This post may contain affiliate links.
This Lobster Pasta is the best summer pasta dish. It’s elegant yet simple to prepare and results in a restaurant-quality dinner. It takes just 45 minutes and is loaded with fresh sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and basil. An impressive meal to add to the rotation!
This recipe is developed by Jenni Lata, a Charleston-based recipe developer and culinary consultant. She’s the queen of all things seafood, so you know this one is going to be good.
Serving lobster in a pasta is a great way to take the pricey protein and make it go a bit farther. Each bite of this pasta is bursting with pops of sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, and basil. It’s light yet creamy, making it the perfect summer dinner.
This recipe article was originally published in July of 2023, it has since been updated with helpful tips, clearer instructions and a recipe video.
Why You’l l Love this Recipe
- Elevated yet approachable. No matter what level of cook you are, this is a great recipe to make when you’re tying to impress. Plus, you’ll learn to cook lobster tails the right way.
- Pairs beautifully with a variety of side dishes. Add a salad on the side with crusty bread and an elegant dinner is done.
- Uses peak summer produce. This lobster pasta is delicious all year round, but it’s truly something else during the summer months when the cherry tomatoes and corn are at their best.
Lobster Tips
- Choosing the type of lobster can be tricky. Fresh, or frozen and thawed lobster tails are our preference for ease. You’ll need 4–5 tails.
- You can also use whole lobsters, which will require about 2–3 lobsters and much more work.
- Alternatively, you can buy cooked lobster meat that’s been removed from the shell. The only drawback is the pasta cooking water won’t get a boost of flavor from the poaching of the lobster.
Ingredient Needed for Lobster Pasta
Here is a quick rundown of what you’ll need for the recipe. For ingredient amounts, jump down to the recipe card.
- Lobster: You’ll need 4–5 tails or 2–3 whole lobsters. For a delicious shortcut, use Luke’s frozen lobster meat. You’ll need about 8 ounces cooked lobster meat when all is said and done.
- Pasta: Bucatini is ideal for this Lobster Pasta—it holds up well to the hearty ingredients and the hollow center soaks up the creamy sauce. Spaghetti or linguine can also be used.
- Sweet Corn: fresh sweet corn adds tons of flavor and texture! In a pinch you can use frozen—you’ll need 2 cups.
- Garlic: sliced fresh garlic adds a touch of garlic flavor without overpowering the other delicate flavors.
- Red Pepper Flakes: for some spice—add as much as you like.
- Tomatoes: cherry tomatoes are what you’re looking for. You can also use grape tomatoes, though they aren’t as jammy and have tougher skins.
- Crème Fraîche: thick and luscious, this is key to making a good sauce. Find it sold in the specialty cheese section or near the sour cream. You’ll need an 8-ounce container.
- Parmesan: fresh grated Parmesan adds a nice salty note to the pasta. Stir some into the warm pasta then be sure to top each serving with more.
- Basil: fresh basil rounds out all of the flavors. If you’ve got other herbs on hand, feel free to give them a try. Chives, thyme, and a bit of oregano would also be delicious.
How to Make Lobster Pasta
This is an overview of the recipe to guarantee success. Find the full recipe in the recipe card.
- Boil the lobster. If using fresh lobster tails, add lobster tails to a pot of boiling water and cook 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer tails to a bowl and let cool.
- Boil the noodles. Season boiling lobster water heavily with salt and add bucatini; cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving some pasta water. Wipe out pot and return to stove top.
- Prepare the corn. Remove and discard husks and silk from corn. Cut off kernels (should get about 2 cups). Using back of a chefs knife, scrape cobs to collect the little sweet bits of kernel and “milk” (this should yield about 3 tablespoons); reserve. Discard cobs.
- Cook the corn and aromatics. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a now-empty pot. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in corn (and scraped bits) and reduce heat to low. Cook until corn is sweet and soft but not browned, about 8–10 minutes.
- Prepare the lobster. Once lobster is cool enough to handle, crack open shell and remove meat; you should get at least 8 ounces lobster meat. Dice the lobster meat.
- Toss everything together. Add lobster, halved cherry tomatoes, cooked pasta, crème fraîche and pasta water; toss to coat. Increase heat to medium and cook until sauce is slightly thickened; season to taste with salt and pepper, adding a touch more pasta water if necessary to coat noodles. Remove from heat and fold in Parmesan and torn basil leaves.
- Garnish and serve. Spoon into pasta bowls and top with remaining Parmesan, more fresh basil and cracked black pepper.
Lobster Pasta Tips
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Read the cook time on the box of the pasta for al dente, you want some chew to the noodle.
- Reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid. When you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid. Add splashes of it to the finished pasta to loosen the sauce and make it ultra-silky.
- Use fresh corn on the cob. This is so important since the corn tends to be fresher tasting. Additionally, we also use the “corn milk” in this recipe which comes from the cob by scraping it with the back of a knife.
- Avoid overcooking the lobster meat. Overcooked lobster=rubbery lobster. Follow the cooking instructions in the recipe and immediately plunge the lobster into an ice water bath to stop the cooking.
What to Serve with Lobster Pasta
Pair this lobster bucatini with a light and flavorful side salad. We like to pair it with our Butter Lettuce Salad or Fennel Salad.
Storage
This creamy lobster pasta is best when served and eaten immediately. It stores well for about a day in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
We recommend reheating the pasta on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock and gently heating through until warmed. You can microwave for a few minutes as well, but this may change the texture of the pasta and the lobster.
FAQs
What noodles are good for lobster pasta?
Any noodle you have on hand works well, but for this dish we do love thick and chewy bucatini with creamy cherry tomato sauce and rich lobster.
What side dish goes well with lobster pasta?
We love serving the pasta with a side salad or a side of roasted or grilled vegetables.
Why is my lobster tough?
You overcooked the meat, be sure to boil just until the meat turns opaque and pink. Allow it to cool slightly before removing the shell.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Lobster Pasta Recipe
Description
This Lobster Pasta is the best summer pasta dish, it's elegant yet simple to prepare and tastes truly restaurant-quality. In just 45 minutes, this pasta recipe will be on the table and is ideal for entertaining guests. Loaded with fresh sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and basil, it's a bite that's sure to impress.
Video
Save This Recipe!
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Ingredients
- 5 fresh lobster tails, or 8 ounces cooked lobster meat
- 1 pound dried bucatini
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 ears corn
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces crème fraîche
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan, divided
- ⅓ cup torn fresh basil leaves + more for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If using fresh lobster tails, add 5 lobster tails to boiling water and cook 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer tails to a bowl and let cool.
- Season boiling lobster water heavily with salt and add 1 pound bucatini; cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Wipe out pot and return to stove top.
- Remove and discard husks and silk from 3 ears of corn. Cut off kernels (should get about 2 cups). Using back of a chefs knife, scrape cobs to collect the little sweet bits of kernel and “milk” (this should yield about 3 tablespoons); reserve. Discard cobs.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat in a now-empty pot. Add 2 cloves sliced garlic and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in corn (and scraped bits) and reduce heat to low. Cook until corn is sweet and soft but not browned, about 8–10 minutes.
- Once lobster is cool enough to handle, crack open shell and remove meat; you should get at least 8 ounces lobster meat. Dice the lobster meat.
- Add lobster, 1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes, cooked pasta, 8 ounce crème fraîche and ½ cup pasta water; toss to coat. Increase heat to medium and cook until sauce is slightly thickened; season to taste with salt and pepper, adding a touch more pasta water if necessary to coat noodles. Remove from heat and fold in ½ cup Parmesan and ⅓ cup torn basil leaves.
- Spoon into pasta bowls and top with remaining Parmesan, more fresh basil and cracked black pepper.
Equipment
Notes
Lobster: It would probably take 2-3 lobsters (and a lot of work) to yield 8 ounces meat, so we recommend using fresh tails or, an even easier option, utilize Luke’s frozen lobster meat from Maine for a delicious shortcut. It will serve 4 generously or 6 as part of a larger meal.
Storage:
This creamy lobster pasta is best when served and eaten immediately. It stores well for about a day in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
We recommend reheating the pasta on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock and gently heating through until warmed. You can microwave for a few minutes as well, but this may change the texture of the pasta and the lobster.
Tips:
- Cook the pasta to al dente. Read the cook time on the box of the pasta for al dente, you want some chew to the noodle.
- Reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid. When you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid, this is pure gold. We use this liquid to make the creamiest sauce.
- Use fresh corn on the cob. This is so important since the corn tends to be fresher tasting. Additionally, we also use the “corn milk” in this recipe which comes from the cob by scraping it with the back of a knife.
- Don’t overcook the lobster meat. This will make it rubbery, cook until it is just cooked through in the shell preferably. The cool in an ice bath to stop the cooking if desired. Remove the shell using kitchen shears for ease!
- Swap the lobster for another kind of seafood. We also recommend shell-on shrimp for this recipe or even mussels! If using shrimp, follow the same method as lobster, just cook for less time. If using mussels, cook them in a separate pot and serve on top.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 recipeCalories: 575kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 21gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 546mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7g
Like this? Leave a comment below!I love hearing from you and I want to hear how it went with this recipe! Leave a comment and rating below, then share on social media @zestfulkitchen and #zestfulkitchen!
Other Seafood Recipes to Try
Fish & Seafood
How to Make Seafood Soup Recipe
20-Minute Meals
Easy Cajun Shrimp Recipe
Soups, Stews & Chilis
Shrimp Bisque Recipe
Fish & Seafood
