Shrimp & Macaroni Casserole

Name: Shrimp & Macaroni Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3 servings.
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni; 1 egg, beaten; 1/4 cup half-and-half cream; 2 tablespoons butter, melted; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped; 3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

Mac and cheese goes upscale in this deliciously cheesy variation. The shrimp gives a unique twist to this popular standard. —Michael Cohen, Los Angeles, California

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

Directions

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the egg, cream and butter; set aside. Drain macaroni; transfer to another bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and reserved egg mixture to the macaroni; toss to coat. Stir in shrimp and spinach.
Transfer to a 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 371 calories, 21g fat (12g saturated fat), 175mg cholesterol, 671mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 25g protein.

Originally published as Shrimp Florentine Mac & Cheese Casserole in Cooking for 2 Spring 2009

Reviews

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Average Rating:

susieleger

Dec 6, 2018

I made this for the first time today and it is wonderful . Not only is it really tasty, it's low in calories, inexpensive, filling and quick and easy to make. it's a real winner.
LindaE123

Apr 15, 2017

Nice recipe. Like many others, I substituted peas for the spinach (I actually used a peas & carrots blend) and in addition to the shrimp, which I precooked from reading reviews that some of the shrimp didn't cook completely, I tossed in some imitation lobster as well. Real lobster would be better, but I only buy it when it's on sale. This would also be good with bay scallops. I may try that next time instead of the imitation lobster.
browns19fan

Mar 4, 2016

Marvelous! I followed the recipe pretty closely, except that I used cheddar cheese instead of the Parmesan, and I experimented a bit with the spinach. I defrosted a 10-ounce package, squeezed it as dry as I could get it, spread it out on a cookie sheet that I first coated with cooking spray, and baked it at 350 degrees for half an hour. The baking removed even more liquid without drying the spinach out completely.I also cut the shrimp in half crosswise instead of chopping them. Although the visible shrimp were cooked, the ones buried in the casserole needed a little nuke-time. We will definitely be having this again, so I will try halving the shrimp lengthwise.
cindysunflower

Jan 24, 2016

Very yummy! I made this on a "snow day" with what I had on hand. Like others I used a combination of cheeses for the parmesan (cheddar, smoked gruyere, and parm) and substitutes peas for the spinach. I will definitely make this again.
veggiemama

Jan 2, 2015

So easy yet sooo delicious! I used precooked shrimp.
joycerm53

Nov 17, 2014

This was very good. The only change I made was I used a Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan, Provolone mix in place of the Parmesan. My husband liked it. Will make again.
Julie47

Jan 26, 2014

So very very good! Frozen peas are great in place of the spinach. Cooked shrimp instead of raw worked as well.
Igraine32

May 31, 2013

Wow! Ok, I doubled the recipe. I also added a couple of seasonings - old bay & paprika just on top. I should also say that the garlic cloves were huge so this was very garlicky - delicious if you love garlic. I would have done a full pound of shrimp for 6 servings though. Next time.
luvoffood

Apr 3, 2013

Delicious! The trick is to add different cheeses. I used shredded asiago, provolone, romano, mozzarella, fontina and parmesan. Yum!
LauraJK

Jan 20, 2013

This recipe will go into my collection. Made it tonight for dinner and it turned out great. My husband remarked "this is a good one!". Would like to double and freeze one next time. I did add more shrimp and a bit more spinach. Was kind of casual with the ingredients. I can see where this would be easy to adjust to your tastes (different types of cheeses, more veggies, etc..). Went together quickly - did have to cook about 15 minutes extra, but probably because I added quite a bit more shrimp.