Seafood Mac and Cheese
Seafood mac and cheese is baked with shrimp, salmon, and crab in a creamy three-cheese sauce, topped with buttery Panko for a golden, crispy finish. This is the ultimate mac 'n cheese!
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
- 2 cup grated Gouda cheese
- 1 cup grated white Cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cheese Sauce:
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves grated or minced
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 6 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasonings
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
The Seafood:
- ½ pound salmon fillets skin removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- ½ pound medium shrimp peeled, tails removed
- ½ pound cooked Dungeness crabmeat free from any cartilage bits
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a full boil, add the macaroni and return to a boil. Cook for 5-minutes, stirring occasionally. Macaroni will be cooked slightly less than ‘al dente’ but will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Remove from the heat and drain in a colander. Transfer the macaroni to a large mixing bowl and toss with oil, set aside.
- Add the Panko breadcrumbs to a small mixing bowl, drizzle the melted butter over the breadcrumbs and toss to combine and set aside.
- Place the grated cheese to a large mixing bowl and toss with the 2 tablespoons of flour, set aside.
Make the Sauce:
- Heat the oven to 400°F and coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil spray.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with the flour. Cook for 1 minute while stirring continually.
- Slowly add the white wine to the flour mixture and cook for 30 seconds,while whisking. Whisk in the milk, cream and seasonings. Cook the sauce, whisking frequently, for 6-8 minutes until lightly thickened. Remove the sauce from the heat and gradually add the cheese while whisking. Continue to whisk until all the cheese has been incorporated and the sauce is thick and creamy.
Assemble and Bake:
- Tip the sauce into the bowl of macaroni and mix until the macaroni is well coated.
- Add the salmon, crab and shrimp to the mixture, stirring gently to distribute evenly.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish, smoothing the top level with a spatula.
- Distribute the breadcrumbs over the surface of the casserole and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the edges are bubbly.
- Transfer from the oven and serve while hot as the sauce will thicken as the casserole cools.
Notes
Cook pasta just shy of al dente: It will finish cooking in the oven. Overboiling makes it mushy.
No need to pre-cook seafood: The salmon and shrimp cook fully in the casserole.
Mix and match seafood: Use your favorites and adjust to your budget.
Season at the right time: The béchamel may taste under-salted at first. Wait until the cheese is whisked in, then adjust as needed.
Crab options: Substitute Dungeness crab with 2 (6 oz.) cans of lump crabmeat if preferred.
Cheese choices: Any good melting cheese works. Swiss, Jack, Fontina, or Mozzarella are great alternatives.
Toss cheese with flour: Coating in flour and adding it in 3 increments keeps the sauce smooth.
Serve hot: The sauce thickens as it cools, so enjoy right away for the creamiest texture.
Reheat gently: Place portions in an oven-safe dish, sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons of milk per cup of casserole, cover with foil, and warm in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 729kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 1194mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g
