Creamy baked mac and cheese gets a seafood upgrade with tender shrimp, white cheddar, fontina, and a crisp panko topping.

Watch Me Make It

Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs (700 g) medium raw shrimp (25–30 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed
• ¾ tsp (4 mL) salt, divided
• ½ tsp (2 mL) ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, divided
• 6 tbsp (90 mL) dry sherry, divided
• ¼ cup (50 mL) flour
• 3½ cups (875 mL) milk, divided
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp (2 mL) cayenne pepper
• 8 oz (250 g) uncooked mezzi rigatoni pasta
• 6 oz (175 g) sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 4 oz (125 g) fontina cheese, shredded
• ⅔ cup (150 mL) panko bread crumbs
• ¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Season the shrimp with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in an oven-safe pan over medium heat. Cook the shrimp about 2–3 minutes, turning once, just until pink and cooked through. Add 2 tablespoons sherry, cook 30 seconds, then remove the shrimp.
2. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In the same pan, whisk the remaining butter with the flour for 1–2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of milk until smooth, then add the remaining milk, Dijon, cayenne, and remaining salt. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking often, then remove from the heat.
3. Stir in the uncooked pasta, 1 cup of the cheddar, and all of the fontina. Cover and bake 30–35 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring gently once halfway through.
4. Mix the panko, parsley, and remaining cheddar in a small bowl.
5. Stir the cooked shrimp and remaining sherry into the pasta. Sprinkle with the panko mixture. Broil 2–4 inches from the heat for 2–3 minutes, until golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Shrimp Cooks FAST

Shrimp is one of those foods where walking away for ‘just a minute’ can come back to haunt you. It cooks incredibly quickly. Watch for it to turn opaque and pink and curl into a loose C-shape. If it curls into a tight little O, you’ve probably gone farther than you wanted.

For this recipe especially, remember that the shrimp goes back into the hot mac and cheese and under the broiler, so don’t overcook it during that first step.

Laura’s Tip

Have everything else ready before the shrimp hits the pan. This is not the time to suddenly remember you still need to shred the cheese.

Yield & Nutrition

Yield: 10 servings

Per serving: 390 calories; 19 g fat; 11 g saturated fat; 140 mg cholesterol; 970 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 23 g protein.