Lobster Mac and Cheese

This Lobster Mac and Cheese is rich, creamy, and loaded with tender lobster, buttery panko topping, and a velvety cheese sauce inspired by classic New England seafood restaurants.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Dinner, Pasta

Cuisine: American, New England

Keyword: Lobster Mac and Cheese, New England Lobster Mac and Cheese

Servings: people

Author: Silvia Dunnirvine

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.

Notes

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover lobster mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, warm it gently in the oven at 350ºF covered with foil until heated through. You can add a splash of milk before reheating to help bring back the creamy texture. For smaller portions, microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally to prevent the cheese sauce from separating.

Keep in mind that lobster is delicate and can become rubbery if overheated, so I recommend reheating just until warmed through.

While you can freeze lobster mac and cheese, the creamy sauce may change slightly in texture once thawed and reheated, so I personally prefer enjoying it fresh.

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