Lobster Mac and Cheese
Creamy, luxurious pasta with tender lobster, sharp cheddar, and a crispy panko topping. A restaurant-quality dinner ready in under 45 minutes.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 742
- Protein
- 58g
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta (elbow or penne)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2.5 cups whole milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1.5 lbs lobster meat, cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Fill a large pot two-thirds full with water, add a pinch of salt, and set it over high heat until the water boils rapidly with large rolling bubbles, about 8–10 minutes.
- 3
Carefully pour the pasta into the boiling water and stir immediately with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, separating any pieces clumped together.
- 4
Cook the pasta, stirring once every 2 minutes, until a piece bent between your fingers breaks cleanly without a chalky center (about 2 minutes less than the package says), then drain in a colander and set aside.
- 5
In a large saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until it foams and no longer looks solid, about 2 minutes.
- 6
Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until the mixture looks like wet sand, to cook out the raw flour taste.
- 7
Slowly pour in the 2.5 cups of milk while whisking constantly to break up any lumps, then continue whisking until the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- 8
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring every 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (when you run your finger across it, the line stays put), about 5 minutes.
- 9
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the 2 cups of shredded cheddar until fully melted and no visible cheese pieces remain, about 2 minutes.
- 10
Add the cooked pasta and the 1.5 lbs of lobster meat to the cheese sauce, then fold gently with a rubber spatula until the lobster and pasta are evenly coated, about 1 minute.
- 11
Taste the mixture by eating a small bite, then sprinkle in salt and pepper until it tastes the way you want it—start with a quarter teaspoon of each and add more if needed.
- 12
Pour the pasta mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spreading it level with the back of a spoon so the top surface is even.
- 13
Scatter the 0.5 cup of panko breadcrumbs evenly across the surface of the pasta as a single layer, pressing gently so they stay in place.
- 14
Place the baking dish in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until the panko is golden brown (the color of honey toast) and the edges bubble gently, about 15 minutes.
- 15
Remove the dish from the oven using oven mitts and let it rest on the counter for 3 minutes so the filling sets and is easier to serve.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot (at least 6-quart)
- colander
- large saucepan (3-quart minimum)
- wooden spoon
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- oven mitts
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