Shrimp Scampi Mac and Cheese

Total time: 55 min

Yields: 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• Sea salt
• 8 ounces small pasta shells
• 1-3\4 cups half-and-half
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Sea salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs

Preparation: 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente according to the package instructions. Strain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Return to pot and set aside.

Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until the half-and-half is reduced to 1-1/2 cups, about 5 minutes.

Add the cream cheese and cook, stirring, until melted.

Whisk in the Gruyère cheese until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Turn off the heat and keep warm.

Then add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and reduce until the alcohol smell is no longer present and the sauce is a nice golden color, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and set aside.

Add the shrimp mixture and cheese sauce to the pasta and stir to combine.

Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season to taste with sea salt if needed.

Spoon the hot mac and cheese into bowls and sprinkle with the Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs.

Tools Used:

********************************************************************************************

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.

This post contains affiliate links, so I make a small commission if you purchase through my links – that support helps to keep this blog running.

Copyright Foodie Made Simple, LLC. All text, recipes and photographs are copyrighted and may not be published elsewhere without express permission. Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Tumbler, Google+ and Facebook users, you are welcome to “pin” photos! re-tweet and “share” links all you like, just don’t copy the recipes themselves. Fellow bloggers are welcome to repost my recipes, just write the recipe in your own words, use your own photograph, then link back to the original recipe on rvcookingmadesimple.com