When it comes to food, lobster doesn’t need anything else to taste better. It’s a far cry from a hot dog or an unseasoned chicken breast. Fresh lobster from Maine brings out all the wonderful sea flavors on its own, so it doesn’t need anything else to make it taste better.
But that doesn’t mean you need to stay away from the sauce. Sometimes, the right sauce pairs with lobster so perfectly that it’s like a match made in heaven. If you want to add a little something extra to your next lobster dish, give these a try:
Lobster is one of the most decadent luxurious seafood ingredients out there. When cooked correctly lobster has an amazingly sweet, briny and succulent flavor profile. But the right sauce can take your lobster experience to even greater culinary heights. The possibilities for lobster sauce pairings are nearly endless, but certain sauces work especially well to complement lobster’s natural flavor. Keep reading to learn about the best sauces for lobster to take your meal to the next level.
Lighter Sauces to Showcase Lobster’s Sweetness
Lobster has a subtle natural sweetness that can easily be overpowered by heavy creamy sauces. For that reason lighter sauces are often ideal to let the lobster flavor shine. Here are some recommended lighter sauce options
-
Butter: At its simplest, melted butter is a classic pairing. Clarified drawn butter or brown butter nicely enhance, not mask, lobster.
-
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds bright acidity to balance lobster’s richness. Mix with melted butter or olive oil for a quick sauce.
-
Vinaigrettes: Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, herbs and seasonings for an easy vinaigrette that won’t overwhelm lobster.
-
Mayonnaise-based sauces: Flavored mayos like garlic aioli, basil mayo or spicy remoulade sauce work well with lobster.
-
Tomato salsa: For a fresh take, try dipping lobster meat into a pico de gallo style tomato salsa.
These options all add flavor while still allowing the lobster’s natural sweet brininess to shine.
Rich, Creamy Sauces to Complement Lobster
While lighter sauces are great for showcasing unadorned lobster flavor, richer, more indulgent sauces also pair wonderfully. The richness balances the sweetness for a totally luxurious experience. Creamy sauce options include:
-
Lobster cream sauce: This classic is made with lobster meat, cream and butter. It’s the ultimate lobster-on-lobster extravagance.
-
Hollandaise: Equally luxe, hollandaise is an emulsion of egg yolks, butter and lemon. It’s divine with simply steamed or poached lobster.
-
Béarnaise: Tarragon, chervil, vinegar and shallots give this hollandaise variation a lovely herbal flair that enhances lobster beautifully.
-
Cheese sauces: Lobster mac and cheese says it all. Cheese sauce brings comfort and savoriness.
-
Bisques: A creamy, smooth lobster bisque enriched with cognac is heavenly for dipping lobster meat.
So embrace decadence with one of these rich, velvety sauces if you want to indulge.
Unique International Sauce Inspirations
Beyond classics like butter and lemon, lobster pairs remarkably well with international sauces too. Expand your flavor horizons with these creative ideas:
-
Yuzu kosho: This Japanese condiment of fermented citrus and chilies is electrifying with lobster.
-
Garlic mojo: Spanish mojo sauce made with olive oil, garlic, citrus and spices is fantastic on lobster.
-
Nuoc cham: A Vietnamese dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime and chili peppers adds serious flavor.
-
XO sauce: This bold Cantonese seafood sauce with dried shrimp, scallops and ham is an umami bomb with lobster.
Don’t limit yourself to predictable pairings. Part of lobster’s appeal is how globally versatile it is.
Lobster Sauce Tips
When sauce-ing up your lobster, keep these tips in mind:
-
Focus on enhancing, not overpowering, lobster flavor. Let the shellfish be the star.
-
Match lighter sauces with simply steamed or poached lobster to highlight its natural sweetness.
-
Pair richer, more indulgent sauces with lobster that is roasted, grilled or sautéed to balance the caramelized flavors.
-
Room temperature sauces allow flavors to shine. Don’t serve hot sauces that will cook the lobster.
-
Offer a few different sauce options to satisfy all preferences. Provide drawn butter alongside aioli, for example.
-
Consider versatility. A cognac lobster bisque can double as a sauce and a soup.
Lobster is luxurious on its own, but the right sauce can make it downright transcendent. Whether you opt for classic drawn butter, a zesty vinaigrette or a decadent lobster cream sauce, the perfect pairing depends on your tastes. Experiment until you find sauce nirvana.
The Number One Sauce for Lobster: Garlic Butter Sauce
We all know butter is a staple with lobster. There is no need for anything fancy to go with lobster meat when you eat it by itself. Just use melted butter as a sauce.
Garlic butter is even better! Garlic and lobster go very well together, as do garlic and butter. Blend them together for a tasty and simple dish.
Other flavored butter can work here, too. Try butter flavored with other herbs, spices, and ingredients you love, like ginger or chili pepper. Or, blend some butter with fresh lemon juice (yet another classic pairing with lobster!).
You’ve probably heard of lobster thermidor. If you want to get the same high-class flavor without becoming a chef, you can make a Thermidor sauce that you can dip your lobster in instead of covering it in.
We have instructions on how to make lobster stock here, along with heavy cream, cheese, white wine, and some herbs and spices like parsley, salt, and pepper. You can find several recipes for a simple Thermidor sauce with a quick Google search.
That brings us to our next best sauce for lobster: a yummy, old-fashioned wine-based sauce. There are so many ways a wine sauce can go that you almost can’t go wrong. Grab your favorite white wine or champagne – both delicious pairings with lobster – and start experimenting.
When you use sauces with lobster, it’s important to find ones that make the lobster taste better without making it taste too strong. Butter is always a good choice because its smooth, salty flavor goes well with lobster’s milder seafood flavor. Wine-based sauces, on the other hand, add a nice kick that makes lobster taste even better than it already does. If you like crustaceans, the sauces listed above go well with them. But don’t be afraid to try other sauces with herbs, spices, or even cheese.
Need some lobster to go with the sauce you want to try? We’ve got you covered. Head over to Maine Lobster House to order fresh Maine lobster today!.
Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, What is Lobster Sauce? 虾龙糊是什么？
What sauce goes with lobster tails?
For a decadent touch, try dipping your lobster tails into clarified butter, which has a higher smoke point and a silkier texture. A white wine sauce is an elegant choice that pairs beautifully with seafood, including lobster. To make this sauce, start by sautéing garlic and shallots in olive oil.
What goes well with lobster?
Garlic and lobster go very well together, as do garlic and butter. Blend them together for a tasty and simple dish. Other flavored butter can work here, too. Try butter flavored with other herbs, spices, and ingredients you love, like ginger or chili pepper. Or, blend some butter with fresh lemon juice (yet another classic pairing with lobster!).
Does lobster sauce go with lobster?
Fresh lobster from Maine brings out all the delicious flavors of the sea on its own without needing another ingredient to complement its taste. But that doesn’t mean you need to stay away from the sauce. Sometimes, the right sauce pairs with lobster so perfectly that it’s like a match made in heaven.
Can you use melted butter for lobster dipping sauce?
Plain old melted butter used as a dipping sauce for lobster is all you need to get rich, silky flavors when you eat lobster meat on its own. Garlic butter is even better! Garlic and lobster go very well together, as do garlic and butter. Blend them together for a tasty and simple dish. Other flavored butter can work here, too.