Description
A decadent, restaurant-quality Lobster Mac and Cheese featuring tender chunks of lobster meat, a creamy Gruyère and Cheddar sauce, and a crispy buttery breadcrumb topping. This alcohol-free recipe is perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Cavatappi or Elbow pasta
- 1.5 lbs Cooked lobster meat, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 4 cups Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups Extra-sharp white cheddar, freshly grated
- 1 qt Whole milk
- 8 tbsp Unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch Cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes less than package instructions (very al dente). Drain well.
- In a large pot, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in warm milk. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Stir in Gruyère, Cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne until melted and smooth.
- Fold in the cooked pasta and chopped lobster meat. Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with Panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the pasta.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cheese Tip: Always grate your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy.
- Lobster: Frozen lobster tails are a great option. Thaw and steam gently until just red before chopping.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven with a splash of milk.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 680 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
Keywords: Lobster Mac and Cheese, Seafood Pasta, Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese, Gruyere Cheese Sauce, Baked Lobster Pasta, Alcohol Free Recipe