I’ve been perfecting this dish for the longest time, and I am finally happy! Proudly presenting my Ultimate Lobster Pasta recipe: al dente spaghetti in a flavourful and luscious tomato sauce with delicate pieces of luxurious lobster meat.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had a fair share of struggles with this dish. First, the lobster. Sooooo demanding and unforgiving! One wrong move, and it turns chewy and rubbery – which really is a shame considering those tails cost a little fortune. Then, the red sauce. You want it rich yet not overpowering (it’s all about the lobster – see above!). Not too thick and not too thin. With the comforting flavours of garlic and shallots but without their bits and bobs breaking the smooth texture. Seemingly simple, lobster pasta in red sauce is a very tricky dish to make. But luckily, I’ve now got a few tricks myself, and I am more than happy to share them with you! 😀

The Flavour Affair:

Lobster + Shallots + Garlic + Tomatoes + Chili + Lobster Stock + White Wine

This is a reliable combination of flavours that always works with seafood. In this recipe though, it is much more the matter of ‘how’ than ‘what’. Below, I’ve logged in detailed steps and cooking times.

How to make the Ultimate Lobster Pasta:

There are four major tasks to deal with when making this dish: cooking the lobster, flavouring the sauce, creating a luxurious texture and assembling the pasta.

Cooking the lobster:

By the end of the process – i.e. when on the plate being served – the lobster should have achieved and maintained a texture that is plump and tender, not rubbery, mushy or dry. Here is how to nail it:

• Get lobster tails with shells on. Two tails approximately 350g each is plenty for four people.
• Make vertical cuts in the bottom part of the tails:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
• Place the tails in the water. If you have more than two medium or three smaller ones, do it in batches.
• Remove after 2 minutes, even if the water didn’t get back to boiling. The parts of meat that stick out will have turned opaque by then. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
• Carefully pull the shells apart at the place of the cut. Be careful as the spikes might scratch.
• Separate the meat into smaller chunks with hands or knife. Remove the veins and any impurities. Some parts will be more cooked than others – it is totally fine.
• Place in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use (this can be done even a day in advance).
• Reserve the shells!!!

Flavouring the sauce:

There are several important components in the sauce, each helping to build the overall flavour. Shallots and garlic add sweet pungency and a comforting aroma. White wine creates depth and its acidity balances both the sweetness and the umami aspects of the sauce. Tomatoes provide substance and tart notes. Lobster stock brings in the unmistakable taste of the sea. Chili is there for a bright kick – optional but recommended.

Here is what I do to get the maximum flavour out of the ingredients:

• Use the lobster shells to make stock. If possible, avoid the store version of fish stock – there is a noticeable difference in taste between a broth based on fish bones vs one made from lobster shells. The latter has a much more pronounced seafood character. You can however use shells from shrimps instead. In terms of flavouring the sauce, the stock is more important than the lobster itself!
• Cook shallots and garlic with a generous glass of dry white wine such as a fruity Sauvignon Blanc. Simmering will evaporate the alcohol while imparting the complex flavours of the wine to the sauce. Simmer until there is barely any liquid left:

• Prepare the tomato puree from fresh tomatoes. Canned or packed tomatoes often have a sharper, deeper tart flavour.
• Use this hack to make it quick: cut the tomatoes in halves and pour over boiling water. Let cool a little, then rub the cut side against a large grater. The pulp will fall through leaving the skin behind:

• Add the pulp to the pan with shallots and garlic along with a couple of ladles of lobster stock. Allow the flavours to blend by simmering the sauce for at least 10 minutes. Add more stock for more prominent notes of umami. Taste and adjust for salt. Add a pinch of red chili flakes.

Improving the texture:

This really is a simple trick but it totally works. Once the sauce has cooked, simply blitz it to a smooth paste using a hand blender. You can do it straight in the sauce pan itself:

Ta-da! The delicious and balanced base with a luscious, uniform texture is all done. You can refrigerate it if preparing in advance or use immediately.

When ready to use, reserve 1/2 cups of the sauce. Add the pieces of pre-cooked lobster to the pan with the rest of it. Gently simmer for a minute, then check the lobster meat for readiness. It is done when it is opaque throughout.

Assembling the pasta:

Traditionally, lobster pasta is made with spaghetti. The last touch is to cook it to a perfect al dente while allowing the pasta to absorb the flavours of the sauce. Here is how to do it:

• Boil the spaghetti one minute short of al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain.
• Immediately return the pasta to the pot and place it over low-medium heat.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup of the reserved tomato sauce. Toss well to combine and add half of the reserved cooking water.
• Keep stirring for 30 seconds, then add the rest of the sauce with chunks of lobster in it. The reason why we are adding the plain sauce first is because we don’t want to run the risk of lobster overcooking.
• Give it a final stir warming through – for just 15 more seconds. By now the pasta should be al dente. But if it needs a tad more or looks dry, add the remaining cooking water.

Serve your beautiful flavourful luxurious lobster pasta immediately with a couple of basil leaves for garnish.

Buon Appetito!

***

The Ultimate Lobster Pasta Recipe

A luxurious pasta dish with delicate and tender chunks of lobster tails in a smooth and flavourful tomato sauce.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 300 g dry spaghetti pasta
• 2 lobster tails 300-400g each shells on
• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large banana shallot sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves smashed
• 1 glass of dry white wine
• 2 ladles of lobster stock
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• A few basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt.
• Make vertical cuts in the bottom parts of the lobster tails.
• Place the tails into the boiling water and leave for 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a large cutting board and let cool.
• Carefully pull the shells apart at the place of the cut. Remove the lobster meat watching out for the spikes. Reserve the shells.
• Clean the meat from the veins and impurities. Cut into bite sized chunks. (see notes)
• Heat a medium pot to medium. Add the shells and fry for a minute. Add 750ml water, bring to boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Discard the shells. (see notes)
• In the meantime, prepare the tomatoes. Cut them in halves and pour over boiling water. Take out after a minute and let cool. Rub the cut side against a grater over a bowl. The pulp will fall through leaving the skin behind.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add the shallots and garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant.
• Pour in the wine. Simmer over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced to 1/4.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, chili flakes, 2 tsp tomato paste and 2 ladles of lobster stock. Stir and simmer for at least 10 minutes.
• Taste and adjust for salt.
• Use hand blender to blitz the sauce until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cups of the sauce. (see notes)
• Return the sauce to the pan, add cherry tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes (this step is optional).
• Add the lobster meat to the pan with the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, checking a couple of times. The lobster is ready when it has turned opaque throughout.
• Cook spaghetti one minute short of al dente. Reserve 1/2 cups of cooking water and drain.
• Return the spaghetti to the cooking pot and add the reserved tomato sauce (without the lobster) along with 1/2 of reserved pasta water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
• Add the sauce with the lobster chunks in it and heat through for about 15 seconds.
• Taste the pasta. If dry or not al dente, add the remaining cooking water.
• Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Notes

• The pre-cooked lobster meat can stay in the fridge for 24 hours.
• When making the stock, you can add a couple of saffron threads.
• The tomato sauce can also be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge for up to two days.