10 Lobster Recipes Seafood Lovers Will Adore
It's so easy to love succulent lobster. Unlike a plate of shrimp or crawfish, you just need to crack through one large shell to get to the bonanza of mild, sweet lobster meat. Enjoyed whole right out of the shell or cooked and cut into smaller bites, the firm and briny flesh brings a bit of decadence to any recipe it's added to. Even a few bites can dress up earthy mashed potatoes or enhance a rich, creamy bisque. And although lobster has an elegant reputation (one of many lobster myths you should stop believing), it would be a shame to save it for only the special occasions in life.
Lobster is equally at home in a bun, served as summer's favorite seafood sandwich. These 10 recipes will take you from simple to elegant, showing you how to prepare lobster in the oven, skillet, and even a backyard boil. So, whether you have a fresh catch coast-side or you're lucky enough to score a pre-cooked lobster at your fish market, you might just find your new favorite way to enjoy this lean, flavorful shellfish.
Read more: 15 Different Ways To Cook Fish
Buttery Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
If you've never encountered warm, butter-laced Connecticut-style lobster rolls, you're in for a treat. Unlike the more well-known Maine version that features cold lobster, these rolls created by Stephanie Rapone of Pantry to Plate Meals are served warm with a scattering of fresh tarragon and chives to enhance the briny flavor. It couldn't be more simple to put this recipe together – just add a knob of butter, the chopped herbs, a squeeze of lemon, all tossed together with a little paprika and garlic powder, and, of course, the diced, cooked lobster. Stuff that generously into a toasted top-split hotdog bun and you've got a sandwich made in heaven.
Recipe: Buttery Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
Classic Lobster Newburg
Lobster Newburg is a page right out of classic restaurant history. First served at the renowned Delmonico's Restaurant in New York in the late 1800s, this preparation of egg-enriched cream sauce and savory Madeira wine sounds as rich as it tastes. With chunks of lobster meat folded into the sauce and served either in puff pastry shells or over toast points, this recipe created by Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table is a show-stopping appetizer for your next gathering. You can use pre-cooked lobster, or, as our recipe developer notes, even frozen or canned lobster will work – it's hard to get more flexible than that when you want a bit of lobster elegance!
Recipe: Classic Lobster Newburg
Broiled Buttery Lobster Tails
We are back to basics with this method for presenting a perfectly broiled lobster tail. It's not hard to find uncooked, frozen lobster tails, which are perfect for this recipe developed by Jennine Rye. Using sharp kitchen shears to cut open the top of the tough shell, you can then pull the raw meat on top of the shell to expose it to the heat of your broiler. The shell makes a beautiful way to present the cooked meat, too. Before cooking, the lobster is simply brushed with melted butter scented with garlic, lemon, Dijon mustard, and a bit of minced parsley for color. These guys only need a few minutes under the broiler to become the centerpiece for your special dinner. And should there be leftovers (probably not), you can save them for one of the other recipes listed here!
Recipe: Broiled Buttery Lobster Tails
Rich And Creamy Lobster Bisque
Lobster bisque is a recipe that squeezes every last bit of delicious flavor from your shellfish investment. You'll need to buy shell-on lobsters, or at least lobster tails, because the shells are simmered with vegetables, brandy, anise-flavored Pernod, and herbs to make the richly flavored broth for this thick soup created by Michelle McGlinn. You can save the bodies of whole lobsters and freeze the tail shells from other recipes if you'd like, too. Once the veggies are soft, the spent shells get tossed, and the shellfish stock gets puréed to help thicken the bisque. Some heavy cream enriches the broth, and a bit of tomato paste adds sweetness and umami to complete a flavor profile that's perfect for showcasing bits of lobster meat. You can even make this recipe a few days in advance – the flavors will just keep getting better.
Recipe: Rich And Creamy Lobster Bisque
Lobster Mashed Potatoes
The humble potato becomes rich and flavorful in this creative, seafood-loaded mash created by Jennine Rye. The peeled potatoes are boiled with the lobster shells so they take on more of the briny, ocean essence of the crustacean, creating layers of flavor. A buttery pile of sautéed lobster tail meat is then piled atop the mashed potatoes, serving as an elegant side dish for a lean baked fish or even a perfectly-grilled steak for an unbeatable surf and turf. The meat of one lobster can be divided easily into two servings of this rich dish, making it a great way to stretch your spend, too.
Recipe: Lobster Mashed Potatoes
Lobster Risotto
If you're looking for a weekend project recipe, try making this deeply-flavored lobster risotto with its homemade lobster stock created by Stephanie Rapone of Pantry to Plate Meals. After a quick steam to cook the lobster, the shells are simmered with a host of aromatics to create the broth that eventually enriches the flavor of plain Arborio rice as it's stirred to the perfect texture. When the rice has absorbed all that flavor, it gets a final knob of butter and shaved Parmesan cheese for richness, and then it's topped with the reserved lobster meat. It's hard to imagine a better use for your time than preparing this rich dish. However, you could make the stock ahead of time if you'd like to, or even make it in your pressure cooker to speed up the process and get to the dinner table quicker.
Recipe: Lobster Risotto
Creamy Seafood-Stuffed Shells
For a special seafood dinner, why not consider stuffing pasta shells with a tasty lobster filling? This flexible recipe developed by Michelle McGlinn can accommodate a mix of seafoods, so if you'd like to use all lobster in the filling that works, but you could also combine it with shrimp or crab to make your lobster go a little further. The richness of the cream cheese-based seafood mixture is balanced by the umami flavors of tomato paste and Cognac in a red sauce that the stuffed shells rest on for their bake in the oven. The blend of pasta, creamy lobster, and tangy sauce makes this delicious recipe one you'll come back to over and over.
Recipe: Creamy Seafood-Stuffed Shells
Festive Seafood Boil
If you'd like a festive flip from all the fancified lobster recipes, think about hosting a seafood boil. This is a messy affair, meant to be eaten by hand and shared with a group of friends. The secret to a good boil is a flavorful broth, and this recipe created by Michelle McGlinn brings all the tastes together in one steamy pot with aromatic garlic, onion, and plenty of Old Bay seasoning. An array of seafood can be cooked together by keeping in mind what cooks faster, so you can enjoy a mixed buffet of lobster along with savory sausages, veggies, and other seafood. There's a buttery sauce just for dipping, too. It's made from some of the boiling liquid, butter, and a squeeze of lemon to brighten up the combination.
Recipe: Festive Seafood Boil
Lobster And Mascarpone Ravioli
Homemade ravioli is a labor of love, and this one developed by Leah Maroney of Mini Pie Kitchen is made even more special with a simple, creamy mascarpone and lobster filling. The recipe will tutor you in all the steps you need to create your own semolina pasta sheets to cut and fill for your ravioli. The sauce is a riff on the classic vodka-tomato combination, using white wine instead of vodka, and sweetened a bit with the addition of red bell pepper. The mixture is puréed into a base of tomato and heavy cream to create a vibrant pink sauce to coat the stuffed pasta. Freeze the prepared, uncooked ravioli for a treat some other day, too.
Recipe: Lobster And Mascarpone Ravioli
Buttery Lobster Spaghetti With White Wine-Tomato Sauce
This bright and buttery spaghetti recipe developed by Jennine Rye is the perfect date night way to serve an uncomplicated lobster dinner. You'll want to find some uncooked lobster tail meat to start the easy pan sauce -- the shellfish essence left behind in the pan that the meat is cooked in builds the first layer of an easy wine and tomato sauce. While the spaghetti cooks, the sauce reduces to a jammy thickness that will coat the pasta beautifully. Tossing the cooked spaghetti, sauce, and lobster together with a few handfuls of fresh herbs completes this dinner that actually comes together in no time at all. And note that you'll end up with some extra lobster shells – save them for a lobster bisque on the next date!
Recipe: Buttery Lobster Spaghetti With White Wine-Tomato Sauce
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