The perfect bite to start any party is one made of mac and cheese and lobster. A combination of heavy cream, sharp cheddar, and nutty gouda cheese combined with sweet shallots and garlic are a simple canvas for both pasta and lobster. My favorite part about these mini bites are how crispy the exterior gets, plus the addition of black pepper on top, which makes them pop.
Variations:
—If you prefer one cheese over the other, feel free to substitute. You can also add mozzarella in place of one of the cheeses for additional gooeyness.
—Adding paprika to the bites will give these a little smokey edge, which I personally love.
—Make these bites a little fancier and add fresh tarragon to the mixture, which complements lobster nicely.
Recipe Tips:
—Nonstick pans matter: It’s difficult to make these mini bites without using a nonstick pan. For extra insurance, you can grease the pan with cooking spray too.
—Undercook the pasta: Cook elbows just a little under al dente so they don’t turn to mush in the oven. The pasta will absorb the creamy liquid and continue to cook.
Serving Ideas:
—Aioli: If you’re in need of something super-creamy, dip these bites into a garlic-forward sauce.
—Ribeye Steak: For a surf 'n' turf meal, cook up a steak and serve these bites on the side.
—Cucumber Salad: Offset the richness of the mac and cheese with a refreshing and zingy zucchini salad.
Storage:
Allow the bites to cool and store in an airtight container. They'll be good for up to 2 days. Reheat the bites on a parchment-lined sheet tray at 350°.
Tried this recipe? Let us know in the comments below.
- Yields:
- 24
- Prep Time:
- 15 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr
Ingredients
Cooking spray
Kosher salt
- 6 oz.
elbow pasta
- 2 Tbsp.
plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter, divided
- 1
small shallot, finely chopped
- 2
cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp.
all-purpose flour
- 1 c.
heavy cream
- 3 oz.
cream cheese, softened
- 3 oz.
gouda, shredded (about 1 c.)
- 3 oz.
mild cheddar, shredded (about 1 c.)
- 4 oz.
cooked lobster meat, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp.
plain bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp.
thinly sliced chives
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a mini (24-cup) muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Step 2In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. The pasta is getting cooked again in the oven, so it should be undercooked at this point.
- Step 3Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Cook shallot and garlic, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, until light brown and bubbly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, add cream, and cook, stirring, until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes.
- Step 4Remove skillet from heat. Add cream cheese, gouda, and cheddar and stir until melted; season with salt. Fold in lobster and pasta.
- Step 5In a small skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter. Stir in bread crumbs until combined and fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Step 6Using 2 small spoons or a small cookie scoop, divide pasta mixture among prepared cups. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
- Step 7Bake lobster bites until golden brown and bubbly on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with chives; season with pepper.
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