Creamy Lobster Pasta
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The sauce for the pasta is similar to lobster bisque, a creamy smooth sauce flavored with seafood stock and aromatics. And if you don’t know how to cook lobster tails? Don’t worry it’s easier than you think. The sauce is tossed with tender lobster meat from cooked tails and served with bucatini or a different noodle of your choice that pairs well with a creamy sauce such as wide flat noodles like pappardelle or fettuccine. Creamy lobster pasta is always a crowd pleaser recipe – it’s one of my most requested recipes from friends.
The key is making the stock reduces enough before adding the cream and butter to finish the sauce. This ensures a thicker, creamy sauce that will properly coat the noodles for a satisfying slurp. The sauce also makes enough to serve 8 people – if you have leftovers I recommend storing the sauce separate and cooking pasta fresh to serve with leftovers for the best result.
Creamy Lobster Pasta
Table of contents
More About This Lobster Pasta Recipe
The recipe is inspired by the lobster pasta special at Taverna Tony, a well-known Greek restaurant in Malibu, California. Malibu is known as an upscale beach town but it also happens to be where I went to college. My freshman year of college when I felt I needed a reward or a break from cafeteria food I would drive down to Taverna and order this recipe to go. Since it was such a large serving I could make it last for three separate meals. Its considered a special item on their menu and every time we go my mom gets nervous that they may not have it… they always do. It’s been that way for the last 8 years.
Key Ingredients in Creamy Lobster Pasta
- Thyme – The thyme is used to add a slight flavor to the bisque sauce.
- Tarragon – This herb has a subtle licorice flavor that pairs really well with seafood like lobster. I also use it in lobster pot pie.
- Mirepoix – The combination of carrots, onion and celery is referred to as mirepoix. This aromatic combination of vegetables is a classic base for soups and recipes like this.
- Tomato – The tomato adds a subtle flavor and color to this recipe. I use a combination of fresh tomatoes as well as a more concentrated tomato paste.
- Bucatini – I like serving this pasta dish with bucatini pasta, a thick spaghetti-like noodle with a whole in the middle, because it holds the light seafood sauce well and some gets inside the noodle as well.
- Lobster – While I use lobster tails, meat from whole lobsters can also be used in place of lobster tails in the recipe, I find lobster tails are the most readily accessible.
- Sherry and Brandy – Sherry and brandy are both used to enhance the flavor of soups.
- Fish Stock – Fish stock, also called seafood stock is made from simmering the shells of lobster, shrimp, crab shells or other fish bones with white wine and other aromatics. I often buy seafood stock though you can easily make your own – especially if you cook whole lobsters for this recipe.
- Cream – The recipe is finished with cream which gives it a smooth, creamy texture.
- Butter – Yes, it’s finished with a lot of butter. While you can cut it in half if desired (one of the benefits of making your own food vs. eating in a restaurant is the ability to make your own changes), the butter works to emulsify the creamy sauce providing the luxurious texture and rich flavor.
Steps to make creamy lobster pasta
Step 1: Sauté vegetables.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot (a mirepoix) until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 8 minutes.
Step 2: Add aromatics.
Add the tomato, garlic, thyme, tarragon, bay leaves, peppercorns, brandy and sherry, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about an additional 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 3: Simmer stock.
Stir in the fish stock and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
Step 4: Cook the lobster tails.
Add the lobster tails and cover the pot. Cook for 6 minutes, until just cooked through (do not overcook the lobster or the meat will become rubbery.) Remove the tails set aside to cool on a cutting board.
Step 5: Continue to simmer sauce.
Continue to simmer the broth, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes, until reduced by half.
Step 6: Chop lobster meat.
Once cool, hold the lobster tail in your hand with the underside facing up. Using scissors cut up the underside and pull out the meat. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Step 7: Strain sauce.
Remove the pot from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the leftover solids.
Step 8: Finish the sauce.
Whisk the tomato paste into the strained broth then whisk in the cream. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the broth is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Begin to whisk in the butter one cube at a time until it has all been added to the sauce. Add the lobster meat, stirring to combine then remove the sauce from heat.
Step 9: Cook pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Step 10: Serve.
Add the sauce and ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. To serve, ladle the pasta with sauce into warmed pasta bowls. Serve hot.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
How to Cook Lobster tails in water
I prefer to cook the lobster tails in the broth for added flavor (and fewer pots) though they can also be cooked in a pot of water. To cook fresh lobster tails you simply bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the raw tails and cook for about until the meat is no longer opaque, about 8 to 12 minutes then remove from the pot and let cool.
There are two different ways to break down lobster tails from here:
- The first way is to use the palm of your hand and press down hard on the rounded red exterior of the shell to break it then pull away the meat inside.
- The second is to use scissors and cut along the underside of the tail then use your hands to break away the shell and remove the meat.
Swaps and substitutions
- If you don’t have brandy I have substituted dark rum. While it slightly changes the flavor, it’s subtle.
- The bucatini can be substituted with another noodle.
- Try garnishing with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese just before serving (I love Parmesan on almost any pasta dish).
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this creamy lobster pasta recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Creamy Lobster Pasta
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large celery rib, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 medium Roma tomato, chopped
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ½ cup brandy
- ½ cup sherry
- 4 cups fish stock
- 3 Maine lobster tails, uncooked (or ¾ pound cooked lobster meat)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- Kosher salt as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 pound bucatini pasta, I like Setaro brand
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot (a mirepoix) until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 8 minutes.
- Add the tomato, garlic, thyme, tarragon, bay leaves, peppercorns, brandy and sherry, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about an additional 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the fish stock and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Add the lobster tails and cover the pot. Cook for 6 minutes, until just cooked through (do not overcook the lobster or the meat will become rubbery.) Remove the tails set aside to cool on a cutting board.
- Continue to simmer the sauce, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes, until reduced by half.
- Once cool, hold the lobster tail in your hand with the underside facing up. Using scissors cut up the underside and pull out the meat. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces and set aside.
- Remove the pot from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the leftover solids.
- Whisk the tomato paste into the strained broth then whisk in the cream. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the broth is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to low and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Begin to whisk in the butter one cube at a time until it has all been added to the sauce. Add the lobster meat, stirring to combine then remove the sauce from heat.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
- Add the sauce and ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. To serve, ladle the pasta with sauce into warmed pasta bowls. Serve hot.
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What do you think about adding fresh summer corn to this wonderful recipe?
I’m sure it would be delicious! I love pairing lobster and corn together!
I made this tonight for Sunday dinner and it was amazing! I also used the clam juice and at the end I added a handful of shredded parmesan cheese.
This was amazing.
But does the recipe really need two sticks of butter?
Do you have the nutrients?
This was amazing.
But does the recipe really need two sticks of butter?
This was so delicious!!! Thanks so much!
I couldn’t find fish stock so I used clam juice and put the shells in with a little water with the stock. It came out great!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! That is such a great substitution! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Kyle where do you get the spa stuff?
Hi Danielle! Which things are you referring to in this recipe? I’d be happy to share links and give advice on where to look for ingredients!
oh my gosh kylie! this was absolutely amazing! thank you so much. i’m so glad i found your site and can’t wait to try a few of your other recipes. this was a wonderful version of lobster pasta and different from anything i’ve done before. i’m making it for my italian in laws for christmas eve dinner. you rock!!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! And I hope your in laws enjoyed it too!