My Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe is ooey gooey, creamy, and cheesy loaded with sweet lobster meat. Lobster Mac and Cheese is one of those decadent treats you order when you go out to eat. But the truth is you can make it better than your favorite restaurant and at a fraction of the price with my easy recipe!
It’s comfort food that calls to us with all its decadent deliciousness.
Lobster meat used to be hard to find in grocery stores and most people didn’t have access to the places chefs could shop. That just isn’t true anymore, with many supermarkets carrying frozen lobster meat.
You can even find whole live lobsters at local grocery stores and Asian supermarkets. They’re easy to cook. All you need is a large pot of salted water and some old bay seasonings. Just make sure you’re buying cold water lobster.
What ingredients do I need to make Lobster Mac and Cheese?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Lobster Mac and Cheese. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
What type of lobster should I use for lobster mac and cheese?
You definitely want to use lobster meat from the claws and body. It actually has the most flavor and that’s why its also used in New England’s favorite sandwich “Lobster Rolls”.
Don’t use lobster tails! It’s a waste of good lobster meat and will disappoint you if added to mac and cheese. Lobster tails, need to be quickly cooked or they get tough and rubbery; lobster meat from the claws and body has a lot more moisture and flavor making it perfect for baked casseroles.
No lobster? No problem, you can use any type of crab meat you like instead of lobster. Shrimp can be used, but if they cook too long they’ll get tough and chewy.
What type of cheese should I use for lobster mac and cheese?
A combination of cheese is best for this type of dish. I love sharp cheddar cheese and will usually add some gruyere cheese and a little parmesan cheese to my cheese mixture. The flavors of the cheese sauce will be well-balanced and delicious.
Feel free to use the types of cheese you enjoy eating. After all it’s your dinner.
Making the cream sauce for the mac and cheese is pretty easy to do and the real trick to the dish comes when you assemble and finish it. If you let it sit too long the noodles will absorb the cream sauce and the mac and cheese will be dry.
So to make sure it’s the best it can be, the cheese sauce should be hot and the noodles room temp or warm. Don’t mix it all together and instead layer the noodles with some sauce lobster, more noodles and more sauce.
Top with breadcrumbs and finish under the broiler. Don’t let it bake or sit any longer than you have to.
Don’t wait for a special occasion to order Lobster Mac and Cheese at your favorite restaurant! Make dinner a special occasion and enjoy this decadent, delicious dish in your home tonight.
Recipe FAQ’s
Lobster meat from the body and claws is the best choice for this dish. Lobster tail meat is at its best when cooked quickly, leaving it tender. Lobster tail cooked longer than necessary yields tough, tasteless, rubbery lobster.
You can use your favorite type of cheese or a combination of cheese to make this dish. Some of my favorites to blend into this dish are cheddar, gruyere, Jarlsberg, and fontina. Adding a little parmesan cheese or Romano cheese will perk up the sauce.
More cheesy Recipes You’ll Love!
The Very Best Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoon flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound cooked lobster meat body and claw
- 1 lb elbow macaroni or your favorite pasta
- 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded or cheese of your choice
- ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease an 8″ x 8″ baking dish
- Boil the elbow macaroni for 7 minutes or until al dente, drain and set aside
- cut the already cooked lobster meat into manageable pieces
- heat the milk in a saucepan until hot, but do not allow it to boil.
- In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour, whisking until combined
- Gradually add the heated milk, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. You may need to add additional milk or water if it becomes too thick.
- add in the shredded cheese and mix until fully incorporated
- Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg and mix well
- start a layer of the cooked macaroni in the baking dish and ladle cheese sauce covering it completely.
- Add a layer of lobster pieces , and then another layer of macaroni.
- add a few pieces of lobster on top(for visual appeal) of the last layer of pasta and then cover with the remaining cheese sauce.
- sprinkle the Italian bread crumbs on top of the finished mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- For the last 5 minutes turn on the broiler to add color to the top.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Susan Green
This is absolutely the best lobster mac I have ever made turned out wonderful thank you very much and I was wondering could you substitute the lobster with crab and do you have a recipe for creamy crab dip
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for the great rating and comment Susan, I’m glad you liked the recipe and you can indeed substitute the lobster with crab. I do have a cheesy crab dip https://www.askchefdennis.com/cheddar-lobster-dip/ and also a shrimp scampi dip and also a crab imperial recipe that is amazing!
Have fun cooking!
Monica
I made this and it turned out really well. I made a few changes, but I don’t think it effected the over all recipe. I added an extra 1/2 liquid,the liquids were 1 cup of milk,1/2 cup of beer,1/2 c heavy cream ,1/2 cup of half-half. I left out the bacon and I mixed it all together I did not layer it. Again it turned out well the sauce was nice and it reheated well.
GiGi Eats
This is absolute HEAVEN in my mind! Hubba hubba! Lobster and then white cheddar and than mac & cheese. YEEESSSS please oh please!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you for the great review!
Jenny
Is this unsalted butter?
Chef Dennis Littley
unsalted or salted its up to you. I generally use unsalted for everything
Noreen
Is sharp cheese and Swiss cheese a must use in lobster mac&cheese?
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Noreen
Not at all, feel free to use whichever cheese you like.
Mary P.
My cheese sauce was a bit gritty, what did I do wrong?
Chef Dennis Littley
it could be a number of things Mary. 1) the sauce could have gotten too hot causing the cheese to separate 2) The roux may not have been cooked long enough 3) the cheese you used could have been not properly aged. Off brand cheeses sometimes take shortcuts.
Felix Vasquez
If I accidentally under cooked the lobster tails, will the finish cooking in this dish?
Chef Dennis Littley
the lobster will continue cooking as you bake the mac and cheese.
Susan
I’ve just discovered Chef Dennis and I am so glad that I did. As a former editor-in-chief of a magazine brand that featured “tested-till-perfect” recipes, as well as a number of cookbooks, recipes are definitely my thing. I’m definitely going to add this dish to my vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve).
What I really liked about Dennis’ great recipes is his recipe style and that he explains terms and gives tips that will help any home chef. Thank you Chef Denis! Wishing you the very best for the holiday season and new year. Buon Natale!
Janine A
Can this be made in a crock pot? If so, how?
Chef Dennis Littley
I don’t think that’s a good way to cook this dish. The lobster would get seriously overcooked and the pasta would get mushy.
Nikki
My husband wants me to make this to bring as a side on thanksgiving. What would be the best way to prepare it ahead of time and still keep it creamy since there won’t be a way for me to cook it at our destination other than to maybe put it under the broiler?
Chef Dennis Littley
Hi Nikki
the problem with cooking this and traveling is as it sits the liquid gets soaked up making the end product a little dry. The only way to combat this would be to bring some extra cheese sauce with you and mix it in before serving. (Increase the recipe by adding another 1/2 cup of milk, this will give you a little extra sauce) You could microwave the sauce a bit or heat it under the broiler.
Rodger
Thanks for this tip. I will try it
Tim
I can’t wait to try this recipe out. I hope I can find some real Cabot cheese out here in Vegas? I grew up in Vermont, and Cabot is the best! Hopefully it tastes as good as it looks. Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Tim
I do love Cabot Cheese, its always my first choice! It was pretty tasty and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Jeanne
Hi Dennis
This is not the correct page to thank you but, I couldn’t find a link to do so for the most fabulously, amazing, authentic perfectly worded Tiramisu recipe. I made this for a dinner party last night and was too excited to sleep wondering how it would turn out. Mind you, there are many fake recipes out there but this was, as my very Italian, Italian partner said to me, the best Tiramisu he has eaten since Rome and Sicily!!! Thank you so much.
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Jeanne
I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed my tiramisu recipe. It truly is the best I’ve ever tasted in the states.
https://www.askchefdennis.com/the-best-tiramisu-you-will-ever-make/
Cheers
Dennis
Maria
Oh my gosh!! This looks fabulous. I will definitely be making this with crab! Its my husband’s favorite.
Mary Pisarkiewicz
YUM looks delicious! I want to try this recipies!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Mary
yes it was pretty awesome. Feel free to add in some of your favorite cheese as well.
Anne
I wonder how this would work in muffin tins for appetizers??
Chef Dennis Littley
it should work fairly well Anne, it just may be a little drier than normal.