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A classic New England lobster roll with tender chunks of lobster, a light and creamy dressing and buttery toasted buns.
Few things say summer like a lobster roll. This New England-style version keeps things classic: sweet lobster chunks lightly seasoned with mayonnaise, celery, lemon and chives, then tucked into butter-toasted split buns. It’s simple, fresh and all about letting the lobster shine.
If you’ve never made lobster rolls at home, you’ll be surprised how easy they are. You can cook the lobster yourself (I walk you through it step by step using lobster tails) or use good quality cooked lobster meat from the seafood counter to save time. Either way, they’re perfect for everything from casual summer lunches to easy entertaining.
Contents
What You’ll Need to Make Lobster Rolls
To make lobster rolls, you will need lobster meat, mayonnaise, celery, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, fresh chives, salt, pepper, hot dog buns, unsalted butter, and Boston lettuce leaves.
For lobster, you have several options. You can cook whole lobsters or lobster tails (both work well fresh or frozen). If using frozen tails, thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. You can also use cooked lobster meat: look for a mixture of claw, shank, and tail meat, often labeled “marinated lobster meat.” The meat of the claws and shanks is particularly appreciated for its sweet flavor and tender texture.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Boil and shock the lobster. Bring a very large pot of generously salted water to a boil (I use 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 2 quarts of water), drop in the lobster tails, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the shells are bright red and the meat is just opaque. Using tongs, immediately transfer the tails to a prepared ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process.
Step 2: Remove and cut the meat. Use kitchen scissors to cut lengthwise through the soft underside of each cooled shell, gently separate the shells to extract the meat, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into large, generous pieces.
Pro Tip: Cutting the shell and removing the meat will take a touch of elbow grease. To help, start cutting the soft underside of the fin tip rather than the body end. The shell is thinner and softer, which makes it much easier to slide your kitchen scissors in without slipping.
Step 3: Mix the lobster salad. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, celery, lemon zest, mustard, chives, salt and pepper until smooth, then add the prepared lobster meat and gently fold everything together to combine.
Step 4: Toast the buns and assemble them. Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, spread softened butter on the flat outer sides of your split buns and grill each side for about 2 minutes until crisp and golden before lining each bun with a leaf of Boston lettuce and tossing in the chilled lobster salad.
Pro Tip: Look for split-top buns (often labeled as New England style or sliced ​​on top) in two main areas of your supermarket: the commercial bread aisle with standard hot dog buns, or the in-store bakery, where premium buns or brioche-style split-top buns are frequently stocked.
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New England Lobster Rolls
The perfect summer sandwich: sweet lobster, light dressing and toasted buns.
Ingredients
- 2 kg raw lobster tails (4 to 8 tails depending on size), thawed if frozen (or 1 lb/454 g cooked lobster meat)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, of the best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- 3 tablespoons chopped celery, from a stalk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- A few grains of fresh black pepper
- 6 New England-style hot dog buns (or sliced ​​on top) (see note)
- 2 tablespoons soft butter, very soft
- 6 Boston lettuce leaves
Instructions
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If you are cooking the lobster, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
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To cook the lobster (skip this step if using cooked meat): Bring a very large pot of generously salted water to a boil (I use 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 2 quarts/2 quarts of water). Add the lobster tails and cook until the shells are bright red and the flesh is just opaque, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on their size. Do not overcook.
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Using tongs, transfer the lobster tails to the ice bath and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Using kitchen scissors, cut lengthwise the soft underside of each shell. Carefully separate the shell and remove the meat. Pat dry with paper towels, then cut the lobster into generous bite-sized pieces.
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In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, celery, lemon zest, mustard, chives, salt and pepper. (If using store-bought cooked lobster meat, drain it well and pat dry with paper towels before adding.) Add the lobster meat and mix gently.
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Place a 30cm (12in) non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Spread the softened butter on the flat outer sides of the buns (the sides created by the top slit). Place the buns in the pan buttered side down and cook until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and grill the second buttered side until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the buns to a serving platter or plates. Line each bun with a leaf of Boston lettuce, pour the lobster salad into the buns and serve immediately.
Remarks
- You can make these rolls either with cooked lobster meat or with lobster tails that you cook yourself. Many seafood counters sell cooked lobster meat by the kilo, often labeled “lobster salad meat”, “marinated lobster meat” or simply “cooked lobster meat”. You’ll usually find it near the fresh seafood section or in the refrigerated seafood section. If you’re buying cooked meat, look for claw meat, shank meat, tail meat, or a mixture.
- If you cook your own lobster tails, fresh and frozen work well. Fresh tails are often available right at the seafood counter, while frozen tails are usually stored in the freezer section near the seafood aisle. Thaw frozen lobster tails overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
- For the best New England-style lobster rolls, look for split-top hot dog buns, sometimes labeled “sliced ​​on top,” “sliced ​​on top” or “New England-style,” depending on the brand. Their flat sides are ideal for buttering and grilling, giving lobster rolls their signature crispy, golden exterior. Traditional side-split hot dog buns will work in a pinch, but they won’t grill as evenly or hold the filling as cleanly. If you can find them, Pepperidge Farm and Martin’s both have good New England/split-top style versions, and many grocery store bakery sections carry them seasonally in the summer. Brioche buns aren’t traditional, but they’re delicious if you like a slightly richer, butterier bun.
- Preparation instructions: Lobster salad can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. For a fresher flavor and texture, wait to toast the buns and assemble the buns just before serving.
Nutritional information
Per serving (6 servings)Calories: 284kilocaloriesCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 17gFat: 14gSaturated fat: 4gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 601mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional information on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. Data is calculated via an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these numbers should only be considered estimates. Various factors such as types of produce or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and how ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information of a given recipe. Additionally, different online calculators provide different results based on their own nutritional data sources and algorithms. To get the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your favorite nutritional calculator.
Gluten-free adaptable note
To the best of my knowledge, all ingredients used in this recipe are gluten free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; If you are following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with a gluten allergy, always read the labels on your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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