Of the many ways one might elevate mac and cheese, we think the most luxe versions include lobster and truffle. This dish features a rich and creamy truffle-spiked sauce, made with three types of cheese and hearty chunks of butter-basted lobster. Plus, the whole thing is topped with crunchy panko—with even more truffle zest—and baked deliciously crisp and golden. Serve it sprinkled with chives for a special occasion, or, you know, a Tuesday!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
¼ ounce
Chives
½ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains Wheat)
2 g
Truffle Zest
6 ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains Wheat)
7 ounce
Lobster Tails
(Contains Shellfish)
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains Milk)
1 cup
White Cheddar Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1 cup
Italian Cheese Blend
(Contains Milk)
4 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1 unit
Seafood Stock Concentrate
(Contains Fish, Shellfish)
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
2 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. Thinly slice chives.
Melt 1 TBSP butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add panko and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Transfer panko to a small bowl; stir in half the truffle zest and set aside. Wipe out pan. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water, then drain. (Keep empty pot handy for Step 4.)
While pasta cooks, using kitchen shears, cut along underside of each lobster* shell, leaving meat intact and stopping at tail. Remove meat from shell by pressing down gently on either side of the shell to crack it. Discard shell. Halve tail lengthwise and discard large vein if present. Roughly chop lobster into ½-inch pieces.
Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan used for panko over medium-high heat. Add lobster pieces and cook until slightly opaque, 3-4 minutes. Add 1 TBSP butter to pan; once melted, spoon over lobster until meat is opaque and cooked through, 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate.
To pot used for pasta, add cream sauce base, stock concentrate, and ½ cup water; stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until gently bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in cheddar, Italian cheese blend, cream cheese, and remaining truffle zest until melted and thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir drained cavatappi and lobster into pot with cheese sauce. If pasta seems dry, add reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer mac and cheese to an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with panko; bake on top rack until browned and crisp, 3-5 minutes. Garnish with chives. Divide between plates or serve directly from baking dish.