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Treat yourself to this ultra-satisfying, creamy pasta packed with three tasty seafoods and melty cheese. Big bites of shrimp, crab, and crawfish make every meal feel like something special. This bubbling cheesy dish goes fast every time I make it.
I whipped this up for a family birthday one night. The pan was wiped clean before anyone went home. Now everyone at the table asks for it when their birthday rolls around!
Luscious Ingredients
- Colby Jack Shredded Cheese: Melts beautifully for a tasty top, but swap in any cheese you love Go ahead and use a couple types if you want extra flavor
- Butter: Stick to real butter for rich taste It amps up the sauce and gives the seafood its shine
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Makes your cheese sauce extra creamy Grab the good stuff if you can for a silky finish
- Crawfish Tails: Find thawed, cooked tails and rinse them off for the freshest bite
- Lump Crab Meat: Check for bits of shell and stick to real crab for best taste Deli or canned works—skip the fake kind
- Jumbo Shrimp: Go for ones that are just thawed or super fresh They should smell sweet, not fishy
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Adds a boost of thick, rich flavor Use a brand you love for a tasty sauce base
- Kinder’s Seafood Blend: A handy spice mix to punch up everything seafood
- Velveeta Cheese: Cube it up so it melts fast Trust me, it makes the sauce crazy creamy or mix in a cheese you like for a little tang
- Macaroni noodles: The classic shape cooks up sturdy and holds all that cheese Just make sure they’re a tiny bit firm
- Black Pepper: Fresh ground adds a warm bite
- Cajun Seasoning: Something like Slap Ya Mama is what you want Add more or less to fit your mood
- Garlic Powder: Packs in lots of big flavor Use granulated for the most even sprinkle
- Accent: A little dash really wakes up all the flavors in the pan Don’t go overboard
Simple How-To
- Bake:
- Pop the pan into your oven at three-fifty. Don’t cover it. In ten to fifteen minutes you’ll see the cheese gets bubbly and the top’s a gorgeous golden brown
- Layer and Assemble:
- Spoon half the cheese sauce onto the pasta and mix so it coats every noodle Toss in some shredded cheese and combine again. Scatter the crawfish and crab over that, then add the shrimp. Pour on the rest of your sauce and top with lots more cheese. Sprinkle parsley and a few crawfish tails if you want to get fancy
- Cook the Shrimp:
- Give the shrimp plenty of seasoning then cook them quick in a pan or air fryer. They’ll curl up and turn pink in just about four minutes Don’t let them get tough
- Warm the Crab:
- If the pan’s dry, add a dab more butter. Gently stir in the crab, season lightly with either seafood or Cajun spice, and cook till just warmed through
- Sauté the Crawfish:
- Melt butter in your saucepan, drop in the crawfish, toss with your seafood spice and warm ‘em for a couple minutes. Take care—they get rubbery if you cook them long
- Boil the Pasta:
- Boil the macaroni in salted water until barely done—about nine minutes. Drain them really well and lay them out evenly in a big baking pan
- Make the Cheese Sauce:
- Start with cream and chicken soup in a saucepan, add your cubed Velveeta. Stir on low so it doesn’t burn. Keep stirring till smooth and creamy. Next, toss in Cajun and seafood spices, garlic powder, Accent, and black pepper. Make sure it’s all combined and velvety
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Crawfish is my secret to getting folks to grin about this dish. My little cousin once pointed at the crawfish and called them baby lobsters—now that’s what our whole family calls them every time we make this meal.
Keep It Fresh
Leftovers? Pop them into a sealed container and stash in the fridge for up to three days. Warm up slowly in the oven with foil on top or use the microwave for quick bursts. Stir in a splash of cream if it looks a bit dry after warming.
Swap Ideas
Use something like penne or shells if you’re out of macaroni. No crawfish? Try lobster or stick to all shrimp. Can’t find Colby Jack? Monterey Jack, cheddar, or fontina are great. Toss in a pinch of smoked paprika for a deeper, smoky kick in your sauce if you’d like.
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Serving Tips
Spoon this straight from the oven, add a squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle fresh parsley if you like. Throw a simple salad and slices of garlic bread on the side. Bitter greens like arugula or baby kale balance out the richness perfectly.
Backstory and Traditions
This creamy seafood and pasta mashup pulls from Southern kitchen traditions and the party flavors of Gulf Coast seafood boils. It’s the kind of dish you’d find for both big holiday dinners or just casual Sundays. That mix of celebration and comfort keeps this at the heart of my family get-togethers from Mardi Gras all the way to end-of-week treats.
FAQs About the Recipe
- → Is it best to use fresh seafood for this?
Thawed frozen seafood does the trick here. Make sure you dry it off really well first so you don't end up with soggy pasta.
- → Which pasta shapes can swap in?
Shells or penne are awesome for grabbing that sauce, but classic elbow macaroni totally works too.
- → Will this dish get really spicy?
All the heat comes from the Cajun seasoning. Put in less or go for a mild version if you don't want extra kick.
- → Do I have to stick with certain cheeses?
Nope! Go for cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella if you like. Use or skip Velvetta—it's up to you.
- → How do I keep everything from turning rubbery?
Sear the shrimp, crab, and crawfish in a hot pan for a quick minute, just till they're warmed up. Overcooking, especially the shrimp, makes it tough.