Crab Mac & Cheese Casserole 🦀🧀🔥 Rich, Buttery, and Oven-Baked With Sweet Crab and a Golden Crunch Top

This is mac and cheese all grown up — loaded with tender lump crab meat, sharp cheeses, and baked under a buttery breadcrumb crust until golden and bubbling. It’s bold, creamy, and briny in the best way, with just enough seafood sweetness to cut through the richness.

Perfect as a main or side, and fancy enough for holidays, dinner parties, or anytime you want to flex without frying.

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

For the pasta

• 12 oz elbow macaroni, shells, or cavatappi
• Salt for boiling water

For the cheese sauce

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1½ cups sharp white cheddar, shredded
• ½ cup Gruyère, Fontina, or Monterey Jack (for melt)
• ¼ tsp cayenne or Old Bay seasoning
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the mix-in & topping

• 8 oz lump crab meat (fresh, pasteurized, or good canned), drained
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley or chives (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside — don’t overcook, it’ll finish in the oven.

Step 2: Make the Cheese Sauce

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden and nutty. Slowly whisk in milk and cream until smooth.

Simmer 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in mustard, cheddar, Gruyère, cayenne or Old Bay, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and melty.

Step 3: Combine

Fold cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Gently fold in crab meat (don’t break it up too much). Taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour mixture into a greased 9×9″ or 2-qt baking dish.

Step 4: Top and Bake

In a small bowl, mix panko with melted butter and Parmesan. Sprinkle over the mac evenly.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Broil 1–2 minutes for extra crunch, if desired.

Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh herbs if using.

Flavor Variations

• Add a few dashes of hot sauce or chipotle to the sauce for heat
• Use smoked cheddar or gouda for deeper flavor
• Fold in sautéed spinach, leeks, or caramelized onions
• Swap crab for lobster, shrimp, or scallops

Pro Tips

• Use lump crab for texture — don’t overmix or it’ll shred
• Shred your own cheese — pre-grated blends can get grainy
• Cook pasta a minute short — it’ll absorb sauce while baking
• Sauce too thick? Thin with a splash of warm milk before mixing
• Want make-ahead? Assemble, cover, and chill — bake when ready

Final Thoughts

Crab Mac & Cheese Casserole is creamy, luxurious, and satisfyingly crunchy on top — the kind of dish that lands somewhere between comfort food and coastal indulgence. Every forkful hits with sharp cheese, buttery crab, and golden crumbs.

Boil it. Bake it. Brag about it. 🦀🧀🔥

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

• 🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
• 🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
• 🍝 Seafood Pasta Recipes – Elegant and indulgent, like shrimp linguine in a white wine sauce.
• 🍤 Shrimp Recipes – Versatile, fast, and flavor-packed; smoky grills to sizzling stir-fries
• 🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
• 🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
• 🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
• 🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
• 🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
• 🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
• 🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
• 🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.