Bring a taste of luxury and a coastal cuisine to taco night with decadent, fresh, and vibrant lobster tacos. Piled high with sweet and succulent lobster meat, these seafood tacos are elevated in flavor while being perfect for any night of the week. Pop open a cold cerveza, and let’s dive into a dish worthy of any fiesta.
There is nothing like taco night to instantly draw friends and family to the table. It’s a festive meal with limitless possibilities. Adding a lobster taco to the mix will transform dinner into a true event. With a celebration of fresh flavors and ingredients, this lobster taco recipe is sure to become a new favorite.
If you’re looking for easy Mexican lobster dishes, tacos are always the right decision. From the limitless ways to top them off to their simple preparation, they’re a guaranteed crowd favorite. They’re elevated and elegant yet completely accessible. In addition, they’re a great way to stretch a luxury ingredient like lobster. When you start with the highest quality, Maine grade A hardshell lobster, like LobsterAnywhere, it doesn’t take much to let it shine.
Ingredients for Lobster Tacos
Page Contents
- Lobster Meat: There is nothing like the sweetness of cold water lobster and it’s succulent texture. We are using lobster tails to create this recipe for lobster tacos. Everything from medium 6-7 oz lobster tails to 8-10 oz. jumbo tails or even 16-20 oz. colossal tails will work.
- Flavor Accents: A compound chipotle butter gives the sweet, succulent lobster a smoky flavor without overpowering. You’ll need a stick of unsalted butter, a can of chipotles in adobo, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
- Toppings/Accompaniments: Aside from the tortillas, have fun with your toppings! Avocado, crema, or sour cream add a creamy element. Cabbage can give crunch while pico de gallo, pickled jalapenos, hot sauce, or fresh chiles can spice things up. Have fun setting out multiple toppings so your friends and family can create their own lobster taco.
Lobster Taco Substitutions
- Instead of lobster tails feel free to use whole live lobsters. They can be split in half and grilled with the chipotle compound butter.
- You can use the same chipotle butter to butter poach lobster meat. This is a great way to gently reheat already cooked lobster meat, or slowly cook fresh lobster tail meat so that it remains delicate.
- You can use this same chipotle butter to make shrimp tacos, or langostino tacos.
How to Make Lobster Tacos
- Mix together the compound butter. Add your unsalted room temperature butter to a bowl along with chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Split your lobster tails. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut down the top of the shell and the underside of the shell, and then slice through the meat, splitting the lobster tail into two. Repeat with the second tail. Remove the vein from the lobster and give it a quick rinse before patting it dry.
- Make sure that the lobster tails or on a firm, stable surface.
- Spread about a tablespoon of the butter mixture onto each half of the lobster tail.
- Prepare your grill for two zone cooking. If using a charcoal grill bank your charcoal to one size, leaving a cooler zone. If using a gas grill don’t ignite all of the burners. This will allow you to move the lobster tails to a safe zone in the event of a flair up. Allow your grill to heat to between 375-400 degrees.
- Grill the lobster tails. Place the lobster tails shell side down on the hot grill grates. Allow the lobster to cook for around 10 minutes until its internal temperature is between 135-140 degrees. The shell will turn red and the meat will be white and opaque. Remove from the grill and allow to cool enough to handle.
- An instant read thermometer is your best friend. This will help you hit your target temperature without over cooking it.
- Cut the lobster meat into bite sized pieces. Remove it from the shell and chop it into about 3/4″ pieces.
- If you have any leftover chipotle butter, drizzle some over the shredded lobster meat to keep it moist.
- Assemble your tacos. Top charred tortillas with the diced lobster tail meat. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Pro Tips for the Perfect Lobster Tacos
- When grilling lobster, always leave a cooler zone when heating your grill. Especially when cooking with butter, you can occasionally get flare-ups. Having a cooler zone will allow you to remove the lobster tails from direct heat and prevent them from burning.
- When it doubt, temp check! The sweet spot for tender, juicy lobster is between 135-140 degrees. Using an instant read thermometer will allow you to get it right every time.
- Unsalted butter is best as it will allow you to control the final flavor. However, if you use salted butter, cut back on the amount of salt you add to the lobster tails.
- No outdoor grill? No problem. You can follow the same steps inside and use either a grill pan, or large cast iron skillet to cook your lobster tails.
- In addition to grilling the lobster tails inside, you can also use other methods of cooking your lobster such as baking the lobster tails, boiling them, or steaming them. You can even use an air fryer.
Variations and Customizations
- Take a trip to the tropics. Top off your lobster taco with either pineapple salsa, or mango salsa. The sweetness of fruit pairs well with lobster meat.
- Spice it up. Add fresh jalapenos or pickled jalapenos to your seafood tacos.
- Make these lobster tacos gluten-free. Use a corn tortilla, or your favorite gluten free tortilla.
- These lobster tacos can be made dairy free. Use a plant-based butter in place of the dairy butter.
- Build on the smoky flavor of the chipotles in the compound butter and may a chipotle mayo or chipotle crema to drizzle over the lobster meat. Mix together one or two minced chipotles int a cup of either mayonnaise or sour cream. Squeeze in lime to taste.
- Have fun serving your lobster tacos. Cocktails such as a margarita or grapefruit forward paloma pair beautifully with these. You could also serve them with your favorite chilled Mexican cerveza or lager style beer.
Dietary Adjustments
Lobster is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein, yet low in fat and calories. With just a few adjustments lobster tacos can be a part of almost any diet.
| Dietary Need | Modification | Benefits | Suggested Ingredients | Ingredients to Avoid |
| Weight Loss | Use lighter ingredients and make smaller portions | The high protein from the lobster will keep you satiated. | Lettuce wraps, fresh salsas, plenty of fresh toppings like shredded cabbage. | Heavy sauces like crema or sour cream, cheese, fried lobster tacos |
| Low Carb/Keto | Pick high fat, high protein, low carb ingredients. | Increased energy, increased muscle mass | Butter, ghee, additional seafood like shrimp for lobster shrimp tacos, full fat dairy | Flour and corn tortillas, sugar heavy sauces |
| Low-Fat | Cut back on the amount of butter or use olive oil for cooking. | Reduc,es calories while being heart healthy | Fresh vegetables, heart healthy fats like olive or avocado oil | Full fat dairy |
| Paleo | Almond flour tortillas or other paleo approved tortillas, seasonings free of MSG, fresh toppings | High in nutrients, heart healthy | Raw milk cheese, pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, whole, unprocessed ingredients | Highly processed ingredients |
| Gluten Free | Gluten free tortillas | Minimizes effects for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity | Lettuce wraps, corn tortillas, grain free tortillas | Flour torillas |
| High Protein | Increase protein for muscle growth and repair. | High protein not only aids in muscle growth but is also filling. | Additional protein like shrimp or sea scallops, or double up on the lobster. | Low protein fillers like corn |
| Diabetic Friendly | Focus on low sugar high fiber ingredients | Helps maintain blood sugar | Pick ingredients low on the glycemic scale like cabbage, radishes, and pickled onions | Avoid sugary sauces |
| Heart Healthy | Pick heart healthy fats | Supports cardiovascular health while helping to maintain a lower cholesterol level | Olive oil, avocado, low sodium seasonings and sauces | Heavily processed food with saturated fats |
How to Store and Reheat
If you have leftover lobster meat from your lobster tacos, you can easily store it for up to three days in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight container and keep it in the coldest portion of your fridge, usually the bottom shelf.
To reheat the lobster meat without overcooking it, simply add it to a skillet on low heat. You can add a splash of water, some of the compound butter, or a tab of unsalted butter. Continue to stir until it’s just warmed through and then turn off the heat.
Conclusion
This Mexican lobster recipe will be the highlight of any event, whether it’s a new twist on Taco Tuesday or celebrating an anniversary or birthday. When it comes to easy lobster meat recipes, these simple grilled lobster tacos are ideal for any level of cook. Use this recipe as a guide to make your next taco night a feast for all of the senses. Make sure to tag us and share your lobster taco creations!
Whether you’re looking to have a lobster roll feast, source the freshest seafood for your next surf and turf meal, or shake up taco night, we at LobsterAnywhere have all of your seafood needs covered.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prevent my lobster meat from becoming tough?
Always temp check your lobster meat. Use an instant read thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the tail meat, careful not to touch the shell. It should be between 135-140 degrees.
Do I have to grill the lobster tails for lobster tacos?
No. You can use your favorite method to cook lobster such as poaching, broiling, or boiling. Toss the cooked lobster meat in the chipotle compound butter.
What type of lobster meat is best for lobster tacos?
This lobster taco recipe uses lobster tails. However, any part of the lobster will work, from whole lobsters, to claw and knuckle meat.
What are the best toppings for lobster tacos?
Fresh ingredients like avocado, cilantro, and lime can add flavor and texture. Cabbage or slaw can give crunch, and a creamy element like a crema or chipotle mayo can tie the flavors and textures together.
How do I make tacos spicy yet balanced?
Start with just one chipotle and taste your compound butter. If you want it spicier add an additional one or two. Taste as you go. If your lobster meat is too spicy you can balance the flavors with cooling elements like sour cream and a bright squeeze of lime.
Quick & Easy Lobster Taco Recipe
This recipe for grilled lobster tacos with a chipotle butter is adapted from Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and minced, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro plus 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 large lobster tails, split lengthwise
- 8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
- 1 cup julienned radishes
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 Fresno chile, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
- Add the butter, chipotle peppers, 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice to a bowl and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper and mix.
- In a bowl, mix the sour cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon adobo sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Spread a heaping tablespoon of the butter mixture onto each lobster split. Put the lobster butter-side up on the grill on indirect heat. Grill the lobster until the butter is melted, the meat is white and opaque, and the shell is red, about 10 minutes. The internal temperature should be between 135-140 degrees. Remove from the grill and let cool enough to handle.
- Remove the lobster meat from the shells and chop into 3/4-inch pieces.
- Grill the tortillas until warmed. Assemble the tacos by distributing the lobster among the tortillas, then topping with the radishes, sliced avocado, Fresno chile slices, cilantro leaves and sour cream mixture. Serve with a lime wedge
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Entree
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
