Make Restaurant-Quality Lobster Mac And Cheese At Home

Meal planning can become painfully routine. It’s easy to get stuck making the same dishes week in and week out. Even dinner party fare can feel stale when you rely on the same recipes for every get-together.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s not only a crowd-pleasing comfort food, but it also feels luxurious and indulgent, perfect for a mid-week pick-me-up or a cozy meal with friends. Plus, it uses canned and fresh chunks of decadent Canadian lobster for added convenience—and to keep costs down. With the creamiest cheese sauce and tender noodles, this dish will have you and everyone you serve it to asking for seconds.

Canadian lobster is delicious, and it also offers valuable nutrition. It’s a great source of:

• Lean protein
• Omega 3 fatty acids, which have been linked to optimal brain function and mental health, heart health, and reducing the risk of some cancers
• Vitamin B12, which is essential for proper energy and may improve brain functioning in older adults by reducing the risk of dementia
• Selenium, an antioxidant that has been shown to reduce the risk of some types of cancer
• Zinc, an important nutrient for growth, development, and our ability to taste

How to make Lobster Mac and Cheese

Start by turning your oven to 350 F, then make the pasta according to the package directions. You can use any pasta, but we really like to use shell or elbow noodles.

While it’s cooking, you can make the mouth-watering sauce.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, then add leeks, garlic, celery, thyme, nutmeg and black pepper. Once these are translucent, add white wine or a mixture of water and lemon juice. When most of the liquid has evaporated, stir in the flour, then whisk in the cream and fish stock. Bring this beautiful sauce to a simmer and continue to stir as it thickens.

Next, you will add shredded Gruyère cheese and old cheddar cheese, and then the star of the recipe: Canadian lobster meat!

Once the pasta and sauce are done, stir them together in a large bowl, then pour half into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with chopped lobster meat and add the remaining gruyere and cheddar cheeses and the panko topping.

Place this into the oven and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes until it starts to bubble and the top is golden brown. Serve with your favourite vegetable or side salad.

The recipe

[print this recipe]

Prep time: 15–20 minutes Cook time: 20–25 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients ½ cup (125 ml) butter, divided 1 leek (½ cup), chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 stalk celery (⅓ cup), finely chopped ½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped ¼ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp black pepper, preferably freshly ground ¼ cup (63 ml) white wine 3 tbsp (45 ml) all-purpose flour 3 cups (750 ml) 18% table cream 1 cup (250 ml) fish stock 1½ cups (375 ml) shredded Gruyère, divided 1½ cups (375 ml) shredded white cheddar, divided 1 can (320 g) canned minced lobster meat, defrosted 150 g Canadian lobster, cut into ½-inch chunks 1 cup (250 ml) Parmesan Reggiano, grated 1 cup (250 ml) panko bread crumbs 7 cups (1.75 L) cooked medium shell pasta noodles

Garnish: ½ tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over medium-low heat. Add leeks, garlic, celery, thyme, nutmeg and pepper and sweat until translucent. Add wine and let cook until most of the liquid evaporates.
3. Add flour and mix, letting roux cook for a couple of minutes. Add cream and stock and mix well. Bring to a simmer while whisking often. Let simmer until thickened slightly and sauce coats the back of a spoon.
4. Add in 1 cup each of Gruyère and cheddar, mixing until melted. Add minced lobster meat and mix to incorporate and heat through.
5. For the topping, mix Parmesan with panko bread crumbs. Slowly add the remaining ¼ cup melted butter, mixing well.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add pasta and sauce, mixing to coat. Add half of the mixture to a 4-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the chopped lobster meat and the remaining Gruyère and cheddar. Add remaining pasta mixture and top with panko topping.
7. Bake in oven for 20–25 minutes or until bubbling and top is golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
9. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Chef’s tips

• If lobster is not readily available, substitute crab meat.
• To replace the white wine, use 2 tbsp water mixed with 2 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar OR replace it with more stock.

Find more simple and delicious seafood recipes at chooseseafood.ca.