Crawfish Mac & Cheese Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 1 lb conchiglie and cook until al dente (about 9-11 minutes, check package). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Sauté sausage

While pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 oz sliced jalapeño cheddar sausage and cook until browned and slightly crisp, 4-5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.

Sauté crawfish

In the same skillet, add the minced garlic (2 tsp) and chopped shallot (2 tbsp). Sauté 30-45 seconds until fragrant. Add thawed crawfish tails (12 oz) and cook 2-3 minutes until warmed through. Stir in cayenne pepper (1 tsp) and lemon juice (1 tbsp). Remove from heat and fold in cooked sausage. Keep warm.

Make roux

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter. Add 4 tbsp all-purpose flour and whisk constantly for 1.5-2 minutes until the raw flour smell cooks off and the roux becomes lightly golden.

Add dairy

Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream, a bit at a time, until smooth. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer while whisking, and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.

Season and melt cheese

Reduce heat to low. Whisk in 2 oz room-temperature cream cheese until smooth. Stir in 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Add 3 cups grated aged sharp cheddar and 1 cup small sharp cheddar in handfuls, stirring after each addition until fully melted and smooth. If sauce is too thick, thin with reserved pasta water, 1-2 tbsp at a time, to reach a silky, pourable consistency.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or similar.

Combine drained pasta and the cheese sauce in a large bowl or in the pot used to cook pasta. Fold in the warm crawfish and sausage mixture until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce as desired. If the mixture seems dry, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water.

Transfer the mac & cheese to the prepared baking dish, spreading into an even layer.

Prepare breadcrumb topping

In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp panko, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, and 1 tbsp melted butter. Mix until crumbs are moistened and resemble wet sand.

Sprinkle the panko-Parmesan mixture evenly over the mac & cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes until bubbling and the topping is golden.

Remove from oven and immediately scatter 1 cup crispy fried onions across the top so they stay crisp. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped chives or parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over individual portions.