Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this decadent Baked Shrimp Mac and Cheese. Creamy, cheesy pasta loaded with juicy shrimp and a crispy breadcrumb topping, this dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 16 ounces cavatappi pasta
Cheese Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups half and half
- 12 ounces (about 3 cups) shredded gruyere cheese
- 12 ounces (about 3 cups) shredded white cheddar cheese
Shrimp Topping:
- 2 pounds medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
- Cook Pasta: Cook pasta until slightly less than al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make Cheese Sauce: In a Dutch oven, melt butter and add spices. Whisk in flour, then half and half. Simmer until thickened.
- Add Cheese and Shrimp: Mix in half of the cheese, then add shrimp and pasta. Transfer to baking dish.
- Prepare Topping: Melt butter, mix with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle over dish.
- Bake: Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
- Serve: Let it rest for 10 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Notes
- You can adjust the level of cayenne pepper to suit your spice preference.
- For extra flavor, consider adding cooked bacon or lobster to the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 573 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 809mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 209mg
