Crab Mac And Cheese: the ultimate fusion of comfort and luxury.
We all have foods that we loved when we were kids, right? Hot dogs, PB&J, and grilled cheese, to longingly name a few. As we get older, however, and our tastes become more sophisticated, sometimes we abandon these childhood mainstays in favor of more grown-up dishes. But what happens when you recreate an iconic comfort food by adding an “adult” ingredient that elevates a favorite dish into the culinary stratosphere? Ladies and gentlemen: crab mac and cheese.
This is truly an ethereal dish. Sweet, plump pieces of buttery lump crabmeat folded into a super creamy, ultra-tangy, melty mac and cheese result in a luxe version of an old-time favorite. Crab mac and cheese is decadent yet elegant, and it is simply bursting with flavor. In this recipe, we’re not just adding a single upscale ingredient—the lump crabmeat—but a few more special items that make the dish sensational. The homemade sauce is made with whole milk, half-and-half, and two kinds of cheese: sharp cheddar and rich, nutty Gruyère. Then we cover the whole thing with butter-soaked panko breadcrumbs and bake it until all that marvelous cheesiness comes bubbling through the edges of the crispy, golden brown topping.
Seriously, crab mac and cheese is the best mash-up of iconic comfort food and high-end luxury. Like the childhood classic that inspired it, crab mac and cheese is destined to become a favorite. Not only is it a go-to dish for entertaining, but it’s also a great way to introduce some grown-up flavors to kids whose taste buds are beginning to evolve. Crabmeat is a sweet, mellow seafood that tastes delicious and has a very appealing mouthfeel on its own, but when it appears in a rich, velvety baked mac and cheese? Fuhgeddaboudit! Plus, every eater of every age is going to swoon over that super crispy, perfectly crunchy, and ultra-buttery crust.
Choosing crabmeat for crab mac and cheese
One of the most special things about this crab mac and cheese is getting big pieces of succulent, sweet crabmeat in every bite. For this reason, you want to use either jumbo lump or lump; either one works perfectly in this dish. Other types of crabmeat, such as backfin, special, or claw, are lovely and flavorful, but the pieces are much smaller than lump and so would not be the standout component we’re looking for in crab mac and cheese. Use backfin, special, or claw meat for things like dips, soups, and pasta sauces.
While you can get lump crab in a can, the pasteurization process does degrade the flavor and texture, so we recommend buying fresh. Fresh lump crabmeat is widely available in most grocery stores. Don’t forget to pick through it to remove any rogue pieces of shell that may have found their way in there during the process of extracting the meat.
How do I store leftovers?
Cooled crab mac and cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, preferably in the oven at 325°F for 15 minutes.
Serving suggestions
When you serve crab mac and cheese for a family dinner, pair it with your crew’s favorite salad (ours is always a toss-up between a simple Green Salad and this Kale Salad with almonds, dried cranberries, and Parmesan cheese). Up your salad game when you serve crab mac and cheese to guests with this Spinach Salad.
An entrée unto itself, crab mac and cheese goes beautifully with all sorts of vegetables. I love to serve it with Roasted Asparagus, Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus, or these Blue Cheese And Asparagus Rolls. Artichokes are also really wonderful with crab mac and cheese, whether you serve them baked, grilled, or fried.
Crab Mac And Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound lump crab meat picked over for shells
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and half-and-half until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the shredded cheddar and Gruyère cheeses until melted and smooth. Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Add the cooked macaroni and crab meat to the cheese sauce. Gently stir to combine.
- Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbly.
- Let the mac and cheese cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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