Best Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
This recipe for lobster mac and cheese is truly is the best you’ll ever have! It’s one of my most requested recipes and I’m finally sharing all of my expert chef tips so you can make it exactly the same way at home. It's an over-the-top delicious recipe that gets rave reviews every time!
Servings: 6
Calories: 917kcal
Ingredients
For the Mac and Cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter plus more for greasing the baking dish
- ⅓ cup flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 oz aged sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 6 oz gruyere cheese grated
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- ½ pound cavatappi shells, elbow macaroni or any other short pasta shape
- 1 lb cooked lobster meat
For the Topping
- 1 ½ cups crushed Ritz Crackers 1 sleeve or 30 crackers
- 2 tablespoons salted butter at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Make the Mac and Cheese:
- Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil and preheat the oven to 375°. Butter the inside of a 2 quart baking dish.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour until absorbed, but don’t let it take on any color.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, then continue whisking until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens, about 8 minutes. Season with salt, nutmeg, black pepper and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine.
- When the water is at a rapid boil, add the pasta, stir, then cook 2-3 minutes less than al dente, according to package directions.
- Set aside 1 cup of grated cheeses, then stir the remaining cheddar and Gruyere into the sauce until melted.
- Remove from the heat, then stir in the mascarpone and sherry and mix until combined.
Make the Topping:
- Add the crushed Ritz to a bowl with the melted butter, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika, then mix to coat.
Assemble and Bake:
- Drain the pasta, then rinse quickly under cold water to stop the cooking and drain very well to remove excess water. Transfer it right to the cheese sauce along with the lobster meat.
- Mix until thoroughly combined, then transfer to the buttered baking dish.
- Top with the reserved cup of grated cheese, then cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil, spread the Ritz cracker mixture on top, then bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbling around the sides.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve immediately.
To Make in Advance
- Cool down the pasta and sauce completely before mixing with the chilled lobster. Do not make the topping yet. Cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours in advance.
- When ready to bake, remove the Mac and cheese from the refrigerator to come to room temp and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Make the topping while it bakes.
- Remove the foil, add the Ritz cracker topping and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until hot in the center, bubbling around the edges and golden and crisp on top.
Notes
- Use only the highest quality cheeses and grate them by hand. Pre-grated cheeses will not work as well.
- To substitute the sherry, use 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar mixed with ½ teaspoon of honey.
- Make sure your pasta is undercooked, then cool it down before mixing so it finishes perfectly in the oven.
- Keep your lobster cold before adding to prevent it from overcooking.
- Don’t over-bake or the lobster will get tough and the pasta will get mushy.
- Adjust the amount of lobster to suit your needs. It's delicious if you use a little more or less.
Nutrition
Calories: 917kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 248mg | Sodium: 1546mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1786IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 857mg | Iron: 2mg
