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This Lobster Mac and Cheese elevates the ultimate comfort food into a luxurious restaurant-worthy main course with succulent lobster meat folded into a creamy three-cheese sauce. Rich, indulgent, and surprisingly easy to make, this dish is perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself to something extraordinary.
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Decadent restaurant-style mac and cheese loaded with tender lobster meat in a rich, creamy three-cheese sauce. This indulgent dish turns comfort food into a luxurious main course.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Lobster
- 1 lb cavatappi or elbow macaroni
- 1 lb cooked lobster meat fresh or frozen, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Cheese Sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk warmed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz sharp white cheddar shredded
- 8 oz gruyere cheese shredded
- 4 oz fontina cheese shredded
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Topping
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13 baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (2 minutes less than package directions). Drain and set aside in a mixing bowl.
- In the same pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with whisk.
- Gradually add warm milk and cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat. Add cheddar, gruyere, and fontina cheese, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- In a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add lobster meat and lemon juice, tossing gently for 2 minutes just to warm through. Remove from heat.
- Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta in mixing bowl. Gently fold in lobster meat. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine panko, melted butter, parsley, and parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over mac and cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let rest 5 minutes on cutting board before serving.
Notes
Fresh lobster is ideal, but high-quality frozen lobster tails work perfectly – just thaw and remove meat. Don’t overcook the lobster or it becomes rubbery. You can assemble this dish a day ahead and refrigerate – add 10 minutes to baking time if starting cold. For extra richness, add 2 tablespoons of lobster or seafood stock to the cheese sauce. The three-cheese blend creates the perfect creamy, complex flavor – don’t substitute with pre-shredded cheese as it doesn’t melt as smoothly. Leftovers reheat well in the oven covered with foil.
ALLERGEN INFORMATION: Contains dairy (milk, cream, cheese, butter), gluten (pasta, flour), and shellfish (lobster). Always check ingredient labels if you have food allergies.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5gCalories: 720kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 38gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g
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