CRAB MAC N' CHEESE

Crab mac and cheese is made with three cheeses, and butternut squash puree for a super creamy, cheesy, savory dish. Serve this cozy comfort food as a side dish or entree at holiday dinners and celebrations.

If you're craving crab then you should try these Grilled King Crab Legs with garlic butter sauce and Air Fryer Crab Rangoon next!

Having made my Southern Macaroni and Cheese more times than I can count, crab mac n' cheese is the perfect spin on the traditional soul food favorite. So make your delicious mac and cheese recipe even better with the inclusion of succulent lump crab and butternut squash puree.

Impress your family and friends during Thanksgiving and Christmas with this delectable side dish. Or elevate a casual weeknight dinner with this easy crab mac' n cheese as the main course!

My variation comes from a good "foodie friend" of mine, Capri Lilly from Good Food Baddie. She recently rolled out her Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, and I knew I had to try it! Even better, she has a great tutorial on her YouTube channel to show you how to make it.

Why you will love this crab mac and cheese recipe:

It's a healthier mac and cheese. Crab macaroni and cheese with butternut squash is a nutritious alternative to traditional mac and cheese. It's a delicious way to up your vegetable intake and sneak in some nutrition for picky eaters.

It's an affordable way to indulge. Crab can be costly. Rationing it out in a baked crab mac n' cheese is a great way to make this delicacy stretch!

It's easy to make. Simply roast butternut squash, puree it, add cheese and crab then bake! In less than an hour, it will be on the dinner table.

What does butternut squash mac and cheese taste like? 

Although butternut squash is not absolutely necessary, it is HIGHLY recommended. If you have never had butternut squash, rest assured, the flavor is not overpowering at all. In fact, it is hardly noticeable.

Butternut squash is roasted and pureed, and then added to the cheese sauce for the most delicate, creamy texture.

Crab mac and cheese ingredients:

• Pasta: Use elbow, cavatappi, or shell pasta.
• Onion: Dice the onions before adding them to the mixture.
• Butter: Use unsalted.
• All-purpose flour: This is used to make a roux, which helps to thicken the sauce.
• Milk: You can use heavy cream instead if you prefer.
• Crab meat: You can use prepacked lump crab meat, freshly cracked crab legs, or even imitation crab. Possible substitutions include shrimp and lobster. Or you could make it a seafood mac and cheese and include all three!
• Butternut squash: Season it with salt and pepper, drizzle it with olive oil then roast it. After that, it's pureed. (See roasting instructions below.)
• Cheese: I love to blend cheeses. For this recipe, I used sharp cheddar cheese, smoked gouda, and Monterey jack cheese. I also used Velveeta melted cheese for a velvety smooth finish.
• Seasoning: You can season the macaroni and cheese however you'd like. I keep it simple with seasoned salt, black pepper, ground sage, garlic powder, and paprika.

How to Make Crab Mac n' Cheese: 

How to Roast Butternut Squash

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the stringy part and the seeds and discard.
• Place the butternut squash, skin side down, onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

• While the squash is roasting, prepare to make the crab mac and cheese. Boil water in a large stock pot. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook for about 10-15, or until it is al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of the cooking water and set it to the side. Drain and rinse pasta with cool water to stop the cooking process.

Make the Cheese Sauce

• Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook until they are translucent. When the onions are translucent, add 4 more tablespoons of butter to the saucepan to melt. Once melted, begin sprinkling in the flour a little bit at a time.

• Whisk the flour into the butter into all of the butter is absorbed, it should have a creamy texture- along with the texture of onion. Slowly whisk in the milk or cream. If the mixture becomes too thick, add in a little bit of the reserved cooking water.

Butternut Squash Puree

• Scoop the cooled squash out of the shell with a spoon, and add it to a blender. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water as well. Next, blend on high for 1 minute until a semi-thick puree is formed. Pour the butternut squash puree into the milk mixture.

• Start to add in the cheese, a little bit at a time. Mix well using a sturdy spoon. Once all of the cheeses are added, add all of the seasonings and mix them in well. Remove cheese mixture from the heat.

• Reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray and 9x11 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour your pasta shells into the baking dish, and add the crab meat. Combine the crab meat with the pasta until evenly distributed.
• Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and crab, and combine well. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

• Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, and sauce will continue to thicken.

Tips for the Best Crab Mac N Cheese Recipe

• When choosing the best butternut squash, ensure it is solid and heavy for its size.
• Shred your own chees because pre-shredded cheese tends to have a waxy coating that makes it harder to melt. Plus, it doesn't taste as good.
• Remember to season your crab mac and cheese. Salt and pepper are essential but you can use other spices and herbs to add even more flavor.
• Use reserved pasta water to thin out the cheese mixture if it gets too thick.
• To reheat leftovers, pour a bit of milk into the bowl before placing it in the microwave. Reheat for one minute then stir and reheat in 30 minute intervals until it reaches your desired temperature. This prevents the mac and cheese from drying out.

Continue to Content

📖 Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Creamy Crab Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Crab mac and cheese is made with three cheeses, and butternut squash puree for a super creamy, cheesy, savory dish. Serve this cozy comfort food as a side dish or entree at holiday dinners and celebrations.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 box Elbow or shell pasta
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 1 stick of Unsalted butter, (or 8 tablespoons) 
• 2-3 tablespoons All purpose flour
• 2 cups Milk  or heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups Crab meat
• 2 cups Butternut squash, pureed (optional, see roasting instructions below)
• 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Smoked gouda, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• ½ cup Velveeta melted cheese
• 1 tablespoon Seasoning salt
• 1 tablespoon Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Ground sage
• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Paprika

Butternut Squash

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

1. ROASTING BUTTERNUT SQUASH: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the stringy part and the seeds and discard.
2. Place the butternut squash, skin side down, onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
3. While the squash is roasting, boil water in a large stock pot. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook for about 10-15, or until it is al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of the cooking water and set it to the side. Drain and rinse pasta with cool water to stop the cooking process.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook until they are translucent. When the onions are translucent, add 4 more tablespoons of butter to the saucepan to melt. Once melted, begin sprinkling in the flour a little bit at a time.
5. Whisk the flour into the butter into all of the butter is absorbed, it should have a creamy texture- along with the texture of onion. Slowly whisk in the milk or cream. If the mixture becomes too thick, add in a little bit of the reserved cooking water.
6. BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE: Scoop the cooled squash out of the shell with a spoon, and add it to a blender. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water as well. Blend on high for 1 minute until a semi-thick puree is formed. Pour the butternut squash puree into the milk mixture.
7. Start to add in the cheese, a little bit at a time. Mix well using a sturdy spoon. Once all of the cheeses are added, add all of the seasonings and mix them in well. Remove cheese mixture from the heat.
8. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray and 9x11 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour your pasta shells into the baking dish, and add the crab meat. Combine the crab meat with the pasta until evenly distributed.
9. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and crab, and combine well. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, and sauce will continue to thicken.

Notes

Butternut squash can be omitted, but it adds an amazing creamy texture to the finished mac n' cheese, so it is highly recommended.

Use more or less crab if desired.

Cooking times may vary based off of oven settings. Mac n' cheese is done when the top is golden brown. Sauce will thicken once it sits for a bit.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 614Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 1585mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 28g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators.

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