Creamy Lobster Pasta

Lobster Pasta in a Parmesan Cream Sauce

Parmesan cream sauce is a perfect accompaniment to lobster.  Pasta dishes often use meat as a highlight of the dish, almost like a seasoning.  So don’t feel like the finished plate should have a mound of lobster, but rather use the lobster in balance with the other ingredients. Lobster as the Perfect Addition to This Light and Refreshing Cream Sauce (h3) The key to this sauce is to not go overboard with any of the ingredients. It’s best that none of the ingredients stand out, but  allow the flavors to work together within the sauce.

Can You Use Alfredo in This Sauce?

Yes, you can create this meal using a more traditional Alfredo cream sauce recipe, but it’ll be much lighter. Making it lighter without cream makes it the perfect lobster dish for the summer weather.   Cream sauces are hearty, but we’re going for a lighter summer dish.  This dish is perfect for lunch or an early dinner accompanied by a light and refreshing wine.

Practice this Dish First

Lobster pasta in a Parmesan cream sauce is an easy meal to make.  Practice it first with chicken or shrimp. Then once you have confidence in how it tastes, go ahead and try it with lobster!

Cacio e Pepe Style Lobster Pasta

This style of pasta is a variation of Cacio e Pepe; a sauce that is made with Pecorino Romano and the starchy leftover water from cooking pasta. Pecorino Romano is a fine cheese but its taste profile is too forward. We suggest dialing that back by using a more neutral cheese like Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano if you can get it). Ingredients: * 1.5 to 2 pounds of lobster meat, cut into bite-size chunks * 12 to 16 oz Spaghetti or linguine noodles work best  (fettuccine is not recommended because it’s meant to be paired with a thick meat sauce, like Bolognese. Avoid egg-based noodles because those  are meant to absorb the sauce, which we don’t want for this dish). * 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl (doesn’t have to be finely grated) * 1 – 2 tablespoons peppercorns, coarsely ground or crushed into bits but not to a powder * 1 cup leftover pasta water Tip: Don’t cook pasta in a large amount of water. Use less than you normally would. This will result in starchier water.  Instructions: Lightly cook the lobster meat in batches with several tablespoons of butter. It should only take a few minutes for each batch. Lightly dry toast in a large high-sided saute pan (about 12 inches), with whole peppercorns until they are fragrant. The peppercorns will begin to pop, like popcorn (about one to two minutes). Once you can smell the peppers, it’s done.  Set aside to cool. Once the peppercorns are cool, crush them coarsely and return to the now-cool pan. Cook noodles in water. Reserve a cup or more for the sauce. After a few minutes, remove the noodles from the pot and place them in the pan with the peppercorns. Add enough water to cover the noodles and toss to coat. Continue cooking the noodles in the pan until finished. Begin pouring the leftover pasta water into a bowl with the Parmesan cheese. Stir until smooth with a somewhat lumpy texture; think softened butter. You don’t want it to be a cream consistency.  Now add the Parmesan cream to the pasta and coat. Top each plate of noodles with lobster and drizzle a small amount of warm butter over the lobster meat. Experiment with this recipe by adding lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to the creamy Parmesan. Add parsley as a garnish. 

What Wine to Pair with Lobster in Cream Sauce

The best wine pairing should be with a neutral or complementary wine. Pair it with a neutral white wine like a chilled pinot grigio or a chardonnay. Be sure the chardonnay wasn’t aged in oak barrels as it can throw off the flavor.   The neutral pinot grigio gets out of the way of the flavor of the lobster, while the creamy flavors of an unoaked chardonnay can complement an Alfredo sauce.  Another fine choice is a dry rosé, either still or sparkling, a perfect pairing for both lobster and a cream sauce.