Description
These Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites are a decadent and delicious appetizer perfect for parties or special occasions. Made with tender elbow pasta, rich cheese sauce featuring gouda and cheddar, and succulent lobster meat, these bite-sized treats are baked to golden perfection with a crispy breadcrumb topping and garnished with fresh chives.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 oz. elbow pasta
- 4 oz. cooked lobster meat, finely chopped
- 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 3 oz. gouda, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 3 oz. mild cheddar, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter, divided
- 2 Tbsp. plain bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin thoroughly with cooking spray to ensure the mac and cheese bites don’t stick.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow pasta until very al dente, about 5 to 6 minutes. Since the pasta will bake further in the oven, it should still be slightly undercooked. Drain and set aside.
- Make the Cheese Sauce Base: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the finely chopped shallot and coarsely chopped garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the shallots become translucent, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook until the mixture turns light brown and bubbly, approximately 1 minute.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Reduce the heat to medium-low, then gradually add the heavy cream, stirring constantly. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the softened cream cheese, shredded gouda, and mild cheddar until completely melted and smooth. Season the cheese sauce with kosher salt to taste.
- Combine Lobster and Pasta: Gently fold the finely chopped lobster meat and cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, mixing carefully to evenly combine.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Topping: In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter. Add the bread crumbs and stir continuously until they are combined with the butter and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the Bites: Using two small spoons or a small cookie scoop, evenly divide the lobster mac and cheese mixture into the prepared mini muffin tin cups. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumb mixture evenly over the tops of each bite.
- Bake and Garnish: Bake in the preheated oven until the bites are golden brown and bubbly on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with thinly sliced fresh chives and freshly ground black pepper to taste before serving.
Notes
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta when boiling, as it will continue cooking during baking.
- You can substitute the lobster with cooked crab meat or shrimp for different variations.
- Using a mini muffin tin helps create perfectly portioned bite-sized servings.
- Allow the bites to cool slightly before removing from the muffin tin to keep them intact.
- If desired, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika to the cheese sauce for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite (approx. 1/24 of recipe)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
