Creamy Lobster Pasta
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
2
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Calories
1448 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Creamy Lobster Pasta
Description
This recipe uses a whole cooked lobster, utilizing both the tail meat and the shells/head to build a deeply flavored sauce. The lobster shells are cooked in olive oil over medium-low heat to extract their flavor and impart a rich orange color to the oil. Onion and celery are browned with garlic and tarragon before adding low-sodium broth to simmer and infuse with lobster essence. After straining and reducing this liquid, heavy cream enriches the sauce.
Spaghetti noodles are cooked and combined with bite-sized lobster meat and the creamy sauce, which is enhanced with Parmesan cheese for umami, lemon zest for brightness, and finished with fresh chives and black pepper for garnish. The dish balances the shellfish’s natural sweetness with creamy and herbaceous components, creating a satisfying pasta meal.
The recipe notes suggest using fresh tarragon or alternatives like thyme or basil if unavailable. Seafood broth is preferred to amplify lobster flavor, but chicken or vegetable broth can substitute. If lobster shells are not available, the sauce steps involving simmering shells can be omitted, using broth directly. The sauce reduction ratio is adjusted according to serving size to maintain flavor concentration.
Ingredients
- 1 lobster around (1½lb/680g (see note 1, or crayfish, cooked
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion , roughly chopped
- 1 celery roughly chopped, rib
- 3 cloves garlic , roughly chopped
- 2 tarragon see note 2, sprigs
- 2 cup broth see note 3, low sodium
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ lb spaghetti
- ½ tablespoon salt
- pinch red pepper flakes crushed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon chives chopped
- black pepper for garnish
- parmesan for garnish
Instructions
To make the lobster sauce
- See note 3&4 if you have lobster meat and no shells.
- Remove the tail meat from the lobster/crayfish and cut it into small bite-sized chunks. Set to one side until you have made the pasta.1 cooked lobster/crayfish
- Break the shell/head into chunks (don't throw out the tomalley from the lobster head, add that to the pan)
- Add the olive oil to a large deep saute pan (or saucepan); once shimmering, add the shells and head and fry over medium-low heat until aromatic and the oil is a rich orange color.3 tbsp olive oil
- Use your spatula to push and squish the hard shells, getting plenty of roasted color on them.
- Add the onion, celery and cook for 3 minutes.1 onion1 rib celery
- Add the garlic and tarragon, cook for 30 seconds, then immediately add the broth/stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes.3 cloves garlic2 sprigs tarragon2 cup / 480 ml low sodium broth
- Strain the stock well and boil to reduce to about 1 cup of liquid. (see note 5)
- Add the heavy cream to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer on the lowest heat for 10 minutes while the pasta cooks.1½ cups / 360 ml heavy cream
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the salt and the pasta, and cook for 1 minute less than the packet suggests. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.½ tbsp salt½ lb / 225 g spaghetti
To finish the dish
- Still over low heat, add the cooked pasta, chopped lobster meat, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest to the pasta sauce and stir to combine gently.pinch crushed red pepper flakes1 tsp lemon zest
- Add the parmesan to the sauce gradually, stirring gently to allow it to melt in the sauce.½ cup / 40 g grated parmesan
- Add around ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and gently turn the pasta around in the sauce until the lobster has warmed through and the pasta is perfectly cooked. Add more pasta water as needed.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Serve garnished with chopped chives, black pepper, and additional parmesan.1 tbsp chopped chives black pepper parmesan
Notes
- Whole cooked lobsters are ideal for this dish, using both meat and shells to create flavor in the sauce.
- If you only have lobster meat, skip the shell simmering step and rely on broth enhanced with seafood flavor.
- Tarragon adds a classic herbal note, but thyme, chervil, or basil are suitable substitutes if needed.
- Seafood broth best complements the lobster flavor; use chicken or vegetable broth if unavailable, or boost with lobster bouillon.
- Reduce the broth to about 1 cup for every 2 servings to concentrate flavor in the sauce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1448 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1448kcal | 72% |
| Carbohydrates | 103g | 34% |
| Protein | 44g | 88% |
| Fat | 97g | 149% |
| Saturated Fat | 49g | 245% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7g | 41% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 35g | 175% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 307mg | 102% |
| Sodium | 643mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 513mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 2961IU | 59% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 455mg | 46% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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