Favorite Crawfish Mac and Cheese

A wooden spoon scooping out the crawfish mac and cheese from the baking dish with string cheese pulling from the spoon.

Enjoy a Cajun take on everyone’s most beloved creamy, indulgent pasta dish with this favorite crawfish mac and cheese! Tender crawfish is tucked into delicate pasta with the most decadent cheese sauce to make the ultimate crowd-pleasing meal. When only Cajun comfort food will do, you’ll devour every bite of this savory, spicy Southern mac and cheese.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Cajun and Creole

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 1138kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

Large pot
Strainer
Cheese grater
12-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

1 pound dried elbow macaroni
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon salted butter divided
½ cup panko crumbs
4 garlic cloves minced or grated
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream room temperature
2 cups whole milk room temperature
1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups cheddar cheese divided
2 cups Gouda cheese divided
2 cups Gruyère cheese divided
2 cups crawfish tails
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Hot sauce for garnish, optional

Instructions

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni two minutes less than what the package directions dictate. Drain and reserve in a large mixing bowl.
While the water boils and the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko crumbs and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring every so often, until the panko crumbs turn golden brown. Remove from heat and reserve.
Melt the remaining ½ cup butter in the pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk constantly for about three minutes.
Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to create a smooth mixture. Season with Cajun seasoning and Dijon mustard. Start with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and add more to taste. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Do not boil as that can cause the milk to separate and leave you with a grainy sauce.
Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 cup cheddar, 1 cup Gouda and 1 cup Gruyère until the cheese melts and becomes one cohesive mixture.
Add the macaroni and crawfish to the pot with the cheese sauce. Stir to coat.
Pour half the mac and cheese into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Layer half the remaining cheese on top. Pour the rest of the macaroni on the cheese layer and top with the last of the cheese. Sprinkle the browned panko crumbs on top.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley, hot sauce and more Cajun seasoning. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Make-ahead directions: Rinse the macaroni with cold water after cooking. Store the pasta, cheese sauce, crawfish and shredded cheese components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you're ready to assemble, pop the cheese sauce in the microwave to make it a liquid consistency again and maybe add a splash of milk — it doesn't need to be hot, just warm enough so that you can stir it. Now assemble as directed right before baking and then bake. You might need an extra five or 10 minutes, just look for those bubbly edges.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for three to four days. You can reheat in the microwave. Feel free to add a little additional milk or cream.
Let the milk and heavy cream sit at room temperature. If the liquid is too cold, the roux can seize. Set the two at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking or give them a quick 1-minute trip to the microwave.
Shred the cheese yourself for the creamiest texture.
For 2 cups of grated cheese, you'll need about 8 ounces of each cheese.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition