Macaroni & Cheese with Halibut

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Once we have our supply of Alaskan whitefish for the year (thanks to my husband’s fishing trip), I’m ready to prepare delicious meals for our family. Macaroni & cheese with halibut is one of our favorites.

Macaroni & Cheese with halibut

Our family loves homemade macaroni & cheese and have been enjoying the same recipe for years and years. Once we moved to Alaska, my husband started going fishing and filling our freezer with whitefish including lingcod, rockfish, and of course, halibut. It only made sense to add some to our favorite pasta dish!

I most often make this dish using leftover fish from a previous meal. I purposely prepare extra to have on hand for this recipe. Usually, one fillet isn’t enough for our family of six but two fillets is a bit too much. This is perfect because I don’t need a lot to mix in with this recipe and I have another delicious meal that our family loves.

I have even made this using leftover beer-battered fried halibut that we sometimes make for a special treat, especially for out-of-town guests who are looking forward to a classic Alaskan meal. This recipe will work with any whitefish that you have.

If you don’t have any leftovers to use, cooking a fresh fillet just for this recipe is also an option that I have done many times. Simply bake your fish (drizzled with a little olive oil and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper) in a 400 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Or cook in an electric pressure cooker using these instructions. If you are using leftover fish, there is no need to reheat prior to using in this recipe.

Ingredients for Macaroni & Cheese with Halibut

  • 1 fillet (about 1/2 pound) of halibut or other whitefish
  • 2 cups of uncooked pasta of your choice (we use whole wheat rotini)
  • 2 cups of whole milk
  • 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup of sourdough breadcrumbs
Baked halibut from Alaska

Tools You Will Need

  • Medium sauce pan
  • Strainer
  • Baking dish
  • Whisk
  • Large spoon
  • Grater

How to Make Fish Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni & cheese with halibut
  • Cook pasta in a medium saucepan according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • To the saucepan, pour in the milk and whisk in the flour.
  • Add the butter, salt, and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.
  • Stir in the shredded cheese and continue to cook over low heat until cheese is melted.
  • In the meantime, shred the fish into small pieces using a fork or your fingers.
  • Add the pasta and shredded fish to the cheese sauce and stir until well combined.
  • Pour into a baking dish and top with sourdough breadcrumbs.
  • Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are lightly browned and cheese sauce is bubbly around the edges.
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Macaroni & cheese with whitefish

What to Serve with Seafood Macaroni and Cheese

This dish makes a complete, filling meal on its own but is even better with a salad or other vegetable dish served on the side. I like to whip up a quick salad using whatever greens we have on hand, sprinkling in some lightly toasted nuts (pine nuts and pecans are our favorites), and drizzling some olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top.

Macaroni & cheese with halibut

How to Reheat

As with many pasta dishes, this recipe reheats so well and is delicious leftover. I always choose to reheat it in the oven set to 350 degrees F. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to warm it back up and serve as a tasty lunch over the next day or two, if there’s any left at all! My husband has taken this leftover to work many times and reheated it in the microwave successfully as well.

This is a tried-and-true favorite in our family that we have been enjoying for years, even prior to adding the fish in. This dish is also great to take to potlucks or family dinners and easily doubles for more portions. Plus, most children love mac n’ cheese so adding a healthy ingredient such as fish makes it better for them.

If you have more halibut, try some of our other favorite recipes including Halibut Chowder, Pan-fried Halibut and Baked Fish Sticks.

Alaskan white fish is so delicious and versatile. I hope you and your family enjoy this meal, a taste of Alaska!

Macaroni & Cheese with Halibut

Homemade mac n' cheese is always a family favorite. Make it a filling meal by adding whitefish!
Print Recipe
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Strainer
  • Baking dish
  • Large spoon
  • Whisk
  • Grater

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb Halibut (or any white fish)
  • 2 cups Pasta (such as whole wheat rotini)
  • 2 cups Whole milk
  • 3 cups Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp Flour
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Sourdough breadcrumbs

Instructions

  • If using fresh fish, bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Allow to cool.
  • If using leftover fish, no need to reheat before adding to this dish.
  • Cook pasta in a medium saucepan according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • In the medium saucepan, add milk and whisk in flour.
  • Add butter, salt, and pepper and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.
  • Add cheese and continue to cook and stir until melted.
  • In the meantime, shred fish using a fork or your fingers.
  • To the cheese sauce, stir in the pasta and fish until well combined. Pour into a baking dish.
  • Top with sourdough breadcrumbs.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are lightly browned and cheese is bubbling around the edges.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 3 days. This dish reheats very well in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes.
Servings: 6
Calories: 512kcal

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