This crab mac and cheese is fresh crab tossed with pasta in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Adding breadcrumbs and fresh herbs makes the dish look extra special and makes it perfect for any event!
When I’m entertaining, I like to serve dishes that are easy, yet unexpected. Seafood is always a good choice. Some examples are scallops wrapped in bacon, seafood pasta, and this hearty crab mac and cheese.
Homemade mac and cheese is always a good choice, whether you’re making it for the family or for a special event. This crab mac and cheese is the next level of deliciousness for your macaroni. You’ll be glad you did it!
Crab mac and cheese takes the classic comfort food to a decadent new level. Sweet crab meat and creamy cheese sauce elevate macaroni in the best way. Making crab mac and cheese at home is easy to do. With a few simple tips, you can have restaurant-quality crab mac and cheese on your dinner table.
Ingredients for Crab Mac and Cheese
Crab mac and cheese has a basic list of ingredients Here’s what you’ll need
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Pasta – Elbow macaroni or shell pasta works best. Go for a short sturdy shape.
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Cheese – A blend of sharp cheddar and Monterey jack or mozzarella is perfect. Grated Parmesan can be added too.
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Crab – Fresh crab meat works best. Lump or jumbo lump crab meat provides delicious bites in every bite.
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Butter – Butter forms the base for the cheese sauce.
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Milk – Whole milk or half and half.
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Seasonings – Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder.
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Breadcrumbs – For the crispy toasted topping.
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Herbs – Chives, parsley, or tarragon to finish.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for incredible crab mac and cheese:
Cook the Pasta
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dry macaroni pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
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Drain the pasta well and return to the pot.
Make the Cheese Sauce
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In a saucepan, melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in an equal amount of flour to form a roux. Cook 1-2 minutes.
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Slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk, bringing to a simmer. The sauce will thicken.
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Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of cayenne pepper.
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Turn heat to low and stir in the shredded cheese blend a handful at a time, allowing it to fully melt before adding more.
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Once all the cheese is incorporated, remove the sauce from heat.
Finish the Pasta
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Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta in the pot. Mix well, allowing the pasta to absorb the sauce.
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Fold in 1 pound of fresh crab meat. Be gentle to keep the meat in chunks.
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Transfer the cheesy crab pasta to a casserole dish.
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In a small bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and chopped parsley. Sprinkle the topping over the pasta.
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Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
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Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley.
Cooking Tips
-Look for crab meat that is cleaned, pasteurized and pre-picked for convenience. Alternatively, steam and pick your own Dungeness crab.
-Cook the pasta very al dente so it doesn’t get mushy when baked. Undercook it slightly.
-Take the cheese sauce off heat before adding the crab to prevent overcooking the crab.
-Use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded, which has anti-caking agents added.
-Add any extra seasonings you like! Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce, or dry mustard all taste great.
Serving Suggestions
Crab mac and cheese makes a fabulous entree, ready in under an hour. Here are some serving ideas:
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For a full meal, serve it with a green salad or steamed vegetable like broccoli or asparagus.
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Make it a surf and turf dinner by pairing with steak or grilled shrimp.
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For parties, serve in mini ramikins for single-serving portions.
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Offer a bread basket with slices of crusty bread or rolls to dip in the cheesy sauce.
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For appetizers, scoop small balls of the mac and cheese onto a baking sheet, broil for 3 minutes until the tops brown, then serve warm.
Variations
The possibilities are endless when it comes to flavoring crab mac and cheese! Try these fun variations:
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Add sautéed mushrooms, roasted red peppers or blanched broccoli florets.
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Mix in diced cooked bacon, ham, prosciutto, lobster or shrimp.
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Use different cheese blends like fontina, gruyere, smoked gouda and bleu cheese.
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Season with Old Bay, cajun seasoning, dry mustard, hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
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Top with toasted breadcrumbs or crushed crackers instead of panko.
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Garnish with tomatoes, avocado, roasted garlic, green onions or sautéed spinach.
Can You Make it Ahead of Time?
To get a head start, the mac and cheese can be prepped in advance:
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Cook and drain the pasta up to 2 days ahead. Store in the fridge.
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Make the cheese sauce 2 days in advance. Let cool completely before covering and refrigerating.
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Sauté any extra veggies 1 day before. Store in the fridge.
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Do not mix the sauce and pasta together until ready to bake and serve.
When ready to finish:
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Fold in crab meat, transfer to dish, top with breadcrumbs.
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Bake just before serving for warm, fresh crab mac!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a sealed container. The noodles will continue soaking up liquid as it sits. Add a splash of milk when reheating if needed.
To freeze:
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Undercook the pasta very slightly. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
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Prepare sauce and let cool completely before freezing.
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Portion pasta and sauce into freezer bags or airtight containers, leaving room for expansion. Remove excess air.
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Freeze for up to 3 months.
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Thaw overnight in fridge before baking and serving. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
With this easy recipe, you’ll learn how simple it is to make restaurant-worthy crab mac and cheese at home. The combination of tender crab with gooey cheese and pasta is irresistible. Impress guests or satisfy family cravings with this top-rated crab mac and cheese recipe.
Crab mac and cheese ingredients
This dish is made with corkscrew pasta, black pepper, spices, chives, shredded cheese, lump crab meat, and panko breadcrumbs. The pasta cooks in a sauce made of milk, water, melted butter and flour.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
This dish is fabulous as-is, but you can add other flavors to customize it to your family’s tastes.
- Pasta: Any short pasta will be fine in this recipe. Some other options include penne, farfalle, elbow macaroni or fusilli.
- Protein: You can make this dish with lots of different kinds of seafood, like shrimp or lobster. Adding bacon is also a good idea for a smokey flavor.
- Cheese: Most mac and cheese recipes call for cheddar cheese, but you can also use Fontina, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, or even a soft cheese like a garlic and herb Boursin.
- Vegetables: You can add some sautéed vegetables to your mac and cheese. Red onions, zucchini, red bell peppers, and mushrooms are all great choices.
- Spices and herbs: You can add other spices and herbs, like Old Bay seasoning, Italian seasoning, or even Cajun seasoning.
Tips for the perfect dish
- This dish is really best with fresh crab meat. The taste and texture of crab meat from a can are not as good.
- If you want to save time, you can buy crab meat already shelled. You can also buy whole crabs, steam them, and then take the meat out yourself.
- If you don’t serve crab mac and cheese right away, the pasta will soak up all the sauce over time. You can cover it and put it in the fridge for up to 4 hours if you need to make it ahead of time. Just before serving, add the breadcrumbs and bake.
- I recommend using freshly grated cheese. For a cheese sauce, the pre-shredded cheese in a bag at the store doesn’t melt as well because it has anti-clumping agents on it.
This recipe calls for uncooked pasta. The pasta is cooked in the milk and water mixture before the cheeses are added. You can’t use cooked pasta because the dish will not turn out right and will have too much liquid.
There is a lot of cheese in crab mac and cheese, so I like to serve it with a green salad or roasted vegetables like broccoli and asparagus. A loaf of bakery style bread is also a nice accompaniment.
You can make mac and cheese taste better by adding a lot of different things. Peas, spinach, bacon, fresh herbs, hot sauce, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese are some of my favorites.
The BEST Seafood Mac and Cheese
How do you make crab Mac & Cheese?
Crab Mac and Cheese is a creamy, dreamy casserole with crab meat, a homemade cheese sauce and finished off with toasted breadcrumbs. Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a 9×13 baking pan with a light coating of nonstick spray. Set aside.
Can one eat mac and cheese powder?
Mac and cheese powder is not a healthy food, as it is industrially processed and contains high concentrations of potentially dangerous chemicals. So you must have it occasionally.
What is crab Mac & Cheese?
This crab mac and cheese is going to be the hit of your summer! Bubbly, melty cheese sauce covering soft pasta, lump crab meat and all topped with a super crunchy, buttery old bay ritz cracker sprinkle.
Can you cook crab Mac & Cheese in a casserole dish?
Crab mac and cheese is best when served immediately, as the pasta will soak up all the sauce over time as it sits. If you need to prepare it in advance, you can store it covered in the casserole dish for up to 4 hours, then add the breadcrumbs and bake right before serving. I recommend using freshly grated cheese.