Description
This Lobster Pasta with Cream Sauce is a luxurious and flavorful dish featuring tender lobster meat simmered in a rich, creamy sauce with fresh tarragon, cherry tomatoes, and a hint of lemon zest, all tossed with delicate tagliolini pasta. Perfect for special occasions or an indulgent dinner, it combines fresh seafood with elegant flavors in a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz tagliolini or other long pasta
Lobster and Sauce
- 2 medium lobster tails (6-8 oz of meat)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
- 2 sprigs tarragon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Lobster: If starting with whole live lobster, humanely kill by cutting down the head line, then remove the tail and claws, and shell the lobster using scissors. Alternatively, boil whole lobster until fully cooked. For store-bought lobster tails, cut down the shell lengthwise using kitchen shears on top and bottom, then gently remove and roughly chop the lobster meat.
- Prep Aromatics and Vegetables: Mince the garlic, shallot, and fresh tarragon. Zest the lemon and slice the cherry tomatoes lengthwise into halves.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve one cup of the pasta water for adjusting sauce consistency.
- Sauté Shallots and Garlic: In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté minced shallots until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant and softened.
- Cook Tomatoes and Deglaze: Add cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook until they begin to blister. Remove from heat and pour in the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon to incorporate the flavor.
- Add Lobster and Cream: Return the pan to medium heat, add the lobster meat, minced tarragon, and heavy cream. Sauté the lobster gently until fully cooked through. If using boxed pasta, reduce the cream by half initially, adding more as needed.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in butter and lemon zest, emulsifying the sauce. Simmer on low heat to meld the flavors and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Toss Pasta and Season: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust sauce consistency with reserved pasta water or additional cream if necessary.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with extra lemon zest or juice, freshly chopped chives, and red pepper flakes. Optional: sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with crusty bread and paired with a cold glass of champagne if desired.
Notes
- Save lobster shells to make a flavorful lobster stock by boiling them with aromatics; store shells in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Serve this pasta with crusty bread and a cold glass of champagne for an elegant meal.
- For boxed pasta, reduce heavy cream by half at first, then add extra as needed for sauce consistency.
- Fresh tagliolini or other fresh long pasta is preferred for best texture and flavor.
- Adjust seasoning carefully to balance the richness of the cream and the sweetness of lobster.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 24 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 46 mg