Alaska

King Crab Mac and Cheese

Celebrate Alaska's most prized seafood with this decadent king crab mac and cheese. Sweet, succulent crab meat meets a rich gruyere and white cheddar sauce with hints of fresh dill, creating a dish worthy of the Last Frontier's legendary bounty.

⏱50 min 🍴Serves 6 Medium

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Cook the shell pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Carefully pick through the king crab meat to remove any shell fragments while keeping the meat in large chunks.
  3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Slowly pour in milk and heavy cream while whisking. Cook until sauce thickens, about 6-8 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in gruyere and white cheddar until melted and smooth. Add lemon zest, white pepper, and salt.
  6. Gently fold in the cooked pasta and half of the crab meat, being careful not to break up the crab chunks.
  7. Transfer to a serving dish and top with remaining crab meat and fresh dill.
  8. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.

Pro Tips

  • Use fresh Alaskan king crab when possible - the sweet flavor is unmatched. Frozen crab legs thawed properly work well too.
  • Shell pasta holds the creamy sauce and crab pieces better than elbow macaroni for this recipe.
  • Add the crab at the end to prevent overcooking and keep those beautiful chunks intact.
  • A splash of dry white wine in the cheese sauce adds elegant depth to complement the crab.