This creamy lobster pasta is my new favorite special occasion meal, perfect for the holidays or a special Valentine's Day dinner. It features tender, soft pieces of lobster in a creamy white wine saffron sauce that is so delicious!
I'm truly so excited to share this one with you! I've been meaning to develop a lobster pasta recipe for a while, and when I found a citrus chardonnay version, I was truly inspired.
In my version, the combination of sweet alliums, wine, cream, and a hint of saffron is really so special. And the lobster is cooked perfectly; no chewy, overcooked seafood here!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Baking lobster tails in the oven ensures a soft and tender result without being too chewy.
- A light, creamy sauce with notes of saffron, white wine, and garlic pairs well with the delicate flavors of lobster without being too overpowering.
- Like with my seafood stock, simmering the shells in the liquid helps bring even more lobster flavor!
- The resulting recipe comes together quickly but is a total crowd-pleaser!
For more seafood recipes, try my shrimp scampi without wine, poached cod, or crab stew.
How to Prepare Your Lobster
You'll need about 4 to 6 ounces of cooked lobster meat for this dish, and I've provided a few different options for procurement.
P.S. Use whatever is freshest and local to you, but I highly recommend Maine lobster; the lobster in the cold waters on the East Coast tends to have a firmer texture with a sweet, briny profile.
- Use leftover meat. The easiest way to enjoy this pasta is to use leftover meat or cook the tails. I've included instructions on how to do the latter in the oven.
- Roast the tails. In testing, I tried sautéing, boiling, and roasting the tails to find the best method. Roasting is my favorite method here as it preserves the soft, delicate texture of the lobster tail meat without overcooking it.
- Boil a whole lobster. I have an article on how to boil lobster that walks you through all the steps.
- Purchase fresh or frozen pre-cooked meat. Call up your local fish market and ask if they sell pre-cooked meat. I also like Cozy Harbor, which sells very tender frozen claw meat. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight, and pat dry before using.
Leftover meat? Try my brown butter Connecticut-style lobster rolls!
Ingredient Notes
- White Wine: Use your favorite dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Remember that this is a wine sauce, so make sure it's something you enjoy the taste of!
- Pasta: I recommend a good-quality spaghetti or fresh pasta, like fettuccine here! You can even make your own homemade pasta.
- Fresh Parsley: Fresh herbs add a nice brightness to the dish, so don't skip them! You can also use a mix of parsley and chives.
- Saffron: Saffron is an excellent pairing for the delicate profile of lobster. It adds a lovely floral flavor; you only need a small pinch. If you need a recommendation, I suggest purchasing from Diaspora Co. for a very high quality product.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1 - Prep the lobster: Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut through both ends of the underside of the tail to remove the bottom shell as you keep the top intact.
Step 2 - Roast: Place the tails on a baking sheet and season with salt, black pepper, and a pat of butter. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes, or until the meat is firm and opaque (140°F).
Meanwhile, set a large pot of water over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, reserving about ½ cup pasta water.
Step 3: Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly until you can handle it, then gently remove and reserve the tail shells. Chop or tear the lobster into bite-sized pieces.
Step 4 - Prepare the sauce: Set a large skillet over medium-low heat and saute the minced garlic and shallots in butter until soft. Add the tomato paste, and cook for a couple of minutes until it turns to brick red and caramelizes a bit.
Step 5: Add the wine, saffron, and reserved lobster shells, and simmer over medium heat until mostly reduced with just a bit of sauce left in the pan.
Step 6: Stir in the heavy cream with a big pinch of salt, and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 - 4 minutes until the sauce has emulsified and turned to deep orange. Stir in the cold butter, whisking frequently.
Step 7: Remove the shells, and add the lobster meat back into the pan to gently warm it through. You're only warming it for a couple of minutes, so make sure not to overcook it!
Step 8: Stir the cooked pasta into the lobster sauce, tossing to combine over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and clings to the noodles. If desired, add a little pasta water to loosen the sauce. Season with salt, and serve immediately.
Expert Tip
For even more seafood flavor, prepare the lobster and sauce up to step 5, then cool and refrigerate overnight to allow everything to marinate.
Then, reheat the sauce and proceed with the rest of the recipe, adding the reserved lobster meat back into the sauce to warm it through.
Recipe FAQs
This is a great main dish to serve with a light salad like my kale caesar salad or fluffy focaccia.
I don't recommend making this ahead as the cream sauce is best served fresh. However, as I suggest above, you can make the reduced wine sauce and roast the lobster, store it in the fridge overnight, and finish the dish the next day.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 - 2 days. I recommend heating it in a pan with a splash of water until warmed through.
No, unfortunately this recipe requires cream as it thickens nicely and prevents the sauce from curdling.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaLobster Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
For the lobster tails:
- 2 lobster tails, about 5 - 7 ounces each
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
For the lobster pasta:
- 6 ounces dried pasta, such as bucatini or spaghetti | or 8 ounces fresh pasta, such as fettuccine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1/16 teaspoon saffron threads
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt, to taste
- 4 ounces cooked lobster meat and their shells*, see recipe above | or use leftover meat
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, or chopped chives
Instructions
- Prep the Lobster: Preheat oven to 400°F. Use kitchen shears to carefully cut along the underside of 2 lobster tails, removing the bottom shell while leaving the top intact.Place the tails on a baking sheet, season generously with salt and black pepper. Divide 1 teaspoon unsalted butter into 2 small pats and place on each tail. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the meat is firm and opaque (with an internal temperature of 140°F).Cool slightly until you're able to handle them, then remove the meat from the shells and chop into bite-sized pieces. Reserve shells for the sauce.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt, then add 6 ounces dried pasta. Cook until just before al dente, and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
- Make the sauce: Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium-low heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into ½-inch pieces and place in the fridge to chill.Once melted, sauté 2 garlic cloves and 1 shallot until fragrant and soft, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it caramelizes and deepens in color, about 2 - 3 minutes.
- Simmer: Pour in ½ cup dry white wine, along with 1/16 teaspoon saffron threads and the reserved lobster shells. Over medium heat, simmer and reduce the wine and saffron mixture until just a small amount of liquid remains at the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cream and emulsify: Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in ½ cup heavy cream, season with a good pinch of salt, and simmer until the sauce has thickened and transformed from light orange to bright orange, about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove the lobster shells with tongs and discard. Add the chilled butter one piece at a time, stirring constantly to emulsify the sauce. This ensures a smooth and glossy texture.
- Finish: Still over medium-low heat, toss in the cooked pasta. Cook for an additional 1 - 2 minutes until the sauce thickens further and clings nicely to the pasta. Add the reserved lobster meat back into the sauce, stirring gently until warmed through.If desired, add a bit of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season again with salt as needed.
- Serve: Plate immediately and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Lauren
SO good. Maybe the best meal I’ve ever cooked at home. Only mistake I made was not doubling it
Karishma
Lauren,
I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that!!! I am so glad you enjoyed 🙂
Karishma
Owner's Rating: I love how light and delicate the sauce is, which really allows the lobster to shine through. I hope you enjoy!