Sometimes, I crave comfort food, even on a hot summer day. I know September doesn’t exactly scream “mac and cheese,” but I saw a version of Lobster mac and cheese on Ina Garten’s cooking show, and I had to have it! I changed her recipe just a little bit but kept the smoky, rich Gruyere cheese she calls for. It came out of the oven piping hot and satisfied all my comfort food cravings. This is a great dish for a potluck, wonderful as a freezer meal, and perfect for a date night.
Preparing the Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese
Creating creamy lobster mac and cheese starts with fresh, flavorful ingredients and a little bit of preparation. This dish combines rich, luxurious lobster with gooey, melted cheese for the ultimate comfort meal. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Baking the Lobster Tails
Start with two large lobster tails.
Turn the tail over and use some sharp kitchen shears to cut a long line from the top of the tail all the way down to the bottom. Stick your finger inside the tail and separate the meat from the cartilage.
You might have to use a little bit of muscle, but the meat should easily begin to pull loose. Move your finger all around the edges and then gently pull the meat out, trying to keep it whole. Brush some melted butter on all sides of the lobster tail and bake them at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes. The meat should be 140 degrees if you use a meat thermometer.
Lobster's a splurge. Mac and cheese shouldn't be work.
Momma's Mac and Cheese is the everyday version.
Step 2: Preparing the Mac and Cheese
While the lobster cooks, prepare your favorite macaroni noodles al dente. I chose the spiralized noodles for no other reason than that they look pretty in this creamy lobster mac and cheese recipe! 🙂 Elbow or rotini noodles will work fine, too.
You’ll also want to grate 3 different kinds of cheeses: Gruyere, cheddar, and parmesan. You’ll need 1 cup of each. (If you’re afraid that your kids won’t like this more sophisticated cheese, I have a kid-friendly 3-cheese baked macaroni and cheese recipe that my kids gobble up every time.)
Then, in a small saucepan, heat 2 cups of milk. Heat it until it is hot, but don’t allow it to boil.
Then in a large Dutch oven or pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and then add in 1/4 cup of flour. Cook this mixture over low heat for about 2 minutes, constantly moving it with a whisk.
While still whisking, add the milk and cook until it is thickened and smooth. Turn the heat off and add the 3 cheeses. In addition, add 1/2 tablespoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. This seems like a funny spice to add to lobster mac and cheese, but it gives it a soft, nutty flavor with a hint of spice. It’s just enough to make you feel all warm and gooey inside. 🙂
As the cheese begins to melt, pour in the noodles and chopped lobster pieces. I like to keep the lobster pieces big, so there are bite-sized chunks.
Step 3: Assembling the Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese
Pour the creamy lobster mac and cheese into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Bake it at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and the top is crispy. You can also pour this creamy lobster mac and cheese into a freezer-friendly foil tin and freeze it for later. Just thaw in the fridge overnight, let it sit out and come to room temperature, and then cook as normal.
You can also spoon the creamy lobster mac and cheese mixture into individual ramekins and bake it that way. For a fancy meal with guests, I add some chopped bacon to the top.
Serving Your Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese
Creamy lobster mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food! If you’re not a seafood type of person, you can easily leave the lobster out or use chicken instead. This is also a great dish to serve at a potluck or dinner party. For more recipe ideas, check out my recipe index. Happy cooking, y’all!
Creamy Lobster Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Turn each lobster tail over and cut a line down the length of the shell with kitchen shears. Work a finger between the meat and cartilage and gently pull the meat out, keeping it whole.
- Brush the lobster meat on all sides with melted butter and bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, until it reaches 140°F. Chop into large bite-sized chunks.
- Meanwhile, cook the macaroni al dente and drain. Grate the Gruyere, cheddar, and Parmesan.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk until hot but not boiling.
- In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over low heat for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook until thickened and smooth.
- Turn off the heat and add the three cheeses, kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg. As the cheese melts, stir in the noodles and lobster chunks.
- Pour into a casserole dish (or individual ramekins) and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and the top is crispy. Top with chopped bacon for a fancy touch.
Notes
- Freezer meal: pour the unbaked mixture into a foil tin and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring to room temperature, then bake as directed.
- Not a seafood fan? Leave out the lobster or use chicken instead.
