Welcome back to The Lost Cookbooks Show! If you’ve been following our recent community polls over on YouTube, you know we’ve been cooking our way through the starchy foods chapter of our vintage Joy of Cooking editions.

Our latest community poll came down to a thrilling neck-and-neck race, but thanks to a tie-breaker, our winner is the Macaroni & Shrimp Dish from page 97!

True to vintage form, this recipe is a masterclass in classic, comforting scratch cooking. It yields about 10 hearty servings, making it a fantastic dish for family dinners or gatherings. Since the vintage text simply calls for “grated cheese,” I opted for freshly grated Parmesan to give it that traditional savory kick and a beautiful baked crust.

Here is how you can recreate this delicious piece of culinary history right in your own kitchen!

Vintage Macaroni & Shrimp Dish
Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients:

• Macaroni: 1 1/2 cups (boiled by the rule on page 93, then rinsed and drained)
• Onion: 1 tablespoon, minced
• Butter: 3 tablespoons
• Flour: 1 1/2 tablespoons
• Milk: 1 1/2 cups
• Cheese: 3/4 cup grated cheese (Parmesan works wonderfully here)
• Worcestershire sauce: 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice: 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt: 1 teaspoon
• Paprika: 1/4 teaspoon
• Cayenne pepper: A few grains (just a tiny pinch for warmth)
• Shrimp: 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cleaned shrimp
• Topping: Bread crumbs and additional grated cheese for the crust

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Pasta: Boil your 1 1/2 cups of macaroni following standard boiling rules until tender, then rinse and drain thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Make the Roux: In a saucepan, sauté 1 tablespoon of minced onion in 3 tablespoons of butter until softened.
3. Thicken the Base: Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour until completely blended and bubbly.
4. Build the Sauce: Gradually stir in 1 1/2 cups of milk until smooth. Stir in 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and a few grains of cayenne. Whisk continuously over medium heat until the sauce thickens and the cheese is fully melted.
5. Layer the Casserole: In a greased baking dish, arrange alternating layers of your cooked macaroni and the 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cleaned shrimp.
6. Add the Sauce & Topping: Pour the rich white sauce evenly over the macaroni and shrimp layers. Cover the entire top with a generous dusting of bread crumbs and a little extra grated cheese.
7. Bake: Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly, golden brown on top, and piping hot throughout.

Estimated Nutritional Information (per serving, 1 of 10):

• Calories: ~285 kcal
• Total Fat: ~14g
• Saturated Fat: ~8g
• Carbohydrates: ~20g
• Fiber: ~1g
• Protein: ~20g
• Sodium: ~580mg

Although the original recipe says cook for 45 minutes, I would reduce the bake time to 30 minutes. 45 minutes dried out the shrimp a little too much. Shrimp does not take long to cook.

A Taste of History

This dish is a wonderful reminder of how mid-century home cooks turned simple pantry staples and fresh catches into elegant, comforting casseroles. The combination of the rich cheese sauce, savory Worcestershire, and tender shrimp makes every bite an absolute delight.