Cooking lobster can be an intimidating task, but it doesn’t have to be. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s best, if possible, to cook live lobster. But even if you’re a fan of the already cooked variety, with delicious, fresh lobster from Maine Lobster Now, you’ll be able to create many menu options. From casual to fine dining, lobster is a versatile food.
Ready to savor yours? Here are several recipes and tips for preparing lobster that will have your mouth watering.
Maine Lobster Tails: Boiling Is Best
To get consistently perfect results in cooking lobster tails, the best way is to boil your tails in water. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to a soft boil and add sea salt. Drop the tails in one at a time and set your timer. Review the average cooking times based on the tail quantity and size.
Another recipe for cooking delicious lobster tails involves broiling them. Follow these easy steps:
- Preheat your broiler.
- Arrange lobster tails on your pan.
- Cut lobster shells lengthwise along the top with a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
- Pull shells slightly apart.
- Season with paprika, salt, butter and white pepper.
- Broil about 5-10 minutes until meat is opaque and tails are lightly browned.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
To make “exploding tails” you’ll need to boil the tail first for about 3 minutes. Then, cut the tail lengthwise through the top of the lobster shell. Brush lemon and butter on the meat and bake in the oven on 425 F for 3-4 minutes.
For specific instructions on cooking lobster tails, check out our resources below!
Lobster Soups and Sandwiches
Sandwiches are a great option for a casual gathering, and soups are an easy and tasty addition to any meal. Maine Lobster Now has lobster bisque and lobster stew as well as lobster roll packs you can order directly from us. That way you can get right to eating when the food arrives at your home.
lobster roll packs you can order directly from us. That way you can get right to eating when the food arrives at your home.
Creating your own dishes is also fun, though. Try these recipes for your fresh lobster meat:
LOBSTER BISQUE
Bisque is a rich, creamy dish and a little goes a long way in satisfying your hunger. This simple recipe takes about 40 minutes to complete and involves processing the ingredients in a blender and then cooking over low heat. Bisque is a versatile dish that can be a start to your meal, or it can be the entrée when paired with a salad and bread.
Ingredients:
- ½ pound Maine Lobster Now meat
- 1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tablespoons carrot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 can chicken broth (usually 14.5 ounces)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ cups half-and-half
- ½ cup dry white wine
Directions:
In a large pan, melt butter over low heat. Add all vegetables and cook until soft. Stir in the broth, cayenne and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer.
After simmering 10 minutes, pour the hot liquid and vegetable mix into a blender and add one-fourth cup of lobster meat. Blend until smooth. Pour the blended mixture into the pan. Stir in remaining lobster meat, wine and half-and-half. Once all ingredients are mixed, stir frequently over low heat. It’ll take about 30 minutes for the bisque to thicken.
You can vary bisque in several ways — some bisque recipes call for tomato and tomato paste, among other liquors — but most will have your standard soup base of celery, onions and carrots. Nom nom.
LOBSTER STEW
This lobster stew recipe uses four fresh lobsters, heavy cream, butter and milk. Making it a day in advance enhances the flavor. Stew is also a great dish to enjoy all year long, rather than just in the colder months.
Ingredients:
- 4 live lobsters
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 6-8 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
Boil lobsters for 18-20 minutes. Set lobsters aside to cool and reserve the juices.
Remove the meat, tomalley and roe from the lobsters. Sauté the roe and tomalley in about two tablespoons of butter in a pot. Do this for a few minutes. Add some of the lobster meat and more butter into the pot. Continue adding butter and meat until everything has been sautéed for about five minutes.
Add cream, the reserved lobster juice, and the milk. Simmer on low heat, uncovered, for up to two hours — don’t let it boil. Depending on your flavor preferences, add pepper and salt to taste. Defer on less of both if you’re serving to guests who would rather season to their liking.
LOBSTER ROLL
Mixing lobster meat with celery, lemon juice, chives and mayonnaise is the basis for creating the filling for this lobster roll recipe. This sandwich is a crowd-pleaser and is served at many restaurants along the coast of Maine. Maine Lobster Now even supplies local Maine restaurants with lobster rolls to serve at their businesses!
Ingredients:
- 3 1½-pound live lobsters
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- 1 celery finely chopped celery stalk
- 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 6 New England-style split-top buns
- 2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
Directions:
Fill a large pot with one inch of water, salt water and bring to a boil. Add lobsters. Cover the pot and cook for ten minutes. Put lobsters aside to cool.
Once cooled, crack those lobster shells. You’ll want to pick the meat from the tail and claws, cutting it into half-inch pieces. Mix lobster, lemon juice, celery, chives and about two tablespoons of the mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Season with pepper and salt. If you desire more mayonnaise, add more.
To toast the buns, use a large skillet over medium heat. Spread butter on each bun, place them butter-side down in the pan, and cook until golden — about two minutes. Fill bread with your yummy lobster mixture — and get your chow on.
LOBSTER GRILLED CHEESE SANDWHICH
Havarti cheese blends wonderfully with the flavor or lobster meat to create this twist on the classic grilled cheese sandwich. Make each sandwich with sourdough bread and about a quarter pound of lobster meat.
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces Maine Lobster Meat
- Sourdough bread
- Havarti cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Salt
Directions:
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Spread mayonnaise on the outside of your bread slices and place mayonnaise-side down in the frying pan.
Layer two slices of cheese, lobster meat and another two slices of Havarti on the bread. Season with salt. Place the other slice of bread on top, and alternate sides, grilling the sandwich until the bread is golden brown on both sides.
Lobsta’ Pasta
There are so many possibilities for dinner when it comes to pasta. You may choose to make the pasta from scratch or use prepared pasta as a complement to your delicious sauces and fillings — and, of course, lobster. Try one of these delightful lobster pasta dishes:
LOBSTER RAVIOLI
Lobster and butter have always made a great pair, and this recipe calls for brown butter, which takes the flavor up a notch. This ravioli is filled with brown butter, lobster, shrimp and ricotta cheese.
Ingredients:
- 3 lobster tails
- 1/4 pound shrimp, uncooked, deveined and peeled
- 1 pound fresh pasta dough, rolled into lasagna sheets
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly-chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions:
Prepare the pasta dough: Rolling dough into lasagna sheets. Once completed, cover and set aside.
Prepare the pasta filling: Cut through the top of the lobster tail shell lengthwise with a knife or kitchen shears. Pull the meat away from the shells. Use a large pot of water to steam the shrimp and lobster tails for about seven minutes. Once steamed, remove meat and set aside to cool. You’ll finely chop the meat once it’s completely cooled.
Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. After about two minutes of stirring, brown bits will appear on the pan bottom. Immediately remove from heat and whisk briskly for another 30 seconds.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper — plus the crushed pepper flakes if you prefer them. Stir in the lobster and shrimp. Mix in the ricotta cheese. Breathe in the yumminess. Set the filling aside.
Prepare the ravioli: Heavily flour your ravioli mold or counter, and lay one sheet of pasta on top of the heavily floured surface. Place about a tablespoon of filling into each ravioli well. Use water to spritz the pasta so the layers stick. Put second pasta sheet on the first, then seal with a rolling pin. Use a pizza cutter to cut ravioli squares apart. Lay each ravioli on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Keep making ravioli until all your lobster filling is gone.
Prepare for deliciousness: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli in the boiling water until it floats — should take about two minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon, and enjoy with your favorite pasta sauce. Add fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese to taste.
LOBSTER MACARONI AND CHEESE
Macaroni and cheese has a long-lived reputation of being a comfort food. An easy way to upgrade this popular dish to add lobster.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of Maine Lobster Now meat
- 1 pound boxed macaroni pasta
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
- 1 cup vegetable or fish stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
- 2 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
- White pepper
- Salt
- 2-3 tablespoons white truffle oil
Directions:
Boil water for the pasta. Pasta should be cooked after 8-10 minutes. Drain well — any excess water can dilute the flavor in the final dish.
While the pasta is cooking, add oil to a separate pan and cook lobster meat — you’ll know it’s done when it’s no longer translucent. Set aside.
In another large saucepan, melt butter and add garlic and onion. Be careful not to burn it. Once translucent, add flour gradually. Some flour absorbs more than others, so you may not need much. Mix in the bay leaves.
To form a smooth sauce, add the stock a little at a time. Allow 10 minutes to simmer, then take out the bay leaves. Now it’s time for the cheddar and heavy cream, as well as white pepper and salt. Add the lobster meat to your delicious cheese mixture, then stir in your pasta. Add as much pasta as you need to give it the right balance of pasta to cheesy goodness.
Pick your favorite serving bowl, drizzle the truffle oil on top and garnish with chives. Looks good enough to eat!
LOBSTER LINGUINI
Creating an elegant meal in about 20 minutes that will both impress and delight your dinner guests is a winning formula. This recipe for linguine with chives and tomatoes makes the lobster shine.
Ingredients:
- 2 live 1-pound lobsters
- 3 chopped tomatoes
- Linguine
- 1/2 small, finely-diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh chives, chopped
- Salt to taste
Directions:
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Put the lobsters headfirst into the pot and cook, uncovered, for five minutes. Take the lobsters out to cool, but save the water.
Pull the meat from the tail, and cut into small pieces. Remove the lobster meat from the claws and set aside. Combine other ingredients in a saucepan — garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, onion and one-half cup of the lobster cooking water. Season with salt and bring the mix to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about five minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add salt to the cooking water from the lobsters. You’ll reuse this to cook the linguine and pick up the flavor. When the pasta is almost done, add the tomato paste. The pasta should absorb most of the liquid, but don’t cook it too long or the pasta won’t be al dente. Remove from heat and mix in the lobster meat. Sprinkle with chives.
If you weren’t hungry before, you should be now!
CAJUN LOBSTER PASTA
Bacon, Cajun spices and cheese blend together to create this dish with a bit of a spicy kick.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of Maine Lobster Now meat
- 3 strips bacon
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Fry bacon in a pan over medium heat. Remove the bacon and drain off the fat. Put a tablespoon of the fat to the side.
Add the garlic and pepper to a pan and cook on medium heat for about three minutes, then add in the green onions and cook for another minute.
Chop the bacon and add it to the pan. Add all the spices to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low. Add the lobster and heat for three minutes, then add the heavy cream.
Serve lobster sauce over pasta with optional parmesan cheese and scallions on top.
Whole Lobster
Preparing whole lobsters will present you with many opportunities for your meal. In New England, friends and families regularly come together to feast on lobster and it’s common that these gatherings take place outdoors when the weather is nice.
Here are some recipe ideas for your next whole lobster shindig:
LOBSTER BAKE
A lobster bake is a combination of live lobsters, corn, potatoes, seasonings and, sometimes, other seafood, all cooked together. The flavors from each of the foods in the pot mesh together to create one harmonious blend.
Ingredients:
- 4 1-pound live lobsters
- 1 pound of steamer clams
- 8 small red potatoes
- 2 ears shucked corn, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Rinse clams and place in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and set aside 30 minutes, drain and rinse.
Add two inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and corn. Steam covered for five minutes.
Add lobsters headfirst. Then add the clams. Steam, covered, for about 5 minutes. Combine butter and lemon juice in a pan and cook over low heat until butter melts.
Place lobster, clams, corn and potatoes on plates and cover broth from the pot into a bowl for dipping clams. Serve with butter mixture.
GRILLED LOBSTER WITH GARLIC AND PARSELY
This grilled lobster with garlic-parsley butter doesn’t require many ingredients, and it is still packed with flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1½ pounds of live lobster
- 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 8 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix garlic, parsley, red pepper, butter, lemon, salt and black pepper in a bowl.
Split the lobster in half lengthwise from the head to the tail. Remove the tomalley but leave the meat in the shell, and break off the claws. Place the lobster pieces on a baking sheet with meat facing upward.
Place the claws on the baking sheet. Drizzle all the lobster with olive oil and sprinkle the salt and black pepper.
Heat your grill and place the lobster, with the meat touching the grill, on the hottest part of the grill. Cook for about three minutes.
Spread the butter mixture on the lobster meat then grill for another three to five minutes. Eat and enjoy.
BAKED STUFFED LOBSTER
This recipe is a classic combination of lobster and seasoned stuffing. Is your mouth watering yet?
Ingredients:
- 1 pound lobster
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Stuffing Ingredients:
- 3 ounces chopped haddock
- 2 scallops, quartered
- 1 ounce lobster meat
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup crackers, crumbled
- Lemon juice, for seasoning
- White wine, for seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Prep the lobster: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Bring a little water to boil in a large pot. Cut open the lobster by splitting the belly from head to tail with your knife. Remove the guts and heart, but not the meat. Steam the lobsters in the pot for 7-10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Make the stuffing: Melt butter a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add all the seafood and saute until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mix in the crackers, and add lemon juice, wine, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Stuff the lobster: Stuff the lobster’s opening with stuffing. Place the now stuffed lobster belly-side-up in a roasting pan. Add some water to the bottom of the pan to keep the lobster moist while cooking. Squirt the stuffed lobster bodies with the lemon juice and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or just until the claws begin to split. Do not allow the lobster to dry out.
Delicious lobster recipes can be found all over. Check out two more of our own: Father’s Day Lobster Cobb for those who want to keep things simple and clean, and Lobster and Scallop Scampi for those who want a warm dish to cozy up with.
