Baked Crab Mac and Cheese
This velvety and cheesy mac bring smoked gouda, muenster, and sweet plump Dungeness Crab to your table for the perfect side or main.
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Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Dungeness Crab legs and claws I use Orca Bay Seafoods sustainable Dungeness Crab
- 16 oz dry pasta shells
Cheese Sauce
- 3 TBSP butter
- 3 TBSP all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk, + a few more splashes if need be
- 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
- 8 oz muenster cheese, grated
- 8 oz smoked gouda cheese, grated
- 2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning (optional)
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Panko Crumb Topping
- 1/2-1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1-2 TBSP melted butter
Instructions
Dungeness Crab
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the crab legs and claws over a baking sheet or pan and bake until heated through (6-8 minutes if thawed, 12-16 minutes if frozen).
- Remove from oven and allow the legs and claws to cool until you can handle them. Once they've cooled, crack the claws and legs open using crab crackers or sturdy scissors. The meat should easily stay in tact and slide right out. Get as much meat out as you can to avoid food waste. Transfer your crab meat to a plate once you've removed it from the legs and claws. Set aside.
Pasta
- Cook the pasta as per the packages instructions. While the pasta cooks, you can start your cheese sauce. When the pasta is done, drain and set aside.
Cheese Sauce
- Heat a stock pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Melt 3 TBSP butter. Add gradually whisk in the flour one TBSP at a time until a thick roux forms. Once a roux has formed, add 1 cup of milk. Whisk until it thickens, and add one more cup of milk. Again, whisk until it thickens.
- Whisk the Dijon mustard into the cheese sauce, and finally, add the grated cheeses. Stir until all of the cheese has melted and you have a thick and creamy cheese sauce. Stir in the Old Bay seasoning, and then some salt and pepper to taste.
- Carefully transfer the pasta shells to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
- Stir in most of the crab, but reserve some nice big chunks for the top.
Panko Crumb Topping
- Mix 1 TBSP of melted butter per 1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs; stir until the bread crumbs are all buttery and have soaked up all the butter. Evenly distribute the crumb topping over the surface of the mac and cheese.
- Pre-heat broiler to high, and place the mac beneath the broiler for approx. 1-2 minutes, but because broiler temps vary, watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Remove the mac when the crumb topping turns to a golden brown crisp.
- Serve as a side, or dig into it as a main.
Notes
Prep times vary; my timing includes the cooking and cracking of the crabs which can be a little tedious — especially if you're doing it alone. But trust me, it's worth it ;)