Tender elbow macaroni tossed with chunks of succulent lobster and a creamy 3 cheese sauce all topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs that’s baked to perfection make this New England Lobster Mac and Cheese an irresistibly delicious twist on the classic comfort food.
As a New England girlie and lover of all things seafood, I can promise you will never look at another Lobstah Mac and Cheese again. This is very much like my Classic Pot Roast (yes, totally unrelated) but if you read the reviews you know, those who have tried it will not look at another recipe. It’s wicked good!
Table of Contents
This lobster mac and cheese recipe features al dente pasta tossed with a rich and creamy bechamel sauce using gruyere, parmesan and cheddar cheeses, chunks of cooked lobster topped with crispy butter fried panko breadcrumbs. This outrageously delicious upscale version of mac and cheese is then baked to bubbling perfection.
Rich, creamy and absolutely decadent. If you are looking for a change of pace from traditional macaroni and cheese, this dish is a must. This recipe is comfort food at its finest and luxurious twist of a tried and true classic.
A New England Delicacy
Though a scenic travel destination, New England is also known for its seafood, lobster in particular. You can’t go for a visit without noticing how lobster populates many restaurant menus. From extravagant dishes like this mac and cheese with lobster to your basic lobster roll, you’ll find lobster in abundance.
If you can’t get to New England, you can still enjoy this delicacy by preparing this lobster mac and cheese recipe. If you are a try lobster lover, you must also try this Surf and Turf Steak and Lobster Dinner.
Ingredients For Lobster Mac and Cheese
- Pasta: Elbow pasta, or macaroni, is used in this baked lobster mac and cheese dish.
- Lobster meat: Cooked chunks of lobster meat turn this mac and cheese into a gourmet dish.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter to soften the onion and garlic.
- Onion: You’ll need a small onion, diced.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds the best flavor but jarred will also work.
- All-purpose flour: Regular all purpose flour or gluten free flour can be used to create the bechamel sauce.
- Milk: Any fat content of milk will work to make the bechamel sauce. However, the higher the fat content the richer the dish will be.
- Cheeses: Use a combination of gruyère, cheddar cheese, and parmesan cheese, grated.
- Salt and pepper: Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley adds a pop of color and fresh flavor.
Note: You can cook the lobster meat yourself or pick it up at your local fish monger or grocery store. Some stores may sell it fresh but it is also available frozen. Check the seafood section of the frozen food aisle.
PANKO TOPPING
- Panko breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs add a nice crunchy topping to the baked mac and cheese.
- Butter: Butter helps crisp up the panko breadcrumbs.
How To Make Lobster Mac and Cheese
- Cook the pasta al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, melt butter and then add in onion and garlic, sauteing until they are soft and slightly golden.
- Melt the remaining butter on medium-low heat and whisk in flour until the mixture has thickened and the flour is fully incorporated without any clumps. This is an active step, you need to whisk continuously so it doesn’t burn.
- Slowly stir in the milk and whisk until the mixture is uniform and then season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cheeses, one at a time, whisking in between each addition. Lower the heat and cook until the sauce is rich and creamy. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, stir in some of the reserved pasta water.
- Add the lobster meat and mix well to combine with the sauce.
- Place the cooked pasta in a large baking dish and then pour the sauce with lobster meat over it so it covers all of the pasta. If you have extra lobster meat, place some on top for an eye catching visual.
- Toast the panko breadcrumbs in melted butter and then scatter on top of the mac and cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is bubbly. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
FAQs
This recipe uses cooked lobster which you can pick up at the grocery store or at a local fish monger. You can also find frozen cooked lobster in the freezer section at the grocery store.
This dish is super rich so its best to serve something light on the side like this Brussel Sprout Kale Green Salad or this Heirloom Tomato Salad.
Storage
Transfer leftovers of this easy lobster mac and cheese to an airtight container or cover your baking dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2-3 days. Note the dish will thicken as it sits so you may need to add some milk to add moisture before reheating.
You can freeze leftovers but note that both the lobster and the pasta may have a different texture once thawed and reheated. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or in the microwave.
recipe tip
Use freshly grated cheese for the best taste and texture. Pre-shredded cheese will not melt as well as freshly grated cheese.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below 👇🏻 Thank you!
New England Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow pasta
- 16 oz lobster meat cooked
- 1 stick butter divided
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups gruyère cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley
Panko Topping
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Cook pasta (al dente) according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, using a large saucepan, melt 2 tbsp of butter then add in onion and garlic. Sauté until soft and slightly golden, no brown pieces! (3-4 minutes)
- Add remaining butter and let it melt completely. On medium-low heat whisk in four until mixture has thickened but it is fully incorporated without clumps. This is an active step, keep whisking so it doesn't burn (2 minutes).
- Stir in milk slowly and whisk well until mixture is uniform. Season well with salt and pepper. Keep in mind the parmesan cheese has some saltiness to it. Go heavier on the freshly ground pepper.
- Add the cheeses one by one whisking in between. Turn heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes until sauce is nice and creamy. If the sauce is a bit thick, stir in some of the reserved pasta water. Use pasta water to adjust thickness of the sauce to your liking.
- Add in lobster meat and mix well.
- Transfer pasta to a large baking dish. Pour sauce with lobster meat over the pasta and mix well until all the pasta is well coated with sauce. Feel free to place some lobster meat on top for an eye catching visual. Set aside.
- Melt butter on a small skillet then add Panko breadcrumbs, toast panko for a couple minutes.
- Top lobster Mac and cheese with panko mixture and bake at 375F degrees for 15-18 minutes (uncovered) until cheese is bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.