Indulging in a succulent lobster dinner is a culinary experience like no other, but the question remains: What should be served with lobster? This comprehensive guide unveils the perfect sides, dips, and more to elevate your lobster feast to epic proportions.
Whether you prefer salads, hearty accompaniments, or delectable seafood pairings, we have you covered.
What Goes Best with Lobster?
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Lobster dinners are an event unto themselves. With an ingredient as special as lobster taking center stage you might be wondering what to serve with lobster? This sweet and succulent treasure of the sea while delicious on its own also offers up a canvas of endless possibilities.
There are so many things to do with lobster that the lobster side dishes are limitless. From what to pair with lobster eggs benedict to your favorite lobster thermidor recipe, let’s dive into all the tasty side dishes for lobster.
Lobster Tails and Sides
Lobster tails undoubtedly the most popular part of the lobster to serve and enjoy. Picking a side dish for lobster tail can be as easy as adding a steak and baked potato for that steakhouse surf and turf experience.
- Coleslaw is an old favorite with lobster, but if you’re looking for something different, try a green bean salad to balance the richness of the seafood.
- Baby glazed carrots with a touch of brown sugar are a fantastic root vegetable to serve with lobsters.
- Fresh blanched green beans work well with cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and maybe a handful of torn basil leaves.
- String beans and broccoli covered in butter and fresh grated Parmesan cheese is delicious, or try mixing green and white beans and covering them with lemon juice and fresh herbs.
- Grilled or steamed asparagus is enjoyable with lobster. Lemon and olive oil make a simple dressing, or if you’re feeling more adventurous, a sesame mayonnaise dip or sesame oil dressing makes for a mouth-watering asparagus dish.
- A simple tomato and cucumber salad is a summertime favorite to serve with fresh seafood, especially on a warm day.
- Penne pasta salad with fresh garden vegetables and light vinaigrette dressing can be served along with a traditional salad or on its own.
- A crisp Caesar salad with Romaine lettuce and Parmesan cheese will offer a more filling side, especially when liberally sprinkled with crunchy croutons.
Love Butter? Get ideas for butters for your lobster dinner.
General Lobster Pairings
When it comes to lobster dinners and what to eat with lobster, everything from the classics like a baked potato crowned in butter and sour cream to roasted potatoes goes. Want something a little different, how about creamy and sumptuous risotto? Here are a few ideas.
- Baked potatoes with a pat of butter and a dollop of sour cream are a go-to appetizer or side for a lobster dinner. Boil up some red bliss potatoes, cube them, and cover in mayonnaise and chopped chives to make a basic potato salad. Alternatively, serve baked tiny fingerling potatoes in olive oil alongside your lobster dish.
- Macaroni and cheese is a family favorite with lobster. Of course, you can always combine the two and have Lobster Mac and Cheese.
- Risotto can be served with lobster, although rice pilaf makes a lighter option. To make a rice pilaf suitable for accompanying lobster, cook the rice in seafood broth (a splash of dry white wine is optional) and season it with salt and pepper.
- Boston baked beans are a New England staple and a perfect complement to a backyard lobster bake.
Good old crusty bread is a straightforward choice and perfect for mopping up all those juices, especially for clams or mussels (see below).
Specialty Lobster Meals
Let’s celebrate lobster and all things seafood. Sometimes the best side dish with lobster is more seafood. Is there anything better than a seafood tower with lobster holding court alongside shucked oysters and steamed shrimp? What to serve with lobster can be as simple as a comforting bowl of lobster bisque for the ultimate lobster duo.
Of course, clam chowder is traditionally served with lobster, and if you’re looking for that authentic taste, try New England Clam Chowder made with native clams, spices, and potatoes.
For a lighter broth, you could gently simmer steamer clams in water, dry white wine, bay leaf, and your favorite herbs. Or serve fresh dug steamer clams on the side as their sweet flavor enhances the delicate taste of the lobster.
Farm-raised mussels steamed with white wine, fresh garlic, and parsley are a classic seafood dish that is a cinch to prepare (cooks in 5-6 minutes). Serve steamed mussels as a starter or on a large platter with steamed lobsters.
Grilled or baked scallops make another ideal accompaniment to lobster. This recipe for baked scallops is easy to prepare, and cayenne pepper and Worcestershire sauce give the seafood a hint of spiciness.
Things to Do with Lobster
What to serve with lobster tails and what to eat with lobster can also be decided by what sauces you serve with lobster. From a lemon butter sauce that begs to be paired with crusty garlic bread to dipping to a decadent vodka cream sauce that pairs perfectly with lobster ravioli or linguine, picking a sauce can inspire the side. Here are a few options on sauces that will inspire side dishes with lobster.
- Butter sauce: Butter’s salty flavor complements the subtle taste of lobster.
- White wine sauce: Wine-based sauces can elevate lobster.
- Lemon butter sauce: Lemon zest can bring out the lobster’s brighter notes and counteract its saltiness.
- Vodka cream sauce: This Italian-American option provides a creamy texture to lobster ravioli.
- Remoulade sauce: This simple, homemade sauce goes well with lobster cakes.
- Tomato-based sauce: Many enjoy a tomato-based or citrus-flavored sauce with lobster and ravioli.
- Pink sauce: This cream sauce is made with crushed tomatoes, heavy cream, and grated parmesan cheese.
Regional Lobster Cuisine Variations
What goes good with lobster can take its que from the region and area it’s prepared. Connecticut style lobster rolls are often served with salty homemade potato chips. In New England, including Maine, the sweet treats that come at the end proves that what can you eat with lobster also includes beautiful confections.
New England has some of the finest desserts to serve with your lobster, from the classic Maine blueberry pie and watermelon slices to fudgy, gooey brownies. We’ve compiled a list of over 30 desserts to serve at the end of your lobster dinner. See our best desserts to pair with lobster.
American Lobster Dishes
Below is a list of popular American lobster dishes and suggestions on what to eat with lobster. The complimentary flavors and textures offer excitement to the meal as well as make the most of the flavor of the lobster itself. What can you serve with lobster is as varied as the dishes themselves.
- Lobster Pot Pie
- Crisp green salad, steamed vegetables, and broccolini are all great options.
- Lobster Mac and Cheese
- Any fresh vegetable or salad will balance the richness of the mac and cheese. An arugula salad, steamed green beans, or sauteed asparagus would be a good counterpoint to the rich cheese sauce.
- Baked Stuffed Lobster Tails
- In addition to any fresh vegetable or salad, hearty options like mashed potatoes, baked potato, or angel hair pasta with a lemon sauce are good options.
- Lobster Newburg
- Toast points, rice, egg noodles, pasta, puff pastry rounds are all good choices to sop up the glorious sauce.
European Lobster Recipes
From Mediterranean lobster recipes like paella and lobster fra diavlo to Scandinavian dishes like hummersoppa, or Swedish lobster soup, the dishes are as varied as what goes with lobster. What can you eat with lobster can take you on a trip around the world.
- Lobster Paella
- Patatas bravas, pan con tomate, green salad
- Lobster Fra Diavlo
- Crusty bread, shaved fennel salad, roasted vegetables
- Swedish Lobster Soup
- Crusty bread, crackers, dill cucumber salad, pickled herring on toast
- Classic Lobster Thermidor Recipe
- Sauteed asparagus with lemon, French country salad, bistro salad
Asian Lobster Influences
The trip around the world continues with a celebration of the rich and complex flavors of countries like Thailand, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Lobster tail sides and what goes good with lobster are as varied as the ingredients. Pops of fish sauce, tamari, oyster sauce, and soy sauce add instant umami while cooking vessels such as the wok add complexity. Deciding on sides for lobster tails has never been so flavorful.
- Lobster Fried Rice
- Lobster rangoon, egg rolls, egg drop soup
- Lobster Noodles
- Stir fried vegetables, ginger salad, miso soup
- Ginger Scallion Lobster
- Fried rice, pan fried noodles
- Cantonese Lobster Tail
- Steamed or fried rice
- Coconut Lobster Curry
- Steamed jasmine rice
Lobster Throughout the Day
Pop open the bubbly and say cheers to celebrating the luxurious flavor of lobster all day long. From breakfast recipes with lobster like a lobster omelet to deciding what to serve with lobster roll for lunch, the time of the day can help you decide what to serve with lobster tail.
Breakfast Recipes with Lobster
- Lobster Benedict
- Roasted or fried potatoes, fresh fruit, mimosas
- Lobster Omelette
- Hashbrowns, fruit salad, fricassee salad
- Lobster Hash
- Poached eggs, sliced tomatoes, citrus salad
Lobster Lunch Ideas
- Lobster BLT
- French fries, salad, potato chips
- Lobster Pizza
- Antipasto salad, Greek salad, caprese salad
- Lobster Tacos
- Pineapple salad, pico de gallo, guacamole, queso
Elegant Lobster Dinners
Trying to pick a side dish for lobster tail and what goes with lobster tails can boil down to how the lobster is cooked, or what the occasion is. From smoked lobster tails served with grilled asparagus to a New England lobster bake with a bounty of corn and potatoes, the options are endless and exciting!
- Surf and Turf Dinner
- Baked potato, shrimp cocktail, steamed green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts
- Steamed Whole Lobster
- Roasted parsnips, celery root puree, gauliflower gratin
- Broiled Lobster Tails
- Baked scallops, broiled scallops, roast garlic mashed potatoes, shaved Brussels sprouts and pancetta
Don’t Forget the Lobster
As you can see, there are plenty of options for creating a memorable and varied lobster dinner to suit your tastes and those of your guests.
Some of them sound too good. Just remember, the lobster is your leading lady, and she doesn’t like being overshadowed by the supporting cast – so make sure you choose the finest lobster online.
Check out our post on the right tools for your lobster dinner. Are you looking for ideas on what you would like to serve for a special birthday? See our tips for throwing a kick-ass lobster birthday party.