Our delicious Lobster Pasta is a perfect option for a date night-in, Valentine’s Day, or any other special occasion! Made with the tender lobster meat, pappardelle noodles, and a light sauce. This elegant lobster pasta recipe is so good and perfect with a slice of crusty bread!
The Best Lobster Pasta Recipe
This amazing lobster pasta recipe is not overly complicated, but it combines some of our favorite things: seafood and pasta! The secret to our light and creamy sauce is using the same water to cook the pasta and lobster. Then use that flavor-packed lobster stock to create the creamy, buttery sauce that coats every strand of pasta. In essence, it is a somewhat lighter version of the ever-popular lobster mac and cheese. A savory and decadent, sure-fire way to wow your guests….. or just treat yourself!
And if you love seafood recipes as much as us, you definitely need to try our Seafood Fettuccine!
What You Will Need
- fresh lobster – we picked up some fresh lobster tails from our local grocery store, feel free to use frozen lobster tails too. They just might need to cook a little bit longer.
- pappardelle pasta – we love these fun little pappardelle pasta nests but you can easily use any type of pasta!
- butter – the base of this pasta sauce that brings so much flavor.
- garlic cloves – everything is always better with some minced garlic in the mix!
- parmesan cheese – a perfect way to add some creaminess to the sauce and then sprinkle some on top of this yummy pasta dish to serve.
- kosher salt – a simple seasoning this is always a must!
How To Make Lobster Pasta
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to gather the few simple ingredients needed for this seafood pasta.
Now bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat on the stovetop. Place the lobster tails in the hot boiling water to cook for 8-12 minutes. Once fully cooked, carefully remove them from the pot, and set aside to cool. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out any pieces left in the water. After it has cooled for a bit, use a pair of scissors to cut down the tail shells, and pull out the lobster tail meat.
Bring the water that the lobster cooked in back to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. For best results, reserve a cup of pasta water before dumping it out of the pot.
Next, bring a large skillet to a medium heat, add butter to melt, and then the garlic to cook until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta to the hot pan. Toss to coat in the garlicky butter sauce.
Remove from the heat and add the freshly grated parmesan cheese to the pasta. Toss to melt the cheese. Add splashes of the reserved pasta water to create a light & creamy parmesan sauce.
Add the cooked lobster meat back to the pan and toss everything together. Serve with some fresh parsley and freshly cracked pepper.
Best Ways To Serve Lobster Pasta
This flavorful pasta really doesn’t need much! We highly recommend some fresh parmesan cheese and a fresh herb, like parsley or fresh basil, but we have found it’s best to keep it simple. Other toss-in options could include some cherry tomatoes or keep it light and bright with some lemon juice or lemon zest. Or if you like a little kick of heat, try some red pepper flakes!
Recipe FAQ
In this recipe card, we decided to boil the lobster tails so that we would have a flavor-packed water to cook the pasta in. No need to do anything to the lobster tails prior to cooking. Once they are cooked, we use a kitchen shears to cut down the tail and then pull out the meat.
Absolutely! If you have any lobster pasta leftover, place it in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Lobster Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Lobster Pasta recipe is a rich, delicious pasta recipe that is perfect for any special occasion!
Ingredients
- (2) 6-8oz lobster tails
- 6–8 oz pappardelle pasta
- 2–3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded (more if desired)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- serving: shaved parmesan cheese + fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Fill large pot 2/3 with water and add salt; bring to boil. Add lobster tails and let simmer 8-12 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove and set aside to cool slightly. Use a small strainer or slotted spoon to pull out any floating pieces of lobster/lobster shell.
- Continue to let water simmer and add pasta. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Save 1 cup of pasta/lobster water and then drain pasta (do not rinse).
- While the pasta cooks, remove lobster meat from the shell and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Using the same large pot used to boiled water OR a cast-iron skillet (as pictured), bring to medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and let melt. Add garlic and move around pan until fragrant, approx. 1 minute.
- Add hot pasta into the pan and toss in the butter (make sure the pasta is nice and hot). Remove from heat and add parmesan cheese. Move around until cheese has melted; add splashes of pasta water to help the cheese melt and to make a thin sauce. Add lobster chunks in and toss to combine. Taste and add any kosher salt and ground black pepper, as desired (I added approx. 1/2 teaspoon).
- Serve immediately with additional shaved parmesan and fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Gluten-Free: feel free to use a gluten-free pasta if you prefer.
- Storage: leftover pasta can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 567
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 1008.5 mg
- Fat: 18.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 64.7 g
- Protein: 32.6 g
- Cholesterol: 150.8 mg
Originally posted May 2, 2016. Recipe has been retested and photos updated.
Alphabet says
Incredible dish!! I made it for a birthday dinner. Everyone had seconds and a couple of people said it might be the best thing they have ever eaten!!