut squash or pumpkin cubes folded in with the pasta. The sweetness complements the seafood and adds a pop of color. In summer, toss in blanched peas or corn kernels for a lighter, brighter feel.
- Different types of cheese: Swap the fontina for white cheddar (sharp, aged stuff, not mild). Replace the gruyere with aged gouda for a smokier, sweeter profile. The mascarpone and parmesan should stay, they're the glue.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free short pasta like Banza chickpea shells or Jovial brown rice penne. For the roux, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or sweet rice flour. The texture will be slightly different but still creamy and delicious.
- How to store leftover lobster and shrimp mac and cheese:
- Let the mac cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. It'll keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. The sauce will thicken as it cools, which is normal.
- How to reheat leftover lobster and shrimp mac and cheese:
- The best move is to reheat in a 350-degree oven. Transfer the mac to an oven-safe dish, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through. Add a splash of cream or milk before reheating if the sauce looks dry.
- Can you freeze leftover lobster and shrimp mac and cheese?
- You can freeze this, but the texture of the seafood won't be quite as good after thawing. If you're going to freeze it, do it before broiling. Assemble the mac in freezer-safe containers, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then top with parmesan and panko and broil as directed. Again, you may see the creamy texture break down and get a bit oily, but the flavor will still be there.
- Undercook the pasta slightly. Even if you're shocking it in ice water, pull it 30 seconds before the package says al dente. It'll warm up right before broiling and finish cooking under the broiler, and this insurance policy keeps it from turning mushy.
- Save a cup of pasta water before draining. If your sauce seems too thick when you're folding everything together, a splash of starchy pasta water will loosen it up without diluting the flavor the way plain water or cream would.
- Grate your own cheese and do it at the last minute. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in cellulose to prevent clumping, and it makes your sauce grainy and broken. Freshly grated cheese melts clean and smooth every time.
- Don't add the cheese while the pan is still on the heat. Pull the béchamel off the burner before stirring in the mascarpone, fontina, and gruyere. High heat can cause the proteins in cheese to seize up and turn the sauce greasy or grainy.
- Rotate the baking sheet halfway through broiling. Most broilers have hot spots. Rotating ensures even browning across all four ramekins so nobody gets a pale, sad portion.
- Let it rest for 60 seconds after broiling. This isn't a long rest, but it lets the bubbling cheese calm down so you don't burn the roof of your mouth on the first bite.
Nutrition
Calories: 723kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 21gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 28gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 1610mgPotassium: 275mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1678IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 311mgIron: 2mg
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