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These classic lobster rolls are made with claw, knuckle, and lobster tail chunks tossed in a lemon aioli and served on toasted buttery buns.
I love serving these with potato chips and macaroni salad!
Table of Contents
Reasons to Make This Recipe…
- Summer is right around the corner, and what’s better than lobster rolls and sunsets at the beach?!
- It’s super easy to make and requires minimal ingredients.
- Lobster rolls at a restaurant or deli usually cost around 18 to 27 dollars, depending on where you go. I spent 40 dollars to make 4 lobster rolls at home. That’s less than 15 bucks each, you just can’t beat that. Making them at home is way cheaper. Plus, they’re easy to pack and great for picnics or the beach.
- They’re super flavorful.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
Lobster – I used 1 lb of cooked lobster meat. A combination of lobster tail, knuckle, and claw. If using frozen lobster meat, make sure to thaw completely and remove any excess moisture.
Buns – I used New England style buns but regular hot dog buns will do! Even slider buns. Just make sure to toast and butter them.
TOP TIPS
- New England-style split-top buns can be hard to find depending on where you live. But if you can find an unsplit brioche hot dog bun, you can cut it from the top to make your own split top, and you can use a serrated knife to trim the sides off so that you are left with a flat surface that you can butter and fry in the frypan. But if all else fails you can use a regular side-cut hot dog bun too.
- If you want a little extra crunch, you can add a diced celery stick to the lobster salad and/or a piece of lettuce to the bun before spooning in the lobster salad.
- You can add more paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Season to your liking!
FAQs
What is the best part of the lobster to use in a lobster roll? Many people think the claws and knuckles are best for rolls, but they also taste great using lobster tail, so use whatever you have available.
Can I use crab meat instead? Yes, this roll is also delicious made with crab meat and even shrimp, you just have to change the name 😉
Can I make this in advance? These rolls are best eaten the day they are made, but you could make the lemon aioli in advance to save a little time. It will also give the flavors time to marry.
How should I store leftovers? I would remove the lobster mixture from the roll (the roll will just get soggy over time) and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than two days. When ready to use, prepare a fresh split top bun and fill with the lobster salad.
Can I freeze the lobster salad? Because of the mayonnaise, I wouldn’t freeze the lobster salad. It will end up with a funny texture.
More Lobster Recipes You’ll Enjoy…
Classic Lobster Rolls
Ingredients
Lemon Aioli
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of chives, finely chopped + more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon Fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest loosely packed
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Lobster and Buns
- 1 pound cooked and cooled lobster meat – claw and knuckle meat preferred, cut into large bite sized chunks – see FAQs.
- 4 New England Style Split Top Buns – see notes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl add in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, tarragon, lemon zest, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix together with a spoon or whisk, and if you have time, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for an hour to give the flavors time to meld. If you don’t have time, it is fine to continue on.
- Add the cooked lobster meat and gently fold it into the aioli, taking care not to break up the chunks. Set the bowl aside.
- Heat up a fry pan to medium/high heat. While the pan is heating up butter the sides of your split top buns. Place the buns down on the fry pan and toast the buttered sides until they are golden brown. Remove from pan to a serving plate.
- Fill the 4 split top buns with the lobster mixture. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately with wedges of lemon.
Notes
- New England-style split-top buns can be hard to find depending on where you live. But if you can find an unsplit brioche hot dog bun, you can cut it from the top to make your own split top, and you can use a serrated knife to trim the sides off so that you are left with a flat surface that you can butter and fry in the frypan. But if all else fails you can use a regular side-cut hot dog bun too.
- If you want a little extra crunch, you can add a diced celery stick to the lobster salad and/or a piece of lettuce to the bun before spooning in the lobster salad.
- You can add more paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Season to your liking!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
