Lobster Pasta Recipe

Lobster pasta is a rich, creamy, and delicious seafood pasta dish with chunks of flavorful lobster meat and creamy Parmesan sauce. This recipe will take you less than 30 minutes to prepare and will make an exquisite dinner!

Lobster pasta is a rich, buttery, and creamy dish that is perfect for a special dinner night!

• It’s a fast and easy dinner recipe but perfectly fitting any special occasion and celebration.  
• You will love the overall flavor of this simple dish! When you quickly sauté lobster with butter, garlic, and herbs and then cook the sauce in the same pan, it will bring that unique lobster flavor into the sauce.
• The special touch lies in the lobster meat but it doesn’t end there because the sauce is just as exquisite as the lobster.
• This seafood pasta is a great way to use up any leftover lobster meat from lobster tails or the whole lobster.
• You can cook the lobster just for this recipe ahead of time and store the meat in the refrigerator for a day or two, until ready to use.

Where to get lobster meat?

• While there are plenty of ways to order lobster meat online, many people don’t plan ahead that far or even know about it.
• So check your grocery store’s seafood department if they sell cooked lobster meat either freshly made or previously frozen. Many stores do carry that and that’s the easiest way to get it.
• You can also get whole lobster from a local seafood market and many will even steam it for you. (Read about how to cook a whole lobster at home in my post on Lobster Rolls.)
• If you can’t find lobster meat from the whole lobster, you can always use lobster tails. Lobster tails are sold in just about every grocery store whether they are fresh or frozen. You can make lobster tails in the oven and then use the meat for this pasta.

How To Make Lobster Pasta

• Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, reserving at least ⅓ cup of the starchy water when it’s done. Then, drain the noodles and set them aside while you make the sauce.
• Sauté lobster with butter and herbs: Melt butter in a wide skillet on the stove, then combine with the lobster, herbs, salt and pepper. Let the lobster heat through.
• Sauté the garlic and add reserved pasta water: Next, remove the lobster meat from the pan and stir in the minced garlic. Cook until it starts to brown and becomes fragrant and add the pasta cooking water.
• Stir in remaining ingredients: Once the water is simmering, add the heavy whipping cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and additional herbs and seasoning. Reduce the heat if needed and stir until the cheese is fully melted and smooth. 
• Combine everything together: Toss the noodles in the cream sauce until fully coated, then stir in the lobster meat, and serve!

Recipe TIPS

• Again, prep your ingredients before starting to cook! It’s a fast moving recipe, you will need to have everything within reach.
• Thaw frozen shellfish slowly. While some stores carry fresh, cooked meat, others may only have frozen. Be sure to thaw it lowly, in the refrigerator overnight. Discard any accumulated liquid.
• Cooking your own lobster meat? Find instructions and a video in the lobster rolls along with helpful tips for separating the meat from the shell. 
• Prep in advance. If you will be cooking the shellfish yourself, you can make it the day before and keep it in the refrigerator for a day or two, until you’re ready to make the seafood pasta.
• Remember to reserve pasta water right before you’re ready to strain pasta. Don’t do it too soon or there won’t be enough starch in the water.
• Make a larger batch. If you need to feed a larder crowd, it’s easy to double this recipe. Just makes sure to use a large pan for cooking.

Recipe FAQs

What goes well with lobster pasta?

• This dish doesn’t need much else, so a slice of artisan bread or a green salad would be more than enough.
• I’ve also got several different biscuit recipes that are perfect for mopping up any leftover sauce.
• If you’re thinking appetizer, you will want to serve something light and refreshing like Caprese Salad or a Bruschetta.

How To Store and Reheat Lobster Pasta?

• Keep leftovers in an air-tight food storage container in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days for best results.
• Warm in a pan on the stove, over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and adding a splash of milk.
• You will need to add some liquid because cooked pasta does soak up liquids when stored. Use milk, half and half, or some more heavy whipping cream when reheating the pasta.
• I DO NOT recommend freezing lobster pasta for a couple of reasons. Cream-based sauces don’t tend to hold up well in the freezer, and the meat will likely become mushy once thawed and reheated.

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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in February 2021.