easy baked crab mac n’ cheese
Whoa baby, better loosen that belt of yours cos it’s mac and cheese time, bitches.
I could not see out the summer without an aptly summery mac and cheese. I’ve veered largely away from huge cheesy recipes since I’m attempting to respect J’s attempts at scraping up his eating habits, and the bulk nature of some things is less than practical for two people.
However, I just couldn’t ignore this 4 am concept popup. It was too damn a good idea.
I shared this batch with my coworkers and one of them mock-angrily slammed down the wrap he’d warmed up for lunch and scolded me for not leading off with the information of the mac and cheese I brought. You’ll feel like a fancy-ass, munching on crab laden mac infused with smoky Gouda, sharp cheddar, and a touch of Old Bay to transport you beachside. Don’t know if you’d eat mac beachside but hey, why not?
Put this on your menu this week. Promise you’ll have 0 regrets. Unless you don’t. Then you’ll have all the regrets.
Mac Mac, L’Oreal, Yup, Cos I’m Worth It
Up the way I bake it up so perfect.
Wipe the corners of mouth as I munch it,
When I open up lunch box they can’t say nothing.
Ok I’m done.
The overall time of this dish is largely the passive baking steps; the prep is super easy otherwise.
I’ll lead this off by saying that imitation crab is perfectly fine if you can’t source lump crab meat, or if it’s too expensive. Imitation is juicy and provides the salty flavor you need for the mac. You can even use lobster if you’re extra fancy – the key is in the rest of the ingredients.
First, boil off the macaroni. As that rumbles away I like to mix up the cheese filling: eggs, butter, cream cheese, whole milk, smoked Gouda, cheddar (reserve some for later), Old Bay, garlic and onion powders. This combination very much resembles a southern-style mac. So indulgent and silky at the finish.
Drain the mac and fold in the cheese sauce and the lump crab meat. Grease a large casserole dish and pour the macaroni mix in, spreading it from edge to edge. That gooey sound the pasta makes is addicting. You’ll want to eat it before it even bakes. Don’t. There’s raw eggs.
Pasta Bublé
Cover up the pasta dish with foil, then pop it in the oven and bake for awhile. Covering allows the ingredients to bind without the top drying out.
After about 25 minutes, rip off that foil covering and sprinkle the rest of the cheddar cheese on top. Bake for a bit to let that pile of gooey awesome melt. I switch on my broiler for the last few minutes to get a little crisp. Just make sure to watch it or else your mac and cheese will turn to mac and jeez.
All I wanted for my batch was a bit of basil and some black pepper to garnish. This is just so incredibly flavorful by itself you don’t need much more. The broiled top provides a textural juxtaposition to the creamy interior. Drool-worthy. Put that tongue back in your mouth.
I prefer to keep sides simple by steaming some broccoli or green beans. A little veg action won’t hurt. Get a beer out too, if you’re so inclined. I think this begs for a good carbonated treat.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Summertime pastas to try:
Tomato Basil Orzo Pasta with Burrata
easy baked crab mac n’ cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow pasta
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 oz cream cheese, very soft
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 3 cups smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cups lump crab meat
- fresh basil and black pepper, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, cream cheese, butter, smoked Gouda, 2 cups of the cheddar, the Old Bay, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fold in the lump crab meat and the macaroni.
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Pour in the macaroni mixture and spread evenly. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes longer until the cheese melts and bubbles. For the last 1-2 minutes, switch the broiler to high and bake until the top crisps slightly.
- Divide mac and cheese onto plates. Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkle of black pepper, as desired.
