Shrimp Macaroni & Cheese: A Tantalizing Comfort Food

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If you are a fan of comfort food, then be sure to add this dish to the top of your list! Shrimp Macaroni & Cheese, a delightful fusion of creamy, cheesy goodness and succulent shrimp, is a recipe that will undoubtedly satisfy your cravings.

Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese Ingredients

• Jumbo Shrimp
• Pasta
• Butter
• Flour
• Milk
• Gouda Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• Italian Bread Crumbs
• Fresh Garlic
• Cajun Spice Seasoning
• Salt & Pepper

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The combination of cheddar, gouda, and mozzarella cheese gives the macaroni a rich, creamy texture, while the butter and milk make it incredibly smooth. The use of Italian seasoned bread crumbs brings flavor and crunch. Lastly, the shrimp brings a unique twist to this classic dish, making it even more irresistible.

You may be thinking, seafood and cheese is a no, but this recipe will absolutely have you saying yes!

Why choose fresh ingredients?

While macaroni and cheese is an easy dish to master, choosing fresh ingredients is crucial. The higher quality of cheeses, the better the flavor, which is why I like the addition of gouda cheese. The type of pasta can also make a difference. I love cavatappi pasta for this recipe. It’s a great vessel as the ridges and surface area allows for the cheeses and sauce to really stick to pasta. As for the shrimp, make sure the shrimp is as fresh as you can get and is well-cleaned to ensure maximum flavor.

Preparing Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese

Even though there may be a lot of steps, this recipe is quite easy to prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Add salt to a large pot, and cook pasta a minute shy of al dente as instructed on the box.

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides and cook in a cast iron pan (or pan you prefer) over medium/high heat, about 2-3 minutes per side. You do not want to over cook the shrimp because it will continue to cook a little in the oven. Shrimp starts to curl the more it’s cook. A perfectly cooked shrimp is like the letter “C” and overcooked shrimp resembles the letter “O”. See my reference graphic on how to tell when shrimp is cooked. Once cooled, chop and set aside.

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Shred all the cheese and combine. Reserve 1 cup of the cheese mixture as this will be sprinkled over the dish before baking.

Using the pot you cooked the pasta in or in a dutch oven or cast iron pan, melt the butter and sauté the garlic over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk, one cup at a time, whisking continuously to avoid any lumps. Add the cajun spice seasoning, salt and pepper and mix until the sauce is smooth. Whisk in a 2 cups of mixed cheese until blended and melted. Then add another 2 cups of cheese, reserving 1 cup of cheese for the top. You don’t have to save cheese for the top, but I love the melty, cheesy, crunchy texture the top gets when it cooks.

Let’s pull this all together by incorporating the cooked pasta and the chopped shrimp. Mix with a large spoon or spatula to combine and dump into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Note: If using a cast iron pan, you can cook it directly in that pan in the oven. Garnish with the remaining cheese and the Italian bread crumbs and bake in the oven at 350ºF for about 10-15 minutes until bubbly, crusty and golden brown. If the top is not browned enough, put the baking dish under the broiler until you get the color you desire.

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Now let’s feast

Shrimp Macaroni & Cheese is an indulgent dish that will have you wanting seconds. The creamy and cheesy sauce combined with the pasta and succulent shrimp creates a mouthwatering fusion of flavor.

Additional comments and notes

• Pasta alternatives – medium shell pasta and elbow macaroni pasta would both work in this recipe.
• Don’t like shrimp? Swap the protein to chicken or ham. You could add vegetables like broccoli and mushrooms. Or omit them completely and enjoy just macaroni and cheese.
• Change up the cheeses if you’d like, as long as the cheese you use melts well. Avoid dry hard cheese.
• This recipe can be made ahead of time, bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes.
• You can freeze this macaroni and cheese. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator, then bake at 350º F for 20 minutes.

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Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese: A Tantalizing Comfort Food

If you're a fan of comfort food, then look no further. This Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese is a delightful fusion of succulent shrimp and creamy, cheesy deliciousness. A perfect indulgent comfort classic.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Equipment

• Oven
• 12" cast iron or 9×13 baking dish – I just love using a cast iron for everything!

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 pounds jumbo shrimp (shells off, deveined and tails removed) chopped
• 1 pound Cavatappi pasta
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups smoked gouda cheese shredded
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling add salt and pasta to the water. You want the pasta to cook just short of the recommended time on the box. About a minute less than al dente.
  1 pound Cavatappi pasta
• Salt and pepper your shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until the shrimp just turns opaque. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of your shrimp. You do not want to overcook the shrimp as it will continue to cook in the oven. Once cooled, chop and set aside.
  1.5 pounds jumbo shrimp (shells off, deveined and tails removed)
• Shred cheeses, mix together and set aside.
  2 cups smoked gouda cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 cups cheddar cheese
• Melt butter and garlic in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes.
  3 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp garlic
• Slowly add the milk and continue to whisk until incorporated and smooth. Add the spices and cook on medium heat until creamy.
  3 cups whole milk, 1 tsp cajun seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp pepper
• Whisk in 2 cups of mixed cheese until blended and melted. Add another 2 cups of cheese, reserving 1 cup of cheese for the top. Mix until melted and combined.
• Add in the cooked pasta and shrimp and stir to incorporate.
• Once combined pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Top with bread crumbs.
  ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• The macaroni and cheese goes into the oven for 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown, bubbling and delicious. If the top is not browning, put under the broiler until browned.

Notes

Elbow or shell pasta are great pasta alternatives.

Don’t like shrimp? Swap the protein to chicken or ham. You could add vegetables like broccoli and mushrooms. Or omit them completely and enjoy just macaroni and cheese.

You can use other cheeses as long as it is a melty cheese. Avoid dry hard cheeses.

This recipe can be made ahead of time, bake when you are ready to eat.

You can also freeze this macaroni and cheese.

Allow to thaw in the refrigerator and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Keyword Baked, Cheesy, Comfort food

If you made this recipe I would love to hear how it turned out. Feel free to share with me here or on my social media. @EmjaybeeDesign #EmjaybeeDesign

Here’s to flavorful recipes that inspire you to break out your creative side while you’re in the kitchen.

♥ Megan

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