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    Home » Recipes » Seafood Recipes

    Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe

    Published: Nov 16, 2018 · Modified: Dec 21, 2020 by Chef Dennis Littley

    15.4K shares
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    4.43 from 42 votes
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    Pinterest image for lobster mac and cheese

    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.

    White cheddar Lobster mac and cheese

    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.

    Table of Contents:

    • What ingredients do I need to make Lobster Mac and Cheese?
    • What type of lobster should I use for lobster mac and cheese?
    • What type of cheese should I use for lobster mac and cheese?
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More cheesy Recipes You’ll Love!
    • The Very Best Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition

    What ingredients do I need to make Lobster Mac and Cheese?

    White cheddar Lobster mac and cheese mise en place

    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.

    White cheddar Lobster mac and cheese

    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.

    White cheddar Lobster mac and cheese

    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

    Can I use lobster tails to make lobster mac and cheese?

    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.

    What type of cheese should I use to make this dish?

    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.

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    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    White cheddar Lobster mac and cheese
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    4.43 from 42 votes

    The Very Best Lobster Mac and Cheese Recipe

    When you’re looking for that special side dish my Lobster Mac and Cheese will definitely make and dinner extra special!  Your friends and family will love this restaurant style dish
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time30 minutes mins
    Total Time40 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 612kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    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
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1062mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 553mg | Iron: 1.8mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Gloria

      December 21, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      OMG….this is the ultimate comfort food. It takes mac and cheese to a whole new level. My kind of recipe….and finally I have convinced hubby to like lobster. Maybe that is a bad thing since now I will have to share LOL.

      Reply
    2. Chef Tami Conklin

      January 06, 2020 at 1:24 am

      5 stars
      Chef – This Was Very Nice. I Made This for Another Lady Chef and We Both Enjoyed This Dish Very Much – Thank You.

      Reply
    3. Ken Albert

      December 26, 2019 at 8:49 am

      Living in Maine, our family has a tradition of enjoying something with lobster / sea food for our Christmas meal. I used this recipe (doubled), and it was a BIG hit. I couldn’t find the Cabot Alpine, but I did find their shredded Mac & Cheese, which is a nice blend of the Alpine and some of their Sharp Cheddar. This dish was so appreciated that it will be a new staple for hardy meals requiring wonderful comfort food.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 26, 2019 at 9:52 am

        I’m happy to hear your family enjoyed my mac and cheese recipe and just about any cheese you like will in mac and cheese will work with this recipe. I hope you find more deliciousness to try on blog

        Reply
    4. Mike

      December 23, 2019 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      I used a good GRUYERE and TRULY aged sharp cheddar and 1/2 again more sauce.Great simple recipe that made great left overs.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 23, 2019 at 4:48 pm

        Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Mike!

        Reply
    5. David

      February 20, 2019 at 7:35 pm

      Over from England, skiing in Stowe, and looking to cook lobster mac ‘n cheese. Found your recipe and followed it to the letter. Didn’t know we were a stones throw from the Cabot creamery until we Googled it – the cloth bound was fab. With lobster from Stowe seafood and your recipe we had a match made in heaven. Thanks Dave

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        February 21, 2019 at 9:14 am

        Thanks for finding my recipe and giving it a try Dave! I do love Cloth Bound Cheddar.

        Reply
    6. Susan Green

      January 29, 2019 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        January 29, 2019 at 2:13 pm

        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!

        Reply
    7. Monica

      January 04, 2019 at 7:54 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    8. GiGi Eats

      November 19, 2018 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      This is absolute HEAVEN in my mind! Hubba hubba! Lobster and then white cheddar and than mac & cheese. YEEESSSS please oh please!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        November 19, 2018 at 9:26 pm

        Thank you for the great review!

        Reply
    9. Jenny

      June 25, 2018 at 6:44 pm

      Is this unsalted butter?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 27, 2018 at 10:12 am

        unsalted or salted its up to you. I generally use unsalted for everything

        Reply
    10. Noreen

      May 11, 2018 at 11:53 pm

      Is sharp cheese and Swiss cheese a must use in lobster mac&cheese?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 12, 2018 at 9:15 am

        hi Noreen

        Not at all, feel free to use whichever cheese you like.

        Reply
    11. Mary P.

      April 15, 2018 at 5:09 am

      4 stars
      My cheese sauce was a bit gritty, what did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 15, 2018 at 1:24 pm

        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.

        Reply
    12. Felix Vasquez

      March 18, 2018 at 6:04 pm

      If I accidentally under cooked the lobster tails, will the finish cooking in this dish?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 19, 2018 at 10:16 am

        the lobster will continue cooking as you bake the mac and cheese.

        Reply
    13. Susan

      December 22, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      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!

      Reply
    14. Janine A

      December 03, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      4 stars
      Can this be made in a crock pot? If so, how?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 03, 2017 at 12:55 pm

        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.

        Reply
    15. Nikki

      November 18, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        November 19, 2017 at 3:11 pm

        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.

        Reply
        • Rodger

          December 30, 2017 at 1:49 pm

          5 stars
          Thanks for this tip. I will try it

    16. Tim

      September 14, 2017 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 16, 2017 at 2:02 pm

        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.

        Reply
    17. Jeanne

      May 29, 2017 at 1:51 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 29, 2017 at 3:02 pm

        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

        Reply
    18. Maria

      December 18, 2016 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh!! This looks fabulous. I will definitely be making this with crab! Its my husband’s favorite.

      Reply
    19. Mary Pisarkiewicz

      December 16, 2016 at 10:41 am

      YUM looks delicious! I want to try this recipies!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 16, 2016 at 12:01 pm

        hi Mary
        yes it was pretty awesome. Feel free to add in some of your favorite cheese as well.

        Reply
    20. Anne

      December 15, 2016 at 10:40 am

      I wonder how this would work in muffin tins for appetizers??

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 15, 2016 at 11:24 am

        it should work fairly well Anne, it just may be a little drier than normal.

        Reply
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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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