If you snapped up some of the half price cooked lobsters recently sold at Australian supermarkets, here are my 6 best Christmas-worthy lobster recipes to really make the most of them. I’ll also show you how easy it is to remove the lobster meat from the shell!
Rounding off a crazy year, Australian grocery stores have been selling lobsters at steeply discounted prices in the weeks leading up to Christmas due to trade tensions with China. (Read more below.)
If you’ve been lucky enough to pick one up, here are 6 Lobster recipes that really make the most of them. All easy – and you’re likely to have everything to make at least one of these, if not two or three!
Note: This post specifically contains dishes using cooked lobsters and crayfish, not raw, because the discounted lobsters that spurred this post came cooked. There’s a broader variety of preparation options for raw lobster which are not covered in this post.
Lobster is one of the most luxurious and decadent seafood treats out there. However cooking a whole lobster often leaves you with extra cooked meat. Rather than letting those delicious leftovers go to waste get creative with ways to transform lobster into easy appetizers, main dishes, sandwiches and more.
I scoured the web and collected 15 mouthwatering recipes for using up leftover lobster. With its sweet, briny flavor, lobster can instantly elevate pasta, tacos, salad and other everyday favorites. Read on for innovative ideas to savor every last morsel.
Make Lobster Rolls
Lobster rolls are a classic way to use up leftover cooked lobster. This iconic New England sandwich features lobster salad made with diced lobster, mayo, lemon juice, celery, chives and black pepper. Pile the chunky mixture onto a buttered, toasted hot dog bun for the ultimate lobster roll.
Toss with Pasta
It doesn’t get easier than throwing leftover lobster in with hot pasta. Cook up your favorite pasta like linguine farfalle or fettuccine. Then simply toss the cooked pasta with pieces of lobster olive oil or butter, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, white wine and grated Parmesan.
Stuff into Quesadillas
Jazz up quesadillas for an easy appetizer or light meal. Sauté diced lobster with onions and garlic. Fill tortillas with the lobster mixture and shredded cheese. Grill quesadillas until the cheese melts gooey. Serve with guacamole and salsa for a fresh, tasty bite.
Make Lobster Salad
A chilled lobster salad makes a simple, refreshing lunch. Roughly chop lobster meat and mix with mayonnaise, lemon juice, diced celery, fresh dill and black pepper. Eat the salad as-is or use it to stuff sandwiches or lettuce wraps.
Bake into Mac and Cheese
For the ultimate comfort food, add chunks of lobster meat to homemade macaroni and cheese. Toss cooked macaroni with lobster pieces, cheese sauce and extra shredded cheese. Top with breadcrumbs or more cheese and bake until bubbling and golden.
Fill Tacos
Lobster tacos are an easy, fun way to use up cooked lobster. Make lobster salad by mixing chopped lobster with lime juice, chili powder, cilantro and salsa. Fill warmed corn tortillas with the lobster mixture, cabbage, avocado and crema.
Make Lobster Dip
A creamy lobster dip is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Purée lobster meat with cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, pepper and milk. Chill the dip overnight to let the flavors meld. Serve with crackers, chips or veggies.
Top Baked Potatoes
Load baked potatoes with butter, sour cream, chives, cheddar, bacon and a generous amount of cooked lobster. The combination of hot potato and sweet, briny lobster meat is simply divine.
Pile on Bruschetta
Lobster bruschetta makes an easy yet impressive appetizer. Roughly chop lobster and mix with diced tomatoes, garlic, basil and Parmesan. Spoon the mixture over grilled baguette slices. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
Make Lobster Fried Rice
Inject leftover lobster into fried rice for a gourmet touch. Sauté bite-sized lobster in sesame oil with carrots, peas, eggs, ginger and garlic. Toss the veggie-lobster mixture with chilled, cooked rice. Garnish with green onions.
Mix into Cobb Salad
Elevate a classic Cobb salad by topping it with leftover lobster chunks. Arrange lobster meat, diced chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, tomatoes, onions and blue cheese on a bed of lettuce. Drizzle with your favorite dressing.
Add to Caprese Skewers
Make easy yet impressive appetizers by skewering fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves and pieces of lobster meat. Drizzle the lobster caprese skewers with good olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar.
Make Lobster Grilled Cheese
A lobster grilled cheese sandwich takes this classic comfort food up a notch. Spread mayo on bread and fill with lobster salad and cheese slices. Grill the sandwiches until the bread is crispy and the cheese melts beautifully.
Toss with Cauliflower Rice
For a low-carb, keto-friendly dinner, sauté bites of lobster in olive oil and garlic. Toss the lobster with riced cauliflower seasoned with salt, pepper and parsley. The lobster perfectly dresses up the cauliflower rice.
Blend into Bisque
A rich, creamy lobster bisque is one of the most popular recipes for leftover lobster shells and meat. Simmer shells in broth to extract flavor. Purée the broth with cream, sherry, lobster meat and seasonings for a seriously decadent soup.
With a little creativity, leftover lobster can become totally new, delicious dishes. I hope these recipes inspire you to make the most of any extra lobster lurking in your fridge. Don’t let those sweet shellfish morsels go to waste. Whip up lobster rolls, tacos, mac and cheese, salads, skewers, soup and more. Happy cooking!
10 Leftover Lobster Recipes to Make this Summer
Lobsters are harvested in New England year round though they are primarily considered to be “in season” during the summer months starting in June though the season really lasts until December. During the summer I usually buy live whole lobsters and cook them myself. During the cooler winter months I frequently opt to have the fishmonger boil or steam the lobsters so that I can just pick them up. If you are buying your lobsters whole, note that it takes about 4½ pounds (2kg) of live lobsters to get 1 pound (454g) of meat.
If using fresh lobsters, buy them as close as possible to the time you plan on cooking them. They can be purchased a day beforehand and kept in the refrigerator, wrapped in damp paper towels or newspaper to ensure they remain alive until just before cooking.
If you’re looking to make these recipes without the work, you can find lobster meat already cooked, broken down and removed from the shell at some specialty seafood markets. If you aren’t someplace you can easily find whole lobsters, my family has ordered from Maine Lobster Now and Lobster From Maine.
Even when cooking multiple lobsters, the cooking time remains the same. Use a large stock pot to ensure enough space for the lobsters to cook evenly or cook them in multiple batches. Boil the lobsters in heavily salted water for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on their size.
What to make with cooked lobster
My biggest advice for making a dish with pre-cooked lobster is to keep it simple, and do not cook it which will risk drying it out. That’s like cooking a cooked steak – you just don’t!
Store bought pre-cooked lobster does not have the same full flavour as a freshly cooked raw one, so it’s best to preserve the flavour it does have by keeping it simple. Let the lobster meat take centre stage!
Note: you cannot make cooked lobster dishes such as Lobster Mornay and Lobster Bisque with a lobster already cooked. You need raw lobster. Let’s save these for another time!
How To – prepare a cooked lobster
FAQ
What can I do with cooked lobster?
- Lobster with seafood sauce (choose from 4)
- Lobster Cocktail (Prawn Cocktail – but made with lobster!)
- Lobster with herb and garlic butter.
- Lobster with French Lemon Butter Sauce (Beurre noisette)
- Lobster with Salsa Verde.
- Lobster Rolls – the ultimate seafood sandwich.
How to eat already cooked lobster?
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the lobster in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Make sure there is liquid in the dish (the lobster’s sauce, stock or butter). Heat in the oven until the lobster is warm. Take out of the oven and serve.
Can you cook already cooked lobster?
Generally you want to steam them, not boil them. Even if you’ll be finishing cooking them another way par steaming them is the way to go. Sous vide can be a great way to finish cooking a par cooked lobster, especially if your doing the warm buttered Connecticut style of lobster roll.
How to fix pre-cooked lobster?
Cover and wrap the lobster with foil, add some butter in the wrap. Heat in the oven for approximately 10 minutes. Take out of the oven and serve.