Buffalo Shrimp Mac & Cheese

Name: Buffalo Shrimp Mac & Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Cuisine: Comfort Food Dinner Recipes, Comfort Food Recipes
Ingredients: 2 cups 2% milk; 1 cup half-and-half cream; 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 teaspoon ground mustard; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese; 1 cup shredded Gouda or Swiss cheese; 1-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni; 3/4 pound frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed; 1 cup crumbled blue cheese; 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley; Additional Louisiana-style hot sauce, optional

For a rich, creamy and slightly spicy shrimp mac and cheese recipe, you can't beat this crowd-pleasing slow cooker dish. It's a nice new twist on popular buffalo chicken dishes.—Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode Island

Ingredients

2 cups 2% milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Gouda or Swiss cheese
1-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3/4 pound frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Additional Louisiana-style hot sauce, optional

Directions

In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 8 ingredients; stir in shredded cheeses and macaroni. Cook, covered, on low 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until macaroni is almost tender.
Stir in shrimp and blue cheese; cook, covered, 30-35 minutes longer or until heated through. Just before serving, stir in chives, parsley and, if desired, additional hot sauce.

Test Kitchen tips

Crumble your own blue cheese versus buying prepackaged crumbles. It will be creamier.

Make a Buffalo chicken version by adding cooked rotisserie chicken in place of shrimp.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 551 calories, 34g fat (20g saturated fat), 228mg cholesterol, 1269mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 1g fiber), 38g protein.

Originally published as Buffalo Shrimp Mac and Cheese in Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker & One Dish Recipes 2014

Reviews

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Average Rating:

snddale5

May 5, 2019

Followed recipe exactly as written. Turned out clumpy without a buffalo sauce flavor. Won't use instantpot next time.
mrscessna

Dec 22, 2018

This was easy to make, and tasty but the macaroni was a little mushy. I didn't cook it the entire 3.5 hours.
marcibanes

Jun 10, 2018

This was very good. The recipe was very easy and quick to put together. Perfect for a quick busy weeknight dinner. I did have to add about 1/4 cup of extra milk to keep the noodles from burning. I also added 1/4 tsp. Of Cajun Seasoning.