Pasta with Lobster Sauce

Why we love this recipe

Lobster, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…lobster in scrambled eggs, lobster in a slider, with lobster with BACON…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 20 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 can get your lobster meat a bunch of different ways. 

You can cook your own, and this article on how to cook the perfect lobster is very handy if you decide you want to go for it!

Another option is to buy a whole lobster and ask your supermarket fish counter to steam it (do this before you start the rest of your shopping and then pick it up at the end – that way you won’t have to wait for it).

You obviously still need to shell it, but I just look hopefully at the Southern husband and he springs into lobster shelling action!

Another option is to buy lobster tails – depending on their size, you will need either one or two.  These usually come frozen and uncooked, so you will need to cook them up in advance (here are a few ways to cook up lobster) and these come out of the shell much more cooperatively than a whole lobster.

But MY favorite way is to use frozen cooked lobster meat.

In a recipe like this where the lobster is getting tossed with a sauce, if you get a nice frozen variety you will never notice the difference between this kind and fresh cooked – and there will be zero shells to deal with in any way!

My favorite kind is Cozy Harbor Of Maine, which I get at my local Wegmans, and I always have an extra pack in the freezer for when the lobster craving hits. Here’s where you can find Cozy Harbor lobster near you.

Ingredients you need to make this recipe

Ingredient additions and substitutions

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!

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.

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 do love an iced lemonade cocktail with this summery supper (at all times of year, mind you!). A classic wedge salad makes a great side dish, and so does some homemade sheet pan focaccia. And if you left room for dessert, you can’t go wrong with banana cream pie, right?