Lobster Macaroni Cheese Herbed (Printable Version)
Rich pasta with lobster, creamy cheese, and a golden herbed breadcrumb topping.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or cavatappi
→ Cheese Sauce
02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
04 - 3 cups whole milk, warmed
05 - 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
06 - 1 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
07 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ½ tsp mustard powder
09 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Lobster
12 - 12 oz cooked lobster meat, chopped
→ Herbed Breadcrumbs
13 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
14 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
15 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
16 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
17 - 1 tsp lemon zest
18 - Pinch salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish thoroughly.
02 - Bring salted water to boil in large pot. Cook pasta until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 3 tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Gradually whisk warm milk into roux, about ½ cup at time, smoothing any lumps. Continue whisking until sauce thickens, 4-5 minutes. Sauce should coat back of spoon.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in Gruyère, cheddar, and Parmesan until completely melted and smooth. Add mustard powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
06 - Fold cooked pasta and lobster into cheese sauce, mixing gently to avoid breaking lobster pieces. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
07 - In bowl, combine breadcrumbs, melted butter, parsley, chives, lemon zest, and pinch of salt. Mix until evenly coated.
08 - Sprinkle herbed breadcrumbs evenly over macaroni and cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes until top is golden brown and sauce bubbles around edges.
09 - Let dish rest 5 minutes before serving to allow sauce to set for easier plating.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The way the Gruyère creates these incredible velvety strands when you pull up a forkful
- That moment when the lemon zest in the breadcrumbs hits your nose and suddenly the whole dish feels lighter than it has any right to be
02 -
- Warm your milk before adding it to the roux, cold milk will create lumps that you cannot whisk away
- Grate your own cheese, pre shredded stuff has anti caking agents that make sauce grainy
03 -
- Grate all your cheese before you start anything else, once that roux is hot you cannot pause to grate
- Use room temperature lobster if possible, cold meat can lower your sauce temperature too quickly