You don't have to spend top dollar at a restaurant when you can make Seafood Mac and Cheese for half the price of going out.
This Seafood Mac and Cheese recipe is an indulgent treat that anyone can make at home.
You can add whatever seafood you like. I had lobster, shrimp, and crab in this seafood Mac and cheese, but scallops are also a great option.
Served in individual cast iron skillets or in a large casserole dish, either way, this seafood Mac is loaded with fantastic seafood and cheesy goodness.
Ingredient List
Seafood
- Lobster Knuckle and Claw Meat (cooked)
- Crab Meat Claw or Backfin (cooked)
- Shrimp 21/25 count (cooked)
Mac and Cheese
- Macaroni
- Velveeta
- Heavy Cream
- Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded
- Parmesan Cheese, Grated
- Old Bay
- Dry Sherry, cooking wine (optional)
- Fresh Parsley, Chopped
- Worcestershire
Topping
- Ritz Crackers, Crushed
- Butter, Melted
- Parmesan, Grated
- Fresh Parsley, Chopped
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Boil macaroni in a pot of salted water for about 8 minutes until tender then drains and set aside. Save 1 cup of pasta water.
- Toast the crushed ritz crackers in a pan with melted butter, chopped parsley, and parmesan cheese for about 1 minute, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large saute pan, add heavy cream, old bay, dry sherry, and Worcestershire. Simmer on low, occasionally stirring until heavy cream begins to bubble up. Next, add in the cubed Velveeta and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the macaroni and crab meat along with 4 oz of chopped shrimp and 4 oz of chopped lobster. Simmer on low until the seafood and macaroni are warm, then begin adding the shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese a handful at a time until all the cheese has melted. Finally, fold in the fresh chopped parsley.
- Transfer equal portions of the mac and cheese mixture to individual cast iron skillets or one large skillet, then top with the crushed ritz cracker mixture, then top with remaining whole shrimp and lobster meat. Spray the seafood lightly with cooking spray to prevent it from drying out. Bake for about 15 minutes until the top is golden and the seafood is warm.
Tips for Making Seafood Mac and Cheese
- Salt your water. You can use about 1 tbsp for every 2 quarts of water to add flavor to your noodles.
- Save 1 cup of the salted pasta water. If your sauce is too thick, you can add a few tablespoons of pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
- Add the seafood to each serving, so everyone gets equal portions of the seafood. I add the whole shrimp and lobster on top of each portion. I do add the crab and some chopped shrimp and lobster to the sauce.
- If you are prepping the noodles ahead of time, rinse the noodles under cold water. Then toss with a tablespoon of olive oil before storing in a sealed container.
- When preparing the sauce, never let the sauce come to a boil once the cheese has been added. The cheese will separate and become oily. You can simmer the heavy cream at the beginning without any issues.
More Seafood Recipes You Will Love
- Maryland Style Smoked Crab Cakes
- Chesapeake Crab Butter Sauce
- Stuffed Flounder w/ Crab Imperial
- Seafood Salad Sandwich
- New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
- Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Crispy Skin
- Traeger Smoked Salmon
Seafood Mac and Cheese
You don't have to spend top dollar at a restaurant when you can make Seafood Mac and Cheese for half the price of going out
Servings 6
Calories 941kcal
Equipment
- Individual Cast Iron Skillets
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1 lb Lobster Knuckle and Claw Meat (cooked)
- 1 lb Crab Meat Claw or Back fin (cooked)
- 1 lb Shrimp 21/25 count (cooked)
Mac and Cheese
- 1 lb Macaroni
- 8 oz Velveeta
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- 1 cup Pepper Jack Cheese Shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese Grated
- 2 tsp Old Bay
- 2 tbsp Dry Sherry cooking wine (optional)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley Chopped
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire
Topping
- 4 oz Ritz Crackers Crushed
- 1 tbsp Butter Melted
- 1 tbsp Parmesan Grated
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Boil macaroni in a pot of salted water for about 8 minutes until tender then drain and set aside. Save 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Toast the crushed ritz crackers in a pan with melted butter, chopped parsley and parmesan cheese for about 1 minute then remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a a large saute pan add heavy cream, old bay, dry sherry and worcestershire. simmer on low stiring occationally until heavy cream begins to bubble up. Next add in the cubed Velveeta and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the macaroni and crab meat along with 4 oz of chopped shrimp and 4 oz of chopped lobster. Simmer on low until the seafood and macaroni is warm then begin adding the shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese a handful at a time until all the cheese has melted. Finally fold in the fresh chopped parsley.
- Tranfer equal portions of the mac and cheese mixture to individual cast iron skillets or 1 large skillet then top with the crushed rutz cracker mixture then top with remaining whole shrimp and lobster meat. Spray the seafood lightly with cooking spray to prevent it from drying out. Bake for about 15 minutes until the top is golden and the seafood is warm.
Notes
These are restaurant size serving so don't be freaked out by the calories. If you are making this recipe you are probably not worried anyway. You could cut these portions in half but I wanted the recipe to be large enough to use all the seafood as you probably won't find seafood sold in smaller sizes than per pound.
Portion size is ⅙ of the recipe
Nutrition
Calories: 941kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 364mg | Sodium: 2439mg | Potassium: 689mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1592IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 799mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Facts
Seafood Mac and Cheese
Amount Per Serving
Calories 941
Calories from Fat 369
% Daily Value*
Fat 41g63%
Saturated Fat 23g144%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 364mg121%
Sodium 2439mg106%
Potassium 689mg20%
Carbohydrates 76g25%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 63g126%
Vitamin A 1592IU32%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 799mg80%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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