Name: The Best Buttery Baked Lobster Tails Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon crushed garlic; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 2 tablespoons dried parsley; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 lobster tails; 1 teaspoon smoked salt; 1 lemon, cut into wedges

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Lobster is a delicacy that’s often reserved for special occasions. But with this recipe for baked lobster tails, you will be craving lobster every day of the week! This dish is easy to prepare and tastes amazing making it a perfect dish that you can serve to impress guests or just surprise your loved ones.

Lobster tails with lemon wedges and parsley on white and blue plate

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Baked Lobster Tails Recipe
How Do I Know What Lobster to Buy?
What Goes With Lobster?
How Do I Know When My Lobster is Done Cooking?
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How Do I Cook Lobster in the Oven?
More Show Stopper Recipes
📖 Recipe

Baked Lobster Tails Recipe

Baked lobster is a dish with roots in the coastal areas of Maine and Massachusetts and it is no wonder that it took off and became a homespun favorite. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen or break the bank on expensive ingredients to make this dish.

It takes less than 30-minutes from start to finish. This makes it perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious but are short on time. And since it's baked rather than fried, there's no messy clean-up either!

If you want a full seafood experience you can start your meal with this easy and delicious tempura batter fried calamari!

Lobster tails with herbed butter on white platter with lemon wedges

How Do I Know What Lobster to Buy?

When buying a whole lobster, the most important thing is to make sure that the lobster is still alive. The shell should be hard, the antennae should be moving, and the rubber bands on the claws are in good shape with no give when you press down on them. Fresh lobster should never smell fishy but will smell like saltwater.

Keep in mind that the bigger the lobster is, typically the tougher it will be to break down. Lobsters can be cooked with or without the claws - you just have to decide how hungry your guests are.

Now, for this particular recipe, I am using just the lobster tails, which are easy to find in the seafood department of your grocery store. They are also available frozen in many grocers, so your options are less difficult to choose.

I prefer grabbing the fresh ones in the seafood department. If your budget allows for buying the whole lobster, you can still cook only the tails and use the remaining shells and meat to create a rich seafood broth for soups and chowders. Those bits of lobster are also great for making lobster mac and cheese.

White and blue striped platter with lobster tails on marble table

What Goes With Lobster?

Baked Lobster goes well with just about anything you would normally pair with shellfish. You can serve it on its own or pair it with a side dish of your choice. Stick to something that’s already creamy, since the lobster meat is naturally tender, which will really help to bring out its flavor.

Some of my favorite ideas to serve with this baked lobster recipe are classics like baked macaroni and cheese or my easy garlic butter Crock-Pot mashed potatoes. These are nice starch with the lean protein of the lobster.

Other options if you have time include things like these garlicky mashed potato cakes or this Meditteranean-inspired couscous salad.

A few other common sides include salads, steamed or roasted vegetables, grilled vegetables, rice, or baked potatoes. You can also serve baked lobster with fresh focaccia bread for dipping in the sauce. Italian bread also will work but will have less flavor since it is not made with the same kind of spices.

Lobster tails on plate net to bowl of butter sauce and sliced lemons

How Do I Know When My Lobster is Done Cooking?

When cooking lobster it takes around 10-12 minutes per pound of lobster. You will know when it is done because the meat will turn a bright red color on the edges and white on the center. The shell will also turn from brown to red while it bakes.

Use the size of the lobster, how many pounds you are using, and add 10 to 12 minutes per pound. This is a good frame of time. I like to start checking a few minutes before the time so that I can make sure it is not overbaked.

Of course, the best way to know is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 135ºF to 140ºF, the lobster is done and safe to consume.

White platter of lobster tails on marble table

Ingredients

Lobster tails
Unsalted butter
Smoked salt
Garlic
Smoked paprika
Fresh parsley
Red chili flakes
Lemon

Raw lobster tails on baking sheet next to bowls of herbs

Handy Kitchen Tools

How Do I Cook Lobster in the Oven?

Preheat the oven to 450ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (for easier cleanup).

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, paprika, chili flakes, garlic, and parsley. Divide the mixture and set aside ½ for serving.

Carefully cut the top (shell) of the lobster tail in half lengthwise, cutting just the shell and not the meat beneath.

Hand using scissors to cut along top of lobster shell

Flip the lobster tail over and snip through the bottom to release the meat.

Turn back over the shell side up, and carefully use a spoon to help lift the meat up out of the shell and place over the top leaving the end meat intact. Watch the video for a visual tutorial.

Hand putting lobster tail meat on top of lobster shell

Place the lobster onto the prepared baking sheet and brush the meat of the lobster tail with half of the butter mixture.

Hand brushing butter onto raw lobster tails

Sprinkle the top of the lobster tails with smoked salt.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the lobster is cooked through and at least 135ºF internally.

Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining butter.

Hand brushing butter onto cooked lobster tails

Serve with additional garlic butter for dipping and lemon wedges if desired.

Two lobster tails on white and blue plate

More Show Stopper Recipes

Sometimes you just need something extra special to serve friends and family. If seafood isn't your style, the recipes below can provide you will delicious meals that are easy to make and sure to please a crowd. Make sure to bookmark, pin, or print these recipes to make soon.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 2