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Seafood Mac and Cheese

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This luxurious seafood mac and cheese combines tender shrimp, sweet crab, and buttery scallops with a velvety three-cheese sauce. Topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs, it's the ultimate comfort food upgrade that brings restaurant-quality flavors to your table.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi pasta
  • 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter for sauce
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk warmed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or paprika with a pinch of cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese shredded (or Swiss)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/2 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 lb lump crab meat or imitation crab
  • 1/2 lb scallops small, or larger ones cut in half
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter for cooking seafood
Optional Topping
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large skillet
  • Whisk
  • Baking dish

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions.
  3. Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet. Season seafood with salt and pepper, then sauté just until shrimp turn pink and scallops are opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  4. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute until slightly nutty.
  5. Gradually pour in warmed milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
  6. Add Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
  8. Combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce, then gently fold in the cooked seafood.
  9. Transfer mixture to a buttered baking dish.
  10. Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle over the mac and cheese.
  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
  12. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Fresh seafood is ideal, but high-quality frozen shrimp and scallops work well too - just thaw completely and pat dry before cooking. For the best results, grate your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded packages, as pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect the sauce's creaminess. The recipe can be adapted using different seafood combinations - try using all shrimp or adding lobster for special occasions.

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