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Tips for adding shrimp to Mac and cheese?

Posted on 12/23/25 at 9:07 am
Posted by meeple
Carcassonne
Member since May 2011
10848 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 9:07 am
I’m using Meridiandog’s Mac and cheese recipe, and looking to add shrimp to half of it. The other half I’m adding bbq pork on top (this went over well last year).

Any tips for adding shrimp? On top, mixed in, with or without bread crumbs, how to pre-cook the shrimp, etc?
This post was edited on 12/23/25 at 9:08 am
Posted by SUB
Silver Tier TD Premium
Member since Jan 2009
24811 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 10:06 am to
I wouldn't pre cook the shrimp.

Use small shrimp and use a shrimp / seafood stock if you can, when making your bechamel sauce, if your recipe calls for that. Taste and season your sauce to your liking. Mix shrimp in for the last 10 minutes of the bake. Don't top with shredded cheese until you mix in the shrimp.
Posted by OysterPoBoy
City of St. George
Member since Jul 2013
43140 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 10:33 am to
quote:

adding shrimp to Mac and cheese


Posted by CHEDBALLZ
South Central LA
Member since Dec 2009
23103 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 10:42 am to
Fresh shrimp give off a lot of juice so be careful with that. I would cook them in my sauce and add the noodles in. I dont typically bake my macaroni, I like mine a lil juicy.
Posted by SpotCheckBilly
Member since May 2020
8277 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 11:02 am to
Never done it, but I think I would make the mac and cheese. Sauté the shrimp in butter and a little garlic. Then mix the two together.
Posted by BigDropper
Member since Jul 2009
8417 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 11:58 am to
Cook the shrimp before adding to cooked macaroni & cheese so they have their own flavor. This can be achieved through various cooking methods using different flavorings. There's really no wrong way to do it. Just depends on your desired end result. I've added boiled shrimp that I cut into smaller pieces with good results. N.O. style BBQ shrimp is another good option. Of course you can always sautee with your favorite cajun/ creole seasoning.

For breadcrumbs, you can't go wrong with Calabrian mollica.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil (or a mix of oil and butter)
? cup panko breadcrumbs
2-3 anchovy fillets, or more to taste
1 tbsp chopped jarred Calabrian chilies or paste
1 clove minced garlic
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a small nonstick pan over medium heat.
Add the breadcrumbs and stir to coat.
Add the chopped Calabrian chilies, anchovies, and garlic, cooking and stirring constantly until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the garlic is fragrant (about 5 minutes).
Immediately transfer to a bowl to prevent burning and season with salt.

Posted by jmh5724
Member since Jan 2012
2668 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 12:38 pm to
Just make a fettuccine
Posted by Germantiger001
Southeast LA
Member since Jun 2016
1129 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 4:34 pm to
Yes pre-cook. Yes stir in. Yes top with breadcrumbs
Posted by kayjay
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
442 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 7:40 pm to
Have you tried this method before using raw shrimp?
Posted by SUB
Silver Tier TD Premium
Member since Jan 2009
24811 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 11:29 pm to
quote:

Have you tried this method before using raw shrimp?


No. Just speaking from experience with other similar dishes.
Posted by tonydtigr
Beautiful Downtown Glenn Springs,Tx
Member since Nov 2011
6443 posts
Posted on 12/23/25 at 11:59 pm to
quote:


Use small shrimp and use a shrimp / seafood stock if you can, when making your bechamel sauce,


If you use milk or cream, it's a Béchamel sauce. Once you introduce stock, it becomes a Veloute sauce.

I would sauté or boil the shrimp first and introduce them into the mac and cheese prior to baking.
This post was edited on 12/24/25 at 12:11 am
Posted by ThreeBonesCater
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2014
591 posts
Posted on 12/24/25 at 8:11 am to
Boudreaux's served Shrimp Mac at my sister's wedding last month. It was fantastic. I've never made it but would sautee cleaned shrimp in butter before adding to the mac and baking it off.

I have made Lobster Mac, also delicious. This is a whole different process though.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
23425 posts
Posted on 12/24/25 at 9:20 am to
As said, really no reason to think of this any different than a shrimp fettuccine with different noodles.

I was just in Italy and while I knew this, when you are there you realize that the Italians have a sauce or a dish and then use the best pasta for that. They can be extremely firm on which pasta to use.

Really all you want OP is three parts to this dish:
Cheese sauce
Shrimp
Noodle

I am not one that likes baked Mac n cheese either, so I’d personally make it like I said as cheese sauce (basically a béchamel as pointed out) that compliments shrimp and then add the noodles like you would a fettuccini.
Posted by geauxpurple
New Orleans
Member since Jul 2014
16612 posts
Posted on 12/24/25 at 10:19 am to
The worst thing you can do with this is overcook the shrimp, Put the shrimp in raw during the last few minutes.
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