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This flavor-packed Seafood Mac and Cheese recipe is what happens when a classic, ultra-creamy 4 cheese mac meets a buttery, garlic seafood dream. That velvety and creamy cheese sauce wraps around tender pasta, with juicy garlic butter lobster and sweet lump crab baked right into every bite. It’s rich, indulgent, and downright irresistible – comfort food at its finest!
Alright seafood lovers! I’ve been holding onto this seafood mac and cheese recipe for a minute now. You all have shown crowd-favorite Cajun seafood boil recipe so much love, I knew another rich, flavor-packed seafood dish had to be next.
Now, regular baked mac already comes with pressure, but when you add buttery lobster and sweet lump crab? Oh yeah… expectations are HIGH. This is the kind of dish people talk about on the ride home, like “who made that mac?!” 😭
The Best Baked Seafood Mac and Cheese
Now for me, this recipe hits that perfect balance: seasoned to perfection, ultra-creamy, and super cheesy, with tender seafood folded right in. I tested this recipe to make sure the cheese sauce stays silky (not greasy or broken), the seafood shines (not rubbery or overcooked 👏🏾), and every bite is seasoned just right.
If you’re looking for the best creamy seafood mac and cheese recipe with lobster and crab, this baked version is luxurious, delivers on flavor, and actually turns out the way that it looks in the photos!
Table of contents
What You’ll Need
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Lobster Tails brings that rich, buttery bite. It’s cooked in garlic butter and cut into chunks so you get tons of flavor! You can also use pre-cooked lobster meat to save time. If you have leftovers, make my baked lobster tails or lobster mac and cheese next!
- Jumbo Lump Crab Meat adds a delicate sweetness that keeps the dish from feeling too heavy.
- Evaporated Milk and Heavy Cream: This combination is key. Milk keeps the sauce fluid and smooth, while heavy cream adds richness and body. Too much cream alone can feel overly thick, but this balance gives you that luxurious, pourable cheese sauce that bakes up perfectly. If you don’t have any evaporated milk, whole milk will work in a pinch.
- The best cheeses for baked seafood mac and cheese are a mix of sharp cheddar cheese, colby jack, mozzarella, and dubliner cheese. Together these give the mac and cheese that perfect balance of sharp, creamy, melty goodness with a rich, nutty depth that keeps you coming back for another bite. You can find these at the grocery story, however, dubliner can be a little tricky sometimes. If you can’t find it, use white cheddar or mild cheddar instead.
- Cream Cheese makes this into a super creamy and luxurious seafood mac, enhancing all of that cheesy goodness!
- For seasonings, we’re using a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and old bay seafood seasoning – this is going to give you that classic seafood flavor without overpowering the recipe.
- Cavatappi Pasta is a fun pasta that holds onto the cheese sauce like a dream. For more classic style mac, use a lb elbow macaroni instead.
How To Make Seafood Macaroni and Cheese
Prep: grease a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish with 2-3 tablespoons of butter. Then boil pasta until al dente. Drain and add to a large bowl, then season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 1: Prepare the lobster (if using pre-cooked lobster meat, skip to step 3). Use kitchen shears to cut the lobster shell. Break it open, remove the meat, and chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Add the remaining butter to a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped lobster to the melted butter and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the lobster is fully cooked (it should be opaque and slightly pink). Remove the lobster from the heat and place onto a plate, leaving the juices in the pot.
Step 3: Create the roux. Add butter to the pan, then add all purpose flour and seasonings, whisking together for about 3 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
Step 4: Pour in evaporated milk and heavy cream. Reduce stove to low heat and cook until slightly thickened, then add cream cheese and half of the cheese mixture and stir until combined. Add in the cooked pasta and crab meat and fold together.
Step 5: Add half of the mac and cheese to the prepared dish, add a generous layer of cheese, add the rest of the mac and then sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes,covered, then broil for 2-4 minutes, until the top is crispy and golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Pro Tips
- Avoid using pre-shredded cheese. It may seem like an extra step having to grate your own cheese, but it really makes a difference!
- Don’t forget to season your noodles! This is key to a good mac and cheese – truly adding flavor to every layer! No bland mac and cheese here!
- Once your cheese sauce is fully melted, turn the heat OFF before adding lobster and crab. Residual heat warms it through without tightening or drying out the seafood.
- Keep in mind – everything in this recipe is already cooked. We’re baking it just enough so that the cheese melts and the top develops a beautiful golden brown crust. 20 mins tops in the oven!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, frozen seafood works well for seafood mac and cheese as long as it is fully thawed and patted dry before using. Removing excess moisture ensures the cheese sauce stays creamy and doesn’t become watery.
No, seafood mac and cheese can be served straight from the stovetop for a creamier texture, just add all of the cheeses at once. Baking is optional but adds a golden, crispy topping and helps the flavors meld together.
Seafood mac and cheese is done when the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. The center should still be creamy and slightly loose, as it will continue to set while it rests.
To reheat seafood mac and cheese, add a splash of milk or cream before warming it in the oven or microwave. This helps restore the creamy texture and prevents the sauce from drying out.
The best seafood for mac and cheese includes lobster, crab, shrimp, and scallops. Lobster and crab are especially popular because their natural sweetness pairs well with rich, cheesy sauces.
Seafood mac and cheese is a meal all on its own but pairs well with lighter sides like a simple salad and/or green beans, and garlic bread are my go to sides.
More Seafood Recipes
Seafood Recipes
Seafood Pasta Salad
Main Course
Cajun Seafood Gumbo
Seafood Recipes
Squid Ink Pasta with Seafood
Main Course
Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Seafood Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lobster Tails
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/4 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tsp Fresh Parsley, (diced)
- 1 lb Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
Mac and Cheese
- 16 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 8 oz Colby Jack
- 8 oz Mozzarella
- 7 oz Dubliner Cheese
- 16 oz Cavatappi Pasta, (or your favorite pasta noodles)
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter
- 4 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 3/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 12 oz Evaporated Milk
- 4 oz Cream Cheese, (room temperature)
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream
- Fresh Parsley, (diced), for garnish
Instructions
- Grate all of the cheeses into a large bowl and set aside. 16 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese 8 oz Colby Jack 8 oz Mozzarella 7 oz Dubliner Cheese
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain the noodles add to a large bowl. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside. 16 oz Cavatappi Pasta
- Remove the lobster from the shell. Use kitchen shears to cut straight down the middle of the underside of the lobster shell. Then cut the middle of the top of the shell. Crack open the shell and gently remove the meat. If you see a black vein in the center of the lobster tail, make a small slit and pull it out. Pat the lobster dry with a paper towel and cut into small 1 inch pieces. 1 lb Lobster Tails
- In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced garlic, lobster chunks, and old bay. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the meat is opaque and pigmented part has turned a deep orange color. Add in parsley, toss together, and remove from the heat and place lobster onto a plate, leaving the juices behind. 2 tbsp Salted Butter 1 clove Garlic 1/4 tsp Old Bay 1 tsp Fresh Parsley
- Add crab meat to a small bowl and check for any shells of debris. Remove and set aside. 1 lb Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
- In the same pot with the lobster juices, make cheesy creamy sauce. In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and add old bay seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Whisk constantly for 3-5 minutes, until slightly thickened and a paste begins to form. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and evaporated milk while whisking to avoid lumps. Bring the cream sauce to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, stirring frequently, about 5-7 minutes. 4 tbsp Salted Butter 4 tbsp All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Old Bay 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 tsp Onion Powder 3/4 tsp Black Pepper 2 cups Heavy Cream 12 oz Evaporated Milk
- Add the cream cheese and dijon mustard, stirring until combined. Remove from heat and add half of the cheese mixture. Stir until completely melted and velvety. Stir in sour cream. 4 oz Cream Cheese 2 tsp Dijon Mustard 2 tbsp Sour Cream
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and toss gently until every noodle is coated. Fold in half of the cooked lobster and crab meat.
- Pour half of the mac and cheese into a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish. Sprinkle the half of the remaining cheeses on top and add the rest of the crab meat, then add the remaining mac and cheese, top and remaining lobster and sprinkle all of the remaining cheese on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly around the edges. Remove the foil, then broil for 2–3 minutes for that crisp golden brown top. Keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn! Allow the mac and cheese to cool for 10 minutes, then serve. Add a dash of old bay and fresh parsley on top for color (optional). Fresh Parsley
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
