A pound of pasta is not needed here: eight ounces of small shells carry twelve ounces of cooked lump crab through a milk and cream sauce seasoned with Dijon and melted Monterey Jack.
Instead of more cheese on top, the casserole gets a crust of panko tossed in melted butter, which bakes golden and crisp.
How to Make It
Oven heated, shells cooked a little short
Heat the oven to 375°F. Cook the shell pasta just shy of al dente and drain.
Butter-flour sauce with milk and cream
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then gradually add the milk and cream. Simmer gently until thickened.
Dijon and cheese stirred in, pasta and crab folded through
Stir in the Dijon, salt, black pepper and Monterey Jack until smooth, then fold in the pasta and crab.
Into the dish under buttered panko
Transfer to a baking dish. Melt the remaining butter, toss it with the panko and scatter the crumbs over the casserole.
Baked until bubbling and golden, parsley
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling with a golden crust, and finish with parsley.
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked lump crab meat
- Twelve ounces, picked over for shell. Crab is a shellfish allergen.
- Small shell pasta
- Eight ounces, cooked a little short so it finishes in the oven.
- Monterey Jack
- A cup, melted into the sauce rather than sprinkled on top.
The Order Things Go In
First
8 oz small shells
Cooked just shy of al dente and drained.
Sauce base
2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup cream
Whisked and simmered until thickened.
Off the heat
Dijon, salt, pepper and 1 cup Monterey Jack
Stirred until smooth.
Last in the sauce
The shells and 12 oz lump crab
Folded gently to keep the crab in pieces.
On top
3/4 cup panko tossed with 1 tbsp melted butter
Baked 20 to 25 minutes until golden.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking the shells just shy of al dente leaves them room to soften in the sauce.
- A roux-based sauce stays smooth and creamy through the bake.
- Folding the crab in last keeps the lump pieces from breaking apart.
- Buttered panko browns evenly and gives contrast to the soft pasta.
Success Tips
- Fold the crab in gently with a spatula to keep the lumps whole.
- Toss the panko well in the butter so no dry crumbs remain.
- Let the casserole stand a few minutes before serving so the sauce settles.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat until steaming hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the crab real?
Yes. The casserole uses cooked lump crab meat.
Is the top covered in cheese?
No. The cheese is in the sauce; the top is a buttered panko crust.
Serving Ideas
Spoon squares from the dish onto plates so the golden crust sits over the creamy crab and shells, with parsley on top.
