This bacon and crab mac and cheese is simplified gourmet! Crab meat, bacon and three kinds of cheese make for a creamy and extra delicious mac and cheese!
My mom served a lot of “mangia” when I was a kid. You might know this as “stew”. No matter what your name is for this type of dish, I call it “blah”.
There was nothing more disappointing than asking mom what was for dinner only to find out it was “mangia”. She made this for dinner because it was economical.
She would scour the grocery store for discounted meat, which would be combined with veggies and lots of broth. The biggest problem with discounted meat was how chewy it was.
I remember chewing the same piece of meat for a good 10-15 minutes. What was worse is I knew we’d be eating this same meal for leftovers the next night. It was a no-win situation for me.
My kids have no idea how lucky they are. I might serve up this chicken stew or even a hearty beef soup, but none of this compares to the food I grew up with! Most often, my family is served dishes like this rich, and creamy mac and cheese for dinner.
Again, my kids have no idea how fortunate they are when it comes to dinner!
How To Make Bacon and Crab Mac and Cheese?
STEP ONE – In a large skillet, brown bacon and onions. Stir in crab meat until heated through. Remove from heat. and set aside.
STEP TWO – Prepare pasta according to package directions, seasoning pasta with salt.
STEP THREE – In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add flour with a whisk and cook for one minute. Slowly add milk, whisking until smooth. Let milk come to a slow bubble, then add cubed cream cheese and stir until melted and mixture is creamy and smooth. Add shredded cheeses and continue to stir. Add Dijon mustard and pepper.
STEP FOUR – When pasta is ready, drain and add to cheese mixture. Stir in crab and bacon. Pour mixture into a greased baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together butter, Panko bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over pasta. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Should I Use Fresh Or Canned Crab Meat?
Fresh is always best but it can be a little more costly. Therefore, I say go with what your budget allows!
The only thing I need to note when it comes to crab is make sure you go through the crab meat before you add it to your pasta. Sometimes there will be shell or claw pieces in with the crab.
What Kind of Cheese Should I Use For This Mac and Cheese Recipe?
For this recipe, I used a little cream cheese (for an extra rich, creamy texture) and a combination of Gruyere and Gouda. Both of those cheese melts really nicely and are very creamy. However, they tend to be on the costlier side.
Feel free to substitute white cheddar, Monterey jack cheese, Swiss chees or Mozzarella. Ideally, use a combination of two if possible.
Can You Reheat Crab Mac And Cheese?
If you have leftover mac and cheese, cover the leftovers completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can reheat the past in individual portions in the microwave, or you can place the baking dish in a 350-degree oven and bake for about 20-230 minutes until heated through. Make sure you cover your casserole dish with foil
You can add a drizzle of milk over your mac and cheese to revive the cheese sauce and keep your mac and cheese creamy.
Can You Freeze Crab Mac and Cheese
Yes you can! Prepare the recipe as listed, but do not bake the mac and cheese. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and foil (I like to double wrap to keep things from getting freezer burn) and then freeze for up to 1 month.
Allow the pasta to come to room temperature while the oven preheats. Then bake the dish as directed.
What Goes With Crab Mac and Cheese?
This dish is a powerhouse of flavor, so your sides can be simple. Serve up a BLT Salad, Kale Salad, or a Spinach Salad,
Check out these other great mac and cheese recipes:
- Cajun Shrimp Mac and Cheese
- Crab and Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Buttermilk Ranch Mac and Cheese
- Mexican Mac and Cheese
Easy mac and cheese recipe that your family will love! This lobster mac and cheese has lobster meat and pasta coated in the luxuriously creamy cheese sauce! This pasta dish easy and elegant! A homemade mac and cheese recipe is great to have in your back pocket as everyone loves mac and cheese! Mac and cheese is great to take to BBQ’s, potlucks, school events, or just to have for an evening at home! This Mexican mac and cheese is filled with chicken and veggies. Each bite will fill your mouth with a lusciously creamy and cheesy sauce! This creamy homemade mac and cheese recipe has flavors similar to the Greek classic, spanakopita!Mac and Cheese Recipes
Lobster Mac and Cheese
Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe
Mexican Mac and Cheese
Spanakopita Mac and Cheese
Crab and Bacon Mac and Cheese
This crab and bacon mac and cheese is simplified gourmet! Crab meat, bacon and three kinds of cheese make for a creamy and extra delicious mac and cheese!
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 8oz cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups shredded Gouda
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- pepper
- 1 8 oz container lump crab meat
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown bacon. Remove, add onion to grease and cook until soft. Pick through crab meat removing any shells and add to onion. Sautee crab and onions until heated through. Remove from heat. and set aside.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions, seasoning pasta with salt.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add flour with a whisk and cook for one minute. Slowly add milk, whisking until smooth. Let milk come to a slow bubble, then add cubed cream cheese and stir until melted and mixture is creamy and smooth. Add shredded cheeses and continue to stir. Add Dijon mustard and pepper.
- When pasta is ready, drain and add to cheese mixture. Stir in crab and bacon. Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons melted butter, panko and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over pasta. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Amount Per Serving Calories 556Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 132mgSodium 826mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 27g
Kari@Loaves n dishes says
What a decadent mac & cheese. If you have more leftovers please send them my way!
Lemonsforlulu says
Kari, I wish I had some to send along with you, but we devoured this!
ChgoJohn says
Your choice of cheeses for this mac & cheese dish is awfully good on its own, Tanya, and adding bacon would have made most people very happy. Tossing some crabmeat into the mix, though, takes this to a completely different level. I have to agree with Kari above, this is one decadent mac & cheese — and I never, ever thought that mac & cheese could be considered decadent. 🙂
Lemonsforlulu says
It’s not just for kids any more John! Or maybe it’s for kids with sophisticated palettes??
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
Love the crab in this mac and cheese! And all of the cheese. . .the cheesier the better!
Lemonsforlulu says
I totally agree Jessica!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
OMG Crab and Gruyere. We really are long-lost twins! 🙂
Lemonsforlulu says
Your favs too? You bring the Amaretto fudge and I’ll bring this mac and cheese!
Claire @ A Little Claireification says
Holy. Cow. I love making different mac & cheese combos. This looks DELISH!!! Thanks and I pinned it. 🙂
Lemonsforlulu says
Thanks Claire!
Shiloh Barkley says
Lol! I love Mac n cheese.i have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to it now, and just wasted a bunch of cheese on a recipe from Country Cook. It was awful! Noodles swimming in grease. Also I thought mangia meant, “eat.” As in, ” you, eat. Now.” Mario Batali says it all the time.
Lemonsforlulu says
You might be right about mangia! All I know is what my mom called dinners from my childhood! I’d rather eat Marios’ mangia! I need a mac and cheese Pinterest board!
Simplee Sue says
I totally, luv mac ‘n cheese and with bacon and crab. This looks and sounds heavenly.
We may have met by chance…but we become friends by choice.
https://simpleesue.com/make-one-new-recipe-a-week-french-onion-soup-grilled-cheese-sandwich
Lemonsforlulu says
Thanks Sue! I LOVED this dish!
lawstudentcook says
This looks delightful. The combination of flavors to make this Mac&Cheese seem so perfect.
I also want to invite you to join a roundup at my blog called Pantry Party. Basically, dishes that utilize ingredients found in the pantry are shared together and this month’s theme is pasta. I’d love if you shared either this dish or another!
https://lawstudentscookbook.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/pantry-party-february-2013-announcement/
Lemonsforlulu says
Love to link up, thanks for the invite!
Michelle says
This crab and bacon combo rocks! Pinning b/c I must try–I adore crab.
Lemonsforlulu says
Thanks Michelle! It was a pretty darn good mac and cheese!
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says
I know exactly what you mean about cheap chewy meat! our Mom’s must have shopped at the same stores. Ha ha This mac and cheese sounds heavenly! I am off to check out your other combinations! I found you on Crumbs and Chaos Linky Party!
Lemonsforlulu says
Welcome Chandra! I’m glad I’m not the only one who had to endure chewy meat! I’m off to check out Plaid and Paisley Kitchen!
ro says
Your crab mac and cheese sound and look so delish, I will try it during Lent. Thank you.
Elizabeth says
Every ingredient in that list is delicious in its own right… combining them all together is divine!
Lemonsforlulu says
Thanks Elizabeth! I thought so too!
Christine says
Gosh that looks DIVINE!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for partying at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality! Can’t wait to see what you link up tomorrow evening!!
Lemonsforlulu says
Thank you Christine!
Desi says
Oh Tanya I love your stories!! You are so good at telling a story, I felt like I was right there eating that chewy meat and “mangia”. But I would soooo rather have this crab and bacon mac and cheese! Are you kidding me?? Crab AND bacon in mac and cheese… it’s pretty much pasta perfection. The best possible way to eat mac and cheese! I’d say your kids have it GREAT!!! 🙂 Pinning this!
Lemonsforlulu says
Awe, thanks Desi. At least I know what person reads my stories! This was some seriously good mac and cheese!
Shauna {The Best Blog Recipes} says
Thanks for sharing this link at last weekends link party! Just pinned this to my Link Party Recipe Board 🙂
Hope you have a great weekend!
Lemonsforlulu says
Thanks Shauna!
JJ says
WOW! This was amazing! Instead of pepper I used Old Bay and instead of regular shells, I used Pappardelle’s Pasta Old Bay Shells. Unbelievably decadent and, for me, a little taste of home (Eastern Shore of MD)!
Lemonsforlulu says
I’m so happy to hear this!!! I never thought about using Old Bay, but it is the perfect spice!
Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says
Uck. I don’t like mangia either 🙁 But this mac & cheese? This I LOVE!!!!
Lemonsforlulu says
Thanks Cathy!
jacquie says
Hi there. Making this tonight. Almost done and I realized it doesn’t tell me when to add the panko and parmesan?
Lemonsforlulu says
Right before baking. Then drizzle on the butter.
Hilda says
Missing direction for Panko
Lemonsforlulu says
All fixed! Thanks Hilda!
Nancy McCullough says
The nutrient sheet says PER SERVING ~~ 4,999 CALORIES!!! What the what???
Tanya Schroeder says
Ha, that would be bad! That has been corrected.