30-Minute Crab Mac and Cheese

Oozing with cheese and crunchy breadcrumbs, 30-minute Crab Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food for chilly winter days!

This post is sponsored by Bob Evans. All opinions are 100% my own.

I have always been a mac and cheese lover. Whether it’s a store-bought ready-to-heat version or my guilty pleasure, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, it has always been one of my favorite comfort foods.

Adding in some delicious crab meat takes this particular mac and cheese recipe to the next level. Smothered in melted cheese and topped with crispy panko bread crumbs, Crab Mac and Cheese is sure to be a new family favorite!

CRAB MAC AND CHEESE
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This recipe is a hit in my house, but it is one of my favorites to make on busy school nights because it starts off with Bob Evans Mac and Cheese. No need to waste time cooking the pasta and melting all that cheese – Bob Evans does it all for you!

With some delicious add-ins to the pre-made mac and cheese, you’ve got yourself a great side dish or even full meal!

As the holidays are winding down, I often find myself in a bit of a recipe rut. We’ve spent the past few months hosting, traveling, and perfecting our favorite and most impressive recipes. It’s no wonder I spend almost every January pulling from my most simple recipes – I just don’t have the mental capacity for extravagant meals. After New Years, it’s almost a miracle that dinner finds it’s way onto the table every night in our house!

That’s the main reason why I adore this Crab Mac and Cheese recipe – it is SO SIMPLE. Most of the cooking is done for me by Bob Evans, it just takes a bit of mixing and 20-25 minutes in the oven and we’ve got a delicious, family-friendly meal.

Growing up, we used to vacation in Maine and let me tell you, there is nothing better than a fresh Maine lobster (we even went out on a lobster boat to catch our own once!). Whenever we go out to dinner and I see a lobster mac and cheese on the menu, I HAVE to order it. There’s something that is just so decadent about the combination of melty cheese and sweet lobster.

But, there’s a reason why I almost never make my own lobster mac and cheese at home – cooking lobster is SUCH an endeavor. Sometimes I crave that seafood and cheese combo though, and lump crab meat can be just as good but without the hassle of cooking lobsters!

My kids might not love crab meat all on its own, but boy do they love it when it’s mixed with pasta and cheese. I love that they get their favorite mac and cheese while also getting the added health benefits of eating seafood, all from an easy to make recipe. It’s a win-win-win situation.

Ingredients for Crab Mac and Cheese

For the Mac and Cheese you will need:

• 32 ounces Bob Evans Macaroni and Cheese
• ½ shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish if desired)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, divided

For the topping you will need:

• ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

This recipe makes about 4 servings. If you’re planning on serving a crowd (props to you after all the Christmas craziness), you can double it and throw it into a 4-quart casserole dish instead!

How to Make Crab Mac and Cheese

1. Start by preheating your oven to 375° F.
2. Grab your Bob Evans Macaroni and Cheese and cook it according to the directions on the package.
3. While the mac and cheese cooks, place a small skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet.
4. Cook shallots and garlic in the butter for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Make sure you’re stirring this mixture frequently – nobody wants charred garlic ruining their mac and cheese! Once cooked, remove from heat.
5. Pour the mac and cheese into a large mixing bowl. Add in the shallots, garlic, Parmesan cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Then, stir in about 12 ounces of crab meat (about 3/4 of the pound that the recipe calls for).
6. Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crab meat on top of the mac and cheese.
7. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs and melted butter until the bread crumbs are moistened. Now sprinkle the moistened bread crumbs evenly over the mac and cheese, making sure each inch is covered – the best part of this mac and cheese is the crunch!
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until mac and cheese is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
9. Carefully remove from the oven, sprinkle fresh parsley (and more Parmesan if you like – you can never have too much cheese) over the top, and serve warm.

I love this recipe so much because it comes out looking and tasting completely homemade, without all the effort of actually being homemade! Your family and friends will have no idea thanks to Bob Evans Mac and Cheese!!

Need more elevated side dishes? Check out these other Real Housemoms favorites!

• Cheesy Potato Casserole (another Bob Evans recipe!)
• Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
• Loaded Tater Tot Bites
• Cheesy Orzo
• Lightened Up Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese
• More SIDE DISH recipes…