Pasta with Lobster Sauce

There are some dinners that feel fancy even though they are secretly ridiculously easy (looking at you, Lobster BLT Salad!), and this Pasta with Lobster Sauce is one of my favorites.

Sweet chunks of lobster, tender linguine and a buttery lemon garlic Parmesan sauce come together in just 30 minutes for a seafood pasta that is special enough for company but absolutely doable on a regular old week night.

🔎 A quick look at this recipe

⭐️ Why this recipe works

• 🦞 Lobster makes an easy pasta feel instantly special. You only need about a cup and a half of cooked lobster meat to turn a simple dinner into something celebration-worthy.
• 🍋 The sauce is rich without being heavy. Butter and Parmesan bring the richness while fresh lemon keeps everything bright.
• 🧄 Garlic adds loads of flavor with almost no work. Just one clove gives the buttery sauce a savory boost without overpowering the lobster.
• ⏱️ It’s ready in just 30 minutes. Using already-cooked lobster means this elegant seafood pasta is surprisingly speedy.
• 🍝 Starchy pasta water brings the sauce together. A splash helps the butter, Parmesan and lemon cling beautifully to every strand of linguine.
• 🎉 It works for weeknights AND special occasions. It’s simple enough for Tuesday night and impressive enough for a holiday or dinner party.

Lobster, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…lobster in scrambled eggs, lobster macaroni and cheese, with lobster with BACON, Mango Lobster Salad..I could go on and on.

The only way I don’t adore lobster is when I need to do battle with the shell (and even then I still love the Eating Of The Lobster), so whenever I come up with a lobster dinner that involves lobster that is already out of the shell it is that much more scrumptious!

“Great dish! I made with fresh linguini and a pound of picked lobster meat. I basically doubled the recipe for 4 people and we had about a serving leftover… Everyone loved it. Will make again.” ~ Rachel W.

And while I will happily eat this lemon garlic lobster pasta any old time of the year, between the lobster and the lemon and the handful of fresh herbs I like to toss in, it always tastes like a combination of Christmastime and summertime to me. And what could be better than that?

AND, it takes about 30 minutes to throw it all together!

So let’s talk about the star of the show, otherwise known as the main ingredient!

🦞 Where and how to get cooked and shelled lobster meat

You have a few easy options when it comes to getting cooked lobster meat for this recipe.

You can cook a whole lobster yourself, or ask your supermarket fish counter to steam one for you. (I like to order it before I start shopping and pick it up when I’m finished!) You’ll still need to shell it, which is when I look hopefully at the Southern husband and he springs into lobster-shelling action. 😄

Lobster tails are another good option. Depending on their size, you’ll need one or two. They usually come frozen and uncooked, but once they’re cooked, the meat is much easier to remove than it is from a whole lobster.

But my favorite shortcut is frozen cooked lobster meat. Since the lobster is getting tossed with a buttery lemon sauce, a good-quality frozen variety works beautifully — and there are zero shells to wrestle with!

My favorite is Cozy Harbor of Maine, which I find at my local Wegmans. I usually keep an extra package in the freezer so I’m ready whenever a lobster pasta craving strikes.

🍋 Ingredients you need to make this recipe

📝 Ingredient notes

Lobster: If lobster is just a little too spendy for you, you can also make this recipe with shrimp! Peel them and cook them for about 3 minutes in simmering water and you’re all set.

Pasta: We love linguine for this recipe, but fettuccine and spaghetti will also work just fine. Make sure you salt up that water before you cook it up!

Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan melts most smoothly into the sauce. Save a little extra for sprinkling over the finished pasta.

Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is important here — its brightness balances out the rich butter and cheese and brings out the sweetness of the lobster.

Fresh herbs: Parsley gives the pasta a fresh, classic flavor, while basil makes it a little sweeter and more summery. Either one is delicious.

💡 Ingredient substitution ideas

Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredien

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Cook a half pound of linguine according to the package directions in salted water.  Scoop out a cup of pasta water before you drain it – we are going to use that magical pasta water later!

STEP 2: While the pasta is cooking, put a couple tablespoons each of butter and olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. 

STEP 3: When the butter is melted, add a clove of minced garlic and stir for one minute.  Add about a cup and a half of cooked lobster meat and stir just until everything is nice and heated through.

STEP 4: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and give everything a toss. 

STEP 5: Next, add the juice from one lemon, a half cup of Parmesan cheese and toss again, drizzling in enough of that lovely salty pasta water to make a light sauce.  Add a handful of chopped fresh parsley or basil and toss one more time.

🧐 Recipe FAQs

🥣 Equipment we used for this recipe

These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!

• Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
• Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
• Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
• Tongs: We have this essential kitchen tool in all sizes from short to extra long.
• Medium Skillet: We have a drawer full of these, but this one is our fave.

Now the only thing you have left to do is to divide it up among bowls and start twirling up that lobster pasta deliciousness!

And while this is of course a perfectly perfect dinner party recipe, there is no reason why you can’t have a delectable bowl of buttery, cheesy, garlicky, lemony, lobster-y pasta on a random weeknight too.

🍽️ Want to round out your meal?

We love a nice wedge salad on the side of our pasta, and a hunk of sheet pan focaccia. And who could say no to an iced lemonade cocktail on the side? 😄

And for dessert, let’s have some banana cream pie!

Let’s twirl up some buttery, lemony lobster pasta and make an ordinary night feel like a celebration! 🦞🍝