Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese is super creamy, cheesy and decadent. This delicious spin to the classic dish will surely be your new favourite!

Post updated 09/30/18

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (1)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (2)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese

I made this mac and cheese for Christmas dinner last year, and it was a HIT! The fact that my entire family enjoyed it was such a big deal, because black folks don't play when it comes to mac and cheese. Let's be real.

Since it's gotten so many positive reviews, this has now become my go-to macaroni recipe!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (3)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (4)

Regular baked mac and cheese is already great (if it's done right), but the addition of fresh crab and spicy Cajun shrimp makes it so much more special.

You get a bite of shrimp, crab and macaroni covered with a blend of gooey, stringy cheeses and a burst of blended flavours in every bite!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (5)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (6)

Seasonings

Alright, so before I break down the layers of perfection in this dish, I wanna talk about the measurements of spices. Now in my family, when we cook, we don't measure a damn thing. We usually just eyeball it and add as much or little as we want and hope it tastes great (which it always does!). Obviously, since I was planning on sharing the recipe on here, I measured everything - to MY liking.

You'll see in the recipe below, for the spices I added the minimum amount you can add, and the maximum which is the amount I used. My family's a huge fan of spicy, so I added quite a bit of Cayenne and Paprika. This may not be the same for you or your family, which means you should add less or more if you like.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (7)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (8)

How to make Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese

So now that I've gotten that seasoning lesson out of the way, let's talk about the mac and cheese itself.

P.S: unfortunately, I didn't have time to take step by step photos because daylight savings is a pain in my--anyways back to the recipe.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (9)

What kind of pasta should I use?

You can use any pasta you like, whether it's penne, Farfalle (the bow shaped one), or Cavatappi (elbow macaroni with a twist ?). I just went with regular elbow macaroni, because......well it's MAC and cheese, not Farfalle and cheese. Although, as I mentioned, use whatever your pasta loving heart desires.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (10)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab

While the macaroni was boiling, I made the Cajun shrimp. I used a whole 2 pounds of shrimp for this recipe, because I wanted - no I NEEDED to have shrimp all throughout the entire pasta. I don't know about you, but I HATE having shrimp dishes where there's only like.....3 pieces of shrimp and the rest is just plain old pasta. It's disrespectful.

I added 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning to the shrimp, but as I mentioned above, you can add more or less depending on your taste.

Once the macaroni is cooked, add the shrimp, crab and basil. For the crab, I used 1 (454g) package of crab legs and chopped it up into chunks, which ended up making 2 and ½ cups. Just like the shrimp, I also want the crab all throughout this mac and cheese.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (11)

UPDATE

Quite a few people have made this recipe by now, and most of them mentioned that I used imitation crab. I'm gonna be 100% honest with you, I had no idea. I picked up a package of crab thinking it was just fresh crab legs sold in small packages. Boy was I wrong.

So as you can see with the new photos, I re-made the recipe using fresh crab legs this time!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (12)

Here's the thing, crab legs are expensive. Like SUPER expensive! I got 1 and ½ pounds of crab legs for about $30. And since I didn't want to take the extra step to pre-cook the crab, I just bought a snow crab dinner from Red Lobster. Honestly, cracking these crab legs was one of the worst experiences of my life, and even worse, I only got about 1 cup of meat out of the whole thing! Just look at the shrimp vs crab ratio:

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (13)

Pretty pathetic right? Even though there was a lack of crab in this renewed version of the Mac and cheese, the rare moments I got a taste of it ended up being incredible! It tasted even better than the imitation crab (of course).

Fresh Crab vs Imitation Crab

You'd think the obvious answer would be fresh crab because of the better flavour, but as I mentioned above, there are a few cons. If you can afford it, I recommend buying at least 2+ pounds of fresh crab, boiling it, then remove the meat and add it to the recipe. Hopefully you're better at this than I am, so maybe you'll end up with chunks of crab instead of shredded meat.

However, if you can't afford or just don't want to spend a lot of money on fresh crab, you could use imitation crab like I did the first time. Not only does it still taste incredible, but you end up with a lot more crab which is a win in my eyes.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (14)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (15)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (16)

How to make the creamiest Mac and Cheese

One thing I love about this Mac and Cheese is that it is INSANELY creamy! To achieve ultra creaminess, I used a blend of whole milk and evaporated milk. For the evaporated milk, you can use anywhere from 2 to ⅔ cups of milk depending on how creamy you want the mac and cheese. I used 2 and ⅔ cups of milk because I wanted the mac and cheese to look like this:

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (17)

To the milk mixture, I added paprika and cayenne to spice it up. My best advice is to add the least amount of seasoning, taste a bit of the milk, then add more if you want more spice. I recommend you do this BEFORE you add the eggs, for obvious reasons.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (18)

How to make the cheesiest Mac and Cheese

Ok we've talked about the mac, now let's talk about the cheese. I used 4 different types of cheeses: sharp cheddar cheese, mild cheddar, colby & monterey jack blend, and Parmesan. That alone should let you know the dangerous level of cheesiness going on in this Mac and Cheese!

A lot of people like to make a cheese sauce, then add it to the macaroni. We don't do that over here. I added the cheese (aside from the parmesan) to the milk, then added everything to the macaroni. I find this method easier and better than making a cheese sauce.

Just look at this cheesy goodness.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (19)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (20)

We bake the macaroni in a 9x13-inch baking dish. The macaroni piles pretty high and it may seem like it won't fit, but trust me, it does.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (21)

Top with Breadcrumbs or Cheese?

I've never heard of topping mac and cheese with breadcrumbs. I guess it's a thing, but not in my family, so I sprinkled more cheese on top, along with more basil, paprika, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Completely optional, but it adds so much more flavour! If you want to top this Mac and Cheese with breadcrumbs, then go right ahead and let me know how it tastes. Maybe I'll try it one day to see how this recipe tastes with a crunchy topping!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (22)

As you can see, I also topped the Mac and Cheese with extra pieces of shrimp and crab. This was 1000% for photography purposes, and you don't need to do it at all. I mean it wasn't even worth it because you could barely see the shrimp or crab once it's baked.

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (23)

Speaking of which, to bake the Mac and Cheese, I recommend placing it on a baking sheet to catch any spills. Also, loosely cover the top with foil so the top doesn't brown too quickly. The Mac and Cheese takes about 45-55 minutes to bake up.

Once it's done baking, let it sit for at least 20-30 minutes so it can firm up. If you don't, it'll be a soupy mess and you'll think you failed. When everything is nice and set, you can dig in and enjoy!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (24)

>>PIN ME FOR LATER<<

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (25)

Make a full meal! Serve this Mac and cheese with these recipes:

Spicy Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (26)

The Best Lasagna Ever

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (27)

Homemade Cheddar Biscuits

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (28)

Homemade Garlic Butter Breadsticks

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (29)

FOLLOW QUEENSLEE APPÉTIT

Like what you see? Make sure you‘re following Queenslee Appétit for more tasty recipes!

Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter |

Have any questions about the recipe? Contact me here, and I’ll be happy to help!

Let's get cooking!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (30)

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Inactive Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

This Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese is super creamy, cheesy and decadent. This delicious spin to the classic dish will surely be your new favourite!

Ingredients

Cajun Shrimp:

  • 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (if frozen, thawed)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoon cajun seasoning
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Mac and Cheese:

  • 3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
  • 2Ibs Fresh Crab legs, cooked OR 2 and ½ cups imitation crab meat, diced
  • ¼ cup fresh or dried basil + more for topping
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 - 2 and ⅔ cups evaporated milk
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon Paprika, or to taste (see notes)
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, or to taste (see notes)
  • ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 cups colby & monterey jack cheese, grated
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • Cajun seasoning, for topping

Instructions

For the Cajun Shrimp:

  1. Read the notes before beginning the recipe.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. In a medium bowl, add shrimp, olive oil, cajun seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper and toss to combine and coat the shrimp.
  3. Once skillet is hot, add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly until shrimp is pink, 4-6 minutes. Set aside.

For the Pasta:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add macaroni and cook until al dente (look at package directions to see how long it takes). Do not overcook.
  3. Drain well and transfer cooked pasta to a large bowl. Mix in Cajun shrimp, crab chunks and basil. Set aside.

For the Cheese/Milk Mixture:

  1. In a large bowl, add milk and evaporated milk and whisk to combine. Add paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Taste the milk and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Once you're satisfied with the taste, add the eggs and beat until mixture is combined.
  2. Set aside 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup of colby & monterey, and ½ cup of Parmesan. Add the remaining cheese to the milk mixture and stir to combine.

Assembly of the Mac and Cheese:

  1. Pour cheese mixture into macaroni and stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with reserved cheeses. Sprinkle more basil, paprika, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning on top (optional).
  2. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until top is golden. Cover the top with foil around the 35-40 minute mark, making sure it doesn't touch the cheese. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 25-30 minutes to set before serving.

Notes

  • I highly recommend altering the amount of spices to YOUR taste. The amount I added was perfect for mine and my family's taste, however that may not be the same for you so please taste the milk and add more of the spices to your liking.
  • If using fresh (cooked) crab legs, remove the meat from the shell and cut it into small chunks before adding it to the pasta. You may end up with less than 2 and ½ cups, which is fine. The 2 pounds of shrimp make up for that!
  • For the evaporated milk, you can use anywhere from 2 to 2 and ⅔ cups, depending on how creamy you want the mac and cheese. I used 2 and ⅔ cups of milk because I wanted the mac and cheese to be super creamy!

©QUEENSLEE APPÉTIT. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

BON APPÉTIT!

Love, Dedra

DID YOU MAKE A RECIPE?

I’d love to see how it turned out! Follow me on Instagram and use the hashtag #queensleeappetit so I can see all of the Queenslee Appétit recipes you’ve made!

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (34)

Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese ~ Recipe | Queenslee Appétit (2024)

FAQs

How to reheat mac and cheese so it's creamy? ›

Here's what to do for the best results:
  1. Put a portion of the mac and cheese on a microwave-safe dish or plate.
  2. Add a tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix well.
  3. Reheat the mac and cheese for 15 seconds at a time, making sure to stir it well.
Jan 12, 2024

How to keep mac and cheese warm without drying out? ›

Zentner says the stovetop is best for reheating stirred mac and cheese recipes.
  1. Add one tablespoon of milk per cup of macaroni and cheese to a saucepan.
  2. Heat over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
  3. Heat to the desired temperature and add a touch of butter and extra cheese to finish the dish.
Oct 26, 2022

How to reheat mac and cheese in the UK? ›

Oven
  1. Place the macaroni & cheese into an oven-safe dish. Make sure to only take out what you're going to use.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix to incorprate as much as possible. ...
  3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.

Is mac and cheese better the next day? ›

This classic recipe tends to lose something when you heat it up the next day. Namely, the moisture. Reheated macaroni and cheese has an unfortunate tendency to become hard and dry if you don't reheat it the right way. It's so disappointing.

Should I add milk when reheating mac and cheese? ›

For an individual serving or small amounts, use the microwave or stovetop. For larger amounts of frozen mac and cheese, use the oven or toaster oven. For all methods, to keep the mac and cheese from drying out, stir 1 tablespoon milk into each 1 cup mac and cheese before reheating.

Do you reheat mac and cheese covered or uncovered? ›

Place a portion of mac and cheese in an oven-safe dish, cover it tightly with tin foil, slip the dish into the toaster oven, and reheat until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Then, take off the foil and allow the dish to heat for another 10 minutes.

What keeps mac and cheese moist? ›

How To Keep Macaroni And Cheese From Drying Out
  • Add more cheese. That final layer of cheese on top isn't just for looks, it also helps keep the saucy noodles underneath from drying out during baking. ...
  • Use the right kind of cheese. ...
  • Add more sauce. ...
  • Cut back on cream. ...
  • Use less thickener.
Oct 26, 2022

How to prep mac and cheese the night before? ›

When the sauce is cooled, add the pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to two days.

Can you use a crockpot to keep mac and cheese warm? ›

Keep cooked macaroni and cheese warm in a crockpot for serving at a potluck or anytime you need the dish to stay warm for hours. Spraying the crockpot insert with nonstick cooking spray prevents the macaroni from sticking to the insert without adding extra calories and fat.

What is mac and cheese called in the UK? ›

Macaroni and cheese (also known as mac and cheese in Canada and the United States and macaroni cheese in the United Kingdom) is a dish of macaroni and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce.

Can you eat mac and cheese left out overnight? ›

It must be placed in the fridge within two hours of cooking in a shallow airtight container. To extend the shelf life even further, mac and cheese can be stored in the freezer. When frozen, mac and cheese will last indefinitely. However, it will remain at its best quality for about one to two months.

How to make leftover mac and cheese taste better? ›

I made it 30 odd years of life before finding out just adding a splash of milk to day(s) old reheated mac and cheese will make it creamy again.

Is 2 day old mac and cheese still good? ›

Tips For Storing And Eating Leftover Macaroni And Cheese

In general, leftovers stored in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower should be eaten within three to four days, according to the USDA. If you can't eat it within that time frame, transfer it to the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is it healthy to eat mac and cheese everyday? ›

Unfortunately, traditional mac and cheese tends to be unhealthy because it contains high amounts of saturated fats and sodium from butter, cheese, and milk. Additionally, it is calorie-dense and not ideal for those trying to lose weight.

How to make baked mac and cheese creamy again? ›

"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.

How to make leftover mac and cheese creamy? ›

The #1 secret to creamy reheated mac and cheese

"Stir in about 2 Tbs. of milk per 1 cup of mac and cheese and reheat," he says. The milk loosens up the pasta and helps create the creamy sauce as it's reheating. Heavy cream works well in this case too and adds an extra touch of richness to the mac and cheese.

How to keep mac n cheese creamy? ›

Cook your noodles in milk instead of water

Cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes your resulting mac and cheese creamier. According to The Kitchn, cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes the sauce creamy before you even add the cheese sauce.

Why is my mac and cheese sauce not creamy? ›

A: "Your ratios—from your roux to the fat content in the cheeses that you're using—may be a little off," Rach says. "You also just may be overcooking it." Rach breaks down how she makes what John calls "a pretty dang good mac and cheese" in more detail. "What we want to do is start with the roux.

References

Top Articles
Awesome No Bake Protein Bars Recipe (Copycat Blueberry RX Bars)
Sheet Pan Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Funny Roblox Id Codes 2023
Golden Abyss - Chapter 5 - Lunar_Angel
Www.paystubportal.com/7-11 Login
Joi Databas
DPhil Research - List of thesis titles
Shs Games 1V1 Lol
Evil Dead Rise Showtimes Near Massena Movieplex
Steamy Afternoon With Handsome Fernando
Which aspects are important in sales |#1 Prospection
Top Hat Trailer Wiring Diagram
World History Kazwire
R/Altfeet
George The Animal Steele Gif
Red Tomatoes Farmers Market Menu
Nalley Tartar Sauce
Chile Crunch Original
Immortal Ink Waxahachie
Craigslist Free Stuff Santa Cruz
Mflwer
Spergo Net Worth 2022
Costco Gas Foster City
Obsidian Guard's Cutlass
Marvon McCray Update: Did He Pass Away Or Is He Still Alive?
Mccain Agportal
Amih Stocktwits
Fort Mccoy Fire Map
Uta Kinesiology Advising
Kcwi Tv Schedule
What Time Does Walmart Auto Center Open
Nesb Routing Number
Olivia Maeday
Random Bibleizer
10 Best Places to Go and Things to Know for a Trip to the Hickory M...
Black Lion Backpack And Glider Voucher
Gopher Carts Pensacola Beach
Duke University Transcript Request
Lincoln Financial Field, section 110, row 4, home of Philadelphia Eagles, Temple Owls, page 1
Jambus - Definition, Beispiele, Merkmale, Wirkung
Ark Unlock All Skins Command
Craigslist Red Wing Mn
D3 Boards
Jail View Sumter
Nancy Pazelt Obituary
Birmingham City Schools Clever Login
Thotsbook Com
Funkin' on the Heights
Vci Classified Paducah
Www Pig11 Net
Ty Glass Sentenced
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Corie Satterfield

Last Updated:

Views: 6534

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Corie Satterfield

Birthday: 1992-08-19

Address: 850 Benjamin Bridge, Dickinsonchester, CO 68572-0542

Phone: +26813599986666

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Table tennis, Soapmaking, Flower arranging, amateur radio, Rock climbing, scrapbook, Horseback riding

Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.