What is Lobster Base Substitute? 9 Delicious Alternatives You Can Use

As a seafood lover, I’m always looking for ways to add delicious lobster flavor to dishes like bisques chowders, pastas and more. But lobster can be expensive, and not everyone has ready access to fresh lobster meat and shells. That’s where lobster base comes in handy!

Lobster base is a concentrated paste made from real lobsters. It captures all the hearty briny sweetness of lobster in a convenient shelf-stable form. Just a spoonful mixed into liquids makes an amazing lobster stock to use in recipes. This imparts vibrant reddish-pink color and authentic flavor without needing whole lobsters.

But what if you’ve run out of lobster base right when a recipe calls for it? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered! In this article, I’ll explain what lobster base is, how it’s used, and share my top 9 recommendations for lobster base substitutes using common ingredients

What Exactly is Lobster Base?

Lobster base starts with lobsters caught in the chilly North Atlantic waters off New England and Canada. The cooked lobster meat and shells get finely processed into a thick, concentrated paste or base product. This retains the natural juices, oils, flavors and pigments of real lobster in a convenient concentrated form.

Pre-made lobster base can be purchased in jars, cans or shelf-stable aseptic cartons. When ready to use, you simply mix a small amount like 1-2 teaspoons into simmering liquids. This instantly produces a flavorful lobster broth or stock full of sweet briny flavor and natural pinkish-red color.

Using lobster base is an easy shortcut to get authentic tasting lobster essence into seafood soups, sauces, bisques, pastas and more without needing to cook whole lobsters. A little goes a long way towards infusing food with delicious natural lobster flavor and vibrant color.

When Do You Use Lobster Base?

Some classic examples of recipes using lobster base include:

• Lobster bisque
• Seafood chowders, like Manhattan clam chowder
• Lobster risotto
• Shrimp scampi with lobster sauce
• Lobster mac and cheese
• Bouillabaisse
• Cioppino
• Any creamy pasta dish or soup calling for lobster flavor

Just mixes a bit into simmering liquids as you would instant bouillon or stock paste. The concentrated natural flavors dissolve and diffuse to give recipes an authentic lobster taste and pretty pinkish tone.

9 Best Substitutes for Lobster Base

If you don’t have any lobster base on hand, don’t let that stop you from whipping up delicious lobster-flavored dishes! Here are my top recommendations for easy lobster base substitutes:

1. Lobster Bisque

Canned lobster bisque makes an almost identical stand-in for regular lobster base. It provides the same concentrated flavor and color. Just dilute the canned bisque with a little cream or stock to reach the desired consistency.

2. Shrimp Base

Similar to lobster base, you can buy concentrated shrimp base or make your own by simmering shrimp shells in stock. It provides briny seafood notes resembling lobster base.

3. Dashi Stock

This savory Japanese seafood stock made from dried bonito flakes works nicely. Look for dashi made with added dried shrimp, scallops or other seafood for best flavor.

4. Tomato Paste

Tomato paste offers a quick shortcut to the right color. Blend it with clam juice, fish stock or shrimp base to approximate the flavor.

5. Miso Paste

The salty, fermented umami taste of miso paste helps replace some of the richness of lobster base. Thin it with hot stock and finish with a pat of butter.

6. Seafood Stock

Make your own rich seafood stock by simmering shrimp shells, fish bones or other seafood parts, then using it in place of lobster base stock.

7. Bouillon Cubes

In a last-minute fix, bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water add back some savory flavor, though not the exact lobster taste.

8. Lobster Pâté

Canned lobster pâtés provide concentrated meaty flavor and spread smoothly into sauces much like using the real base.

9. DIY Lobster Shell Stock

For homemade authenticity, simmer lobster shells, legs and body parts in water to extract flavor. Strain and use the resulting shellfish stock.

With these handy substitutes on hand, you can still enjoy delicious seafood soups, risottos and pasta dishes with lovely lobster essence even when you’re out of base. Tomatoes, shrimp, bouillon and miso can nicely mimic the flavor, while tomato and lobster bisque replicate the natural pinkish tones.

So next time a recipe calls for lobster base but you don’t have any, try one of these easy ingredient swaps! They allow you to capture that sweet briny lobster goodness in your cooking whenever cravings strike.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lobster Base Substitute

Is shrimp base the same as lobster base?

Shrimp and lobster base are quite similar products that can often substitute for one another. Both deliver rich, concentrated shellfish flavor. Lobster base tends to have a slightly sweeter, more buttery taste compared to shrimp base. But in a pinch, shrimp base makes a fine stand-in.

Can you make homemade lobster base from scratch?

Absolutely! For homemade from-scratch lobster base, simply cook fresh lobster bodies, shells and legs in water to extract their flavor. Blend the cooked lobster parts along with the cooking liquid until smooth. Strain out any remaining solids. Now you have your own tasty DIY lobster base to use in seafood recipes.

What’s the easiest substitute for lobster base in bisque?

Canned lobster bisque provides the easiest, most direct substitute for lobster base specifically when making lobster bisque. Since it’s already a creamy, concentrated lobster soup product, simply thin it with milk or cream to reach the desired bisque consistency.

Can tomato paste work instead of lobster base?

Yes, tomato paste makes a quick, handy replacement thanks to its naturally concentrated flavor and rich reddish color. Mix it with clam juice, fish stock or shrimp base to approximate a lobster base. The tomato provides vivid color while the shellfish liquids impart briny flavor.

What gives a similar flavor as lobster base?

Good flavor matches to lobster base include shrimp, crab, lobster bisque, seafood stocks made from shrimp/fish/shells, miso paste, tomato products, and dashi stock. Bouillon cubes also add back needed savory richness. These all help replicate the sweet, briny seafood notes of real lobster base.

So for any seafood aficionados without lobster base on hand, try out some of my recommended stand-ins using versatile ingredients you likely have in your pantry already. With a little creativity, you can still enjoy the wonderful lobster essence you’re craving in pastas, risottos, bisques, chowders and more!