• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chisel & Fork logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • DIY
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You Are Here: Home → Main Course → Pasta

    Crab Mac and Cheese

    December 23, 2020 | Updated March 31, 2021 by Ryan Leave a Comment

    335 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    overhead shot of crab mac and cheese in baking dish
    overhead shot of spoon dipped in macaroni and cheese with fresh crab
    macaroni and cheese with fresh crab in red baking dish
    wooden spoon dipped in baking dish with crab mac and cheese

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

    With jumbo lump crab meat, old bay seasoning, fontina cheese and cheddar cheese, this crab mac and cheese is for those special occasions.

    wooden spoon dipped in baking dish with crab mac and cheese

    You can never have enough mac and cheese recipes - from baked cheddar mac and cheese to smoked gouda bacon mac and cheese to baked butternut squash mac and cheese.

    I'm always on the lookout to make a new version of one of my favorite dishes. And today I decided to pay homage to the stay I live in - Maryland. When you think Maryland, you think of crabs. From soft shell crabs to steam crabs to crab cakes.

    What makes this dish so delicious is the jumbo lump crab meat. You don't go cheap here. You want those big chunks throughout. And the hint of Old Bay seasoning just brings out the seafood flavor.

    The combination of the melty fontina and sharp cheddar work great and make this crab mac and cheese quite addicting.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
    • Other Seafood Recipes
    • Crab Mac and Cheese
    overhead shot of crab mac and cheese in baking dish

    Recipe Ingredients

    • Unsalted butter - the base for the roux and browns the topping.
    • Garlic - gives flavor to the topping.
    • Panko breadcrumbs - crunchier than standard breadcrumbs.
    • Parmesan cheese - adds nuttiness and saltiness.
    • Old Bay - can't have seafood without it.
    • All-purpose flour - helps make the roux to thicken the cheese sauce.
    • Ground mustard and black pepper - added flavor.
    • Milk - whole fat is best.
    • Fontina and cheddar cheese - adds creaminess and flavor.
    • Crab meat - jumbo lump is best.
    • Macaroni - can't have macaroni and cheese without it.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    1. Melt 2 tablespoon butter in small pan over low heat. Once melted, add panko, garlic, ½ cup Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon Old Bay and toss to combine. Set aside.
    2. In large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt ½ cup butter. Stir in flour, remaining Old Bay, ground mustard and black pepper. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until well combined.
    3. Gradually add milk and cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 10 minutes. You'll want to stir constantly. Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
    4. Remove sauce from heat and gradually add fontina, cheddar cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and the crab meat. Stir in until cheese is melted. Add pasta and mix until everything is coated.
    5. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish. Top with breadcrumb mixture. 
    6. Put under broiler until the mixture bubbles and top is browned. Should be about 1 to 2 minutes. You can't leave unattended or it will burn. Remove from broiler and let the crab mac and cheese rest for 5 minutes.
    process shots of how to make crab mac and cheese

    FAQs

    What are the Best Cheeses?

    The sharp cheddar is where a lot of the flavor comes from and the fontina adds extra creaminess. The Parmesan adds a slight nutty flavor. However you can also use Gruyère as well.

    Can You Use Bagged Shredded Cheese for Homemade Macaroni and Cheese?

    While you can use pre-shredded bagged cheese, you more than likely won't get that stringy, gooey cheese pull that you would get if you grated the cheese yourself. It also doesn't taste as good.

    Why Use a Crumb Topping?

    I like the extra crunch here but you can also use a cheese topping. Just grate an extra cup of cheese.

    Can You Make Mac and Cheese Ahead of Time?

    Yes. Just prepare all the way to where the macaroni is in the baking dish. Cool before topping with the breadcrumb topping. Then refrigerate or freeze before baking the day you need it.

    How Long Will It Last?

    Just let your mac and cheese cool to room temperature before covering in airtight container or with aluminum foil. It will last in the fridge for about 3 days or the freezer for 3 months.

    How to Reheat?

    Place the macaroni & cheese into an oven-safe dish and only take out what you are using. Add 1 tablespoon of milk per 1 cup of baked mac and cheese and mix to incorporate. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.

    Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

    • No overcooked pasta – cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
    • Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
    • Stir constantly – once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
    • Lots of sauce – who likes a dry mac and cheese? At first when making this mac and cheese, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
    • Broil topping – only broil topping for 1-2 minutes so it gets browned and doesn't overcook the pasta.
    overhead shot of spoon dipped in macaroni and cheese with fresh crab

    Other Seafood Recipes

    • Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp
    • Orange Glazed Salmon
    • Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • Lobster Ravioli
    • Blackened Shrimp

    If you’ve tried this crab mac and cheese or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.

    wooden spoon dipped in baking dish with crab mac and cheese
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Crab Mac and Cheese

    With jumbo lump crab meat, old bay seasoning, fontina cheese and cheddar cheese, this crab macaroni and cheese is for those special occasions.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Pasta
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 531kcal
    Author: Ryan Beck

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
    • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, divided
    • 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 4 cups milk
    • 3 cups shredded fontina cheese (¾ lb)
    • 3 cups shredded white sharp cheddar (¾ lb)
    • 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat
    • 1 lb macaroni

    Instructions

    • To make breadcrumb topping, melt 2 tablespoon butter in small pan over low heat. Once melted, add panko, garlic, ½ cup Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon Old Bay and toss to combine. Set aside.
    • In large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt ½ cup butter. Stir in flour, remaining Old Bay, ground mustard and black pepper. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until well combined. Gradually add milk and cook until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 10 minutes. You'll want to stir constantly.
    • While making sauce, cook macaroni according to package and set aside.
    • Remove sauce from heat and gradually add fontina, cheddar cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese and the crab meat. Stir in until cheese is melted. Add pasta and mix until everything is coated. Pour into a 9x13 greased baking dish. Top with breadcrumb mixture. 
    • Put under broiler until the mixture bubbles and top is browned. Should be about 1 to 2 minutes. You can't leave unattended or it will burn. Remove from broiler and let rest for 5 minutes.

    Notes

    • No overcooked pasta – cook the macaroni al dente according to the package instructions. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven while it’s in the sauce.
    • Freshly grated cheese – don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
    • Stir constantly – once the milk is added, you must stir constantly as it heats up and becomes thick. Otherwise you’ll have burnt milk on the bottom.
    • Lots of sauce – who likes a dry mac and cheese? At first when making this macaroni and cheese, you’ll think it is too much sauce but believe me when that the macaroni soaks it up.
    • Broil topping – only broil topping for 1-2 minutes so it gets browned and doesn't overcook the pasta.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 4g
    Did You Try This Recipe?I love seeing what you make so mention @ChiselandFork or tag #chiselandfork on Instagram and please give a star rating below!
    « Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken
    Homemade Sugar Cookies »
    335 shares

    Receive Top 25 Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Chisel & Fork

    ryan standing in kitchen

    Hey there! Welcome to Chisel & Fork, a blog with tasty recipes and DIY projects. I'm Ryan and here you'll find hundreds of recipes ranging from true comfort food to vegan. Oh and if you like woodworking, you might just find your next inspiration. Read More About Chisel & Fork…

    Get Your Free Copy of My Top 25 Most Popular Recipes

    title page of ecookbook

    Easter Day Recipes

    • orange roll on spatula above rolls in baking dish
      Orange Rolls
    • overhead shot of smoked spatchcock chicken on wood board
      Smoked Spatchcock Chicken
    • mini ham and cheese quiche stacked on cutting board
      Mini Ham and Cheese Quiche
    • chocolate hazelnut biscotti stacked on white plate
      Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

    Popular Recipes

    • chocolate chip scones stacked on white plate
      Chocolate Chip Scones
    • spoon lifting out chicken paprikash
      Chicken Paprikash
    • close-up of german chicken schnitzel on white plate
      Chicken Schnitzel
    • close-up of pork tossed in sweet soy ginger garlic sauce on bed of white rice
      Mongolian Pork

    Featured In

    logos of places where Chisel & Fork has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Information

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Recipes
    • DIY

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Work With Us

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Chisel & Fork

    335 shares