This lobster mac and cheese recipe makes an ultra-creamy dish with four types of cheese and plenty of meaty chunks of lobster, baked together to golden perfection. A rich main course or decadent side dish – either way, it’ll get rave reviews!
You may or may not know this about me, but mac and cheese is probably my favorite food. It’s rich, creamy, warm, delicious, and the ultimate comfort food.
That being said, this lobster macaroni and cheese is out of this world delicious. Bonus: it’s easy to make too!
Making a Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese Recipe
Mac and cheese is one of the world’s best-loved comfort foods and a great way to treat the family. Turn this classic cheesy dish into a real showstopper with the addition of Maine lobster.
This creamy, buttery, cheesy treat features four different kinds of cheese and sweet, tender lobster, all baked to perfection with comforting pasta.
It’s sure to become your favorite comfort food recipe! Served as a luxurious side dish or an indulgent main, this is the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Preparing the lobster
Lobsters can be found in both warm and cold water, but cold water is the most highly prized.
When shopping for lobster, look out for fresh or frozen cold water lobster tails. Coldwater lobsters have firmer, white meat that is tender and sweet, perfect for this recipe.
Note: If your supplier can’t tell you where the lobster was caught, take this as a warning and shop elsewhere.
Many people love the taste of lobster but feel a little intimidated at the idea of preparing it. Follow these simple steps for a super-easy way of cooking lobster tails to use in this mac and cheese recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 450°
- Cut the lobster tails in half lengthways to make a butterfly shape
- Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and brush the tails with melted butter
- Season with cajun seasoning and lemon juice
- Bake for 10 minutes until the meat is barely opaque.
Lobster Mac & Cheese Ingredients
Here are the ingredients in this recipe and the purpose for each and every one 😁
- Lobster tails – adds protein and an almost sinfully decadent flavor.
- Butter – adds richness and helps blend everything together.
- Cajun seasoning, garlic, onion powder, dry mustard, paprika, cayenne (optional) – spices that add just that perfect extra pop of flavor.
- Pasta – the bulk of this dish
- Mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyere, Parmesan – to make the cheesy, gooey, delicious sauce.
- Whole milk and cream – blend with the cheese to make the sauce super creamy, rich, and delicious.
- Flour – keeps the sauce nice and thick – not runny.
- Panko crumbs – optional, but make a nice, crisp topping
- Egg – helps bind everything together
How to Make Maine Lobster Mac and Cheese
Follow this step-by-step guide to take the intimidation out of preparing lobster so you can create this deliciously decadent lobster mac and cheese recipe.
Cooking the Lobster
- Heat the oven to 450°.
- Bake the lobster tails for 10 minutes, as described above.
- When the meat is just cooked, and the shells have turned a lovely pinky-red color, remove from the oven.
- Let them cool slightly, then remove the meat from the shells.
- Chop the lobster into bite-sized chunks, place in a bowl and smother with the rest of the melted butter from the baking sheet. Set aside.
- Now lower the oven temperature to 375°.
Cooking the Pasta
- Take a large pot, add the water, and some salt.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the package.
- Drain. Set the pasta aside.
Making the Cheese Sauce
- In a large bowl, mix all the shredded cheeses together.
- Add the olive oil to a pan and heat gently.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add 3 tbsp butter and let it melt.
- Working quickly, whisk in the all-purpose flour to form a roux and cook for about 1 minute.
- Whisking continuously, gradually pour in the heavy cream and the whole milk.
- Next, add the onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, paprika, and cayenne, still continuing to whisk.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add half the shredded cheese and allow it to melt while continuing to stir.
TIP: Use warmed milk to avoid clumping.
TIP: Don’t use pre-shredded cheese because it’s drier and doesn’t melt well. Instead, buy blocks and shred them yourself.
Assembling the Lobster Mac & Cheese
- Once the cheese has melted down, turn off the heat.
- Place the pasta in a baking dish and stir in the beaten egg and ½ tbsp of melted butter.
- Now pour over the pasta as much of the cheesy, creamy sauce as you prefer. For an ultra cheesy mac and cheese, use all of it.
- Add half the meat and mix well.
- Spread the rest of the chunks of meat on the top of the dish. Finish off by scattering the remaining shredded cheeses, leaving the lobster pieces visible.
- If you love pulling cheese strings, add extra shredded cheese at this stage.
- Lastly, melt the final tablespoon of butter in a small bowl, add the panko crumbs, and mix well.
- Sprinkle the crumbs over the top and bake for about half an hour at 375°
- Allow to cool slightly for 10 minutes, sprinkle with fresh parsley or minced rosemary and enjoy!
Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe FAQs
I’m thinking this is the type of dish that just begs for questions to be asked. Well, you ask, and I’ll answer.
I Don’t Live on the Coast. How Can I Find Good Lobster Meat to Use?
When shopping for your protein, look out for fresh or frozen cold water tails. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry it, or you suspect that it’s not great quality (or preserved properly), you can order from LobsterAnywhere.com.
Have a friend who loves lobster meat? Give them a Lobster Anywhere Gift Certificate!
How do You Reheat This Recipe?
Mac and cheese tends to thicken up when it cools. However, when you microwave it, the cheese sauce tends to separate and look oily and thin.
This dish will reheat best in a low heat oven (about 300 degrees) for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
Can You Freeze Lobster Mac and Cheese?
Yes, you can!
I recommend freezing this dish after it’s assembled in an ovenproof tray and bake, then fully cool. Foil baking pans (with lids) are perfect for this!
I then wrap the dish (in the pan) tightly in foil, put the lid on the tray, and pop it in the freezer for up to six months.
To reheat, thaw on your counter for a few hours, and heat as directed above.
What is the Best Cheese to Use in Macaroni and Cheese?
Cheddar cheese is a great choice for macaroni and cheese, as it’s flavorful, melts well, and gives the mac and cheese its traditional orange color.
However, that said, don’t use extra sharp or aged cheese because it won’t melt well.
For this recipe, I’ve also used some Monterey Jack, gruyere, and Parmesan cheeses because I love the creamy texture and extra flavor they add to this dish.
If you want to experiment with other types of cheese, here are some that work well in mac & cheese:
- Brie
- Gouda
- Cream cheese
- Chevre
- Fontina
- Garlic and herb Boursin
- Havarti
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese Recipe Variations
I usually prepare this recipe as written, but sometimes you might want to change things up just a tad. Here’s how.
- Protein: make this a seafood mac & cheese by adding some shrimp and lump crab meat.
- Cheeses: change up your cheese combo using one of the varieties listed above.
- Herbs: if you want to change up the flavor a little, try adding in some fresh parsley or green onions.
Seriously, if you love mac & cheese and lobster, you will LOVE this decadent treat. The creamy cheesy pasta pairs perfectly with the sweet lobster meat and crunchy breadcrumb topping.
This may not be the fastest dish to make, but once you take the first bite, I know you’ll agree it’s 100% worth the time. Save it for a holiday or a Sunday dinner – when you have more time to make it.
If you want the ultimate comfort food dish, this lobster mac and cheese recipe is IT!
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
This Lobster Mac and Cheese recipe features a creamy decadent sauce made with four cheeses and tender chunks of lobster baked together with pasta to gooey perfection.
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 lobster tails, depending on how meaty you want the dish to be
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ tsp cajun seasoning
- 4 cups of water
- 1/2 lb macaroni or other small pasta shapes of your choice
- 3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar ( we recommend shredding all the cheeses yourself as pre-
- shredded cheese can be a little dry)
- 3/4 cup shredded Monterey jack
- 3/4 cup shredded gruyere
- 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Pinch of cayenne powder (optional)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup panko crumbs
- Parsley or minced rosemary to garnish
Instructions
- Cooking the lobster
Heat the oven to 450°. Bake the lobster tails for 10 minutes. When the shells have turned a lovely pinky-red color, remove from the oven. Let them cool only slightly, then remove the meat from the shells. Chop the lobster into bite-sized chunks, place in a bowl and pour the melted butter from the
baking sheet on top. Set aside and lower the oven temperature to 375°. - Cooking the Pasta
Take a large pot, add the water, and some salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the package. Drain. Set the pasta aside. - The Cheese Sauce
In a large bowl, mix all the shredded cheeses together.
Add the olive oil to a pan and heat gently. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add 3 tbsp butter and let it melt.
Working quickly, whisk in the all-purpose flour to form a roux and cook for about 1 minute.
Whisking continuously, gradually pour in the heavy cream and the whole milk.
Next, add the onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, paprika, and cayenne, still continuing to whisk.
Add salt and pepper to season.
Add half the shredded cheese and allow it to melt while continuing to stir. - Assembling the Lobster Mac & Cheese
Once the cheese has melted down, turn off the heat. Place the pasta in a baking dish and
stir in the beaten egg and ½ tbsp of melted butter.
Now pour over the pasta as much of the cheesy, creamy sauce as you prefer. For an ultra cheesy lobster mac and cheese, use all of it. Add half the lobster meat and mix well.
Spread the rest of the chunks of lobster on the top of the dish. Finish off by scattering the
remaining shredded cheeses, leaving the lobster pieces visible. If you love pulling cheese
strings, add extra shredded cheese at this stage.
Lastly, melt the final tablespoon of butter in a small bowl, add the panko crumbs, and mix
well. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top and bake for about half an hour at 375°
Allow to cool slightly for 10 minutes, sprinkle with minced rosemary and enjoy!
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