--- title: "Meatless Fridays: Crab Mac & Cheese" description: Barb Szyszkiewicz shares a dish that could be prepared ahead and enjoyed on Friday night for dinner. Enjoy! image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/MeatlessFriday1.png ---                                           [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/10/04/meatless-fridays-crab-mac-cheese#) [MEATLESS FRIDAY](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/meatless-friday) # Meatless Fridays: Crab Mac & Cheese Oct 4, 2013 8:00:17 AM  |  by [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/MeatlessFriday1.png) [![Crab Mac & Cheese](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/crab-mac-n-cheese-550x366.jpg?width=550&height=366&name=crab-mac-n-cheese-550x366.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/crab-mac-n-cheese.jpg) Crab Mac & Cheese When there’s an autumn chill in the air, comfort food is in order. This Mac & Cheese dish sure beats the stuff in the box, and it’s quite easy to make. If you don’t have shell macaroni, use elbows, cavatappi, or any small pasta with some texture for holding in the sauce. Using imitation crab meat for this dish keeps it budget-friendly. This casserole is great with a salad and crusty bread! ## Crab Mac & Cheese 1/2 pound small shell macaroni 2 cups milk 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (2 cups) 4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, shredded (1 cup) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tbl kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 packet (6 oz) imitation crab meat, shredded or cut in small chunks 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs Cook pasta as directed on the package. Heat milk in a small saucepan (or the microwave), making sure not to boil it. Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy pan. Whisk in flour and then the hot milk and cook until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Stir until combined. Add in crab meat and pasta, and stir until well coated. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish and pour in the pasta mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 375 or until the sauce is bubbly and the casserole is browned on top. This dish could be made ahead and refrigerated before the baking step. Add at least 15 minutes to cook time if baking from refrigerated. *Copyright 2013 Barb Szyszkiewicz* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fmeatless-fridays-crab-mac-cheese%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fmeatless-fridays-crab-mac-cheese%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fmeatless-fridays-crab-mac-cheese%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Meatless%20Fridays%3A%20Crab%20Mac%20%26%20Cheese) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fmeatless-fridays-crab-mac-cheese%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fmeatless-fridays-crab-mac-cheese%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/BSzyszkiewicz%202022.jpg) ### [Barb Szyszkiewicz](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/barb-szyszkiewicz-ofs) Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at [CatholicMom.com](http://catholicmom.com), is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at [FranciscanMom](http://franciscanmom.com) and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at [Cook and Count](http://cookandcount.wordpress.com). Barb is the author of *[The Handy Little Guide to Prayer](https://amzn.to/2LQB2oL)* and * [The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours](https://amzn.to/3wbDB8k)*, available from Our Sunday Visitor. ## Related Blog Articles [ Meatless Fridays: Chesapeake Bay Shrimp Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/07/05/meatless-fridays-chesapeake-bay-shrimp) [ Meatless Fridays: Mommy Waffles with Golden Fruit Salad Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/09/20/meatless-fridays-mommy-waffles-with-golden-fruit-salad) [ Meatless Friday: Four Main-Dish Salads Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/meatless-friday-four-main-dish-salads) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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