Baked Caribbean Style Seafood Mac and Cheese
This Caribbean style seafood mac and cheese recipe will take your regular mac and cheese to a whole new level. Made with crab and shrimps.
Ingredients
For the macaroni
- 16 oz Elbow macaroni
- 8 oz Lump crab meat
Seasoning for shrimps:
- 1 lb Shrimps cleaned and deveined
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
For the cheese sauce
- 8 oz Cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 2 medium Pimento peppers sliced thinly
- 2 & 1/2 cups Whole milk at room temperature
- 1 & 1/2 cups Gouda or gruyère cheese grated
- 1/2 cup Grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Ground cayenne powder
- 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Dried basil
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni until al dente. Set aside.
- In a bowl add the shrimps and the seasonings. Mix everything together.
- Place a skillet/pan over medium heat. When it is warm, melt the butter then cook the shrimps for 3-5 minutes on each sides. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and cook the pimento peppers then stir in the flour. Let it cook for at least 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in the milk then add the fresh thyme and let that simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the seasonings along with the cheese :parmesan, cream cheese and 1 cup gouda/gruyère.
- Stir everything together and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Making sure to stir regularly.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/375°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cheese sauce, crab meat and shrimps. Add everything to a greased baking dish then sprinkle the 1/2 cup gouda/gruyère cheese on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes then broil for 5-7 minutes on 200°C/400°F.