This creamy Crab Macaroni and Cheese recipe is a very special dish meant for a special occasion. It doubles as both a side dish or an entrée. It’s a delicious and budget friendly way to serve crab meat to a crowd with style.
This recipe was first developed for Borden cheese. I’m always a proud supporter of the farms across America, and when asked by Borden to create a special dish to share for the holiday season using their cheese, I was delighted to partner with them and develop this ooey-gooey crab macaroni and cheese.
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Crab Macaroni and Cheese
Course: Main, SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes35
minutes588
kcalThis creamy Crab Macaroni and Cheese recipe is a very special dish meant for a special occasion. It doubles as both a side dish or an entrée. It’s a delicious and budget friendly way to serve crab meat to a crowd with style.
Ingredients
1 16 oz box dry Cavatappi pasta (Twisted Macaroni)
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp seafood seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 oz chive & onion cream cheese softened
5 cups whole milk
5 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese divided
- Topping:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp seafood seasoning
1 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Macaroni: Cook the macaroni in salted water per the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- Meanwhile, pick over the crab meat removing any shells and cartilage. Set aside.
- Sauce: In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. To the melted butter, add flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, garlic salt, ground mustard, and black pepper. Mix until the flour has been absorbed by the butter, stirring constantly.
- Gradually whisk in the milk. Whisk constantly to prevent clumping.
- Bring the milk to a boil then immediately lower the heat to low. Simmer for 3-5 minutes gently bubbling stirring periodically to prevent sticking.
- Turn off the heat leave saucepan on burner. Add cream cheese to the sauce. Stir until melted then add 3 cups of Borden shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Remove from the heat, stirring until melted.
- Add the cooked pasta and crab meat to a large mixing bowl. (If you use a large pot, it can double as the mixing bowl.)
- Pour the cheese sauce over and mix until fully coated and the crab meat is evenly distributed.
- Pour 1/2 into the baking dish. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat with macaroni then top with the final 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Topping: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Mix with the panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning. (Add more or less to your taste.) Sprinkle on top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.
- Garnish with chopped parsley just before serving.
Notes
- Each brand of seafood seasoning contains a different amount of sodium. Adjust the amount of salt in this recipe based on the type of seafood seasoning used.
