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A creamy pasta salad loaded with crispy bacon, tomatoes, and buttery lobster meat. It’s citrusy, sweet, savory, and delicious!
I love serving it with grilled chicken thighs, but feel free to serve it on its own.
INGREDIENT NOTES
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Lobster – I highly recommend using uncooked lobster meat and preparing it yourself, as reheating pre-cooked lobster meat with butter and garlic can lead to toughness. Feel free to use lobster tail meat, claw meat, or any variety of raw lobster meat you prefer.
- Pasta – I used shell pasta but any type of short-shaped pasta will work for this recipe.
- Onion – red or yellow onions will work. Shallots and scallions work as well.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter can be used.
- Mayo – Use full-fat mayo for best results.
HOW TO MAKE STEP-BY-STEP
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it’s al dente. Drain and let it cool for at least 20 minutes. Hot pasta tends to absorb most of the mayo dressing, so keep that in mind.
- In a large bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, lemon juice, and old bay seasoning.
- Fold in the cooked pasta, basil, onions, tomatoes, and bacon. Check for seasoning and add more old bay seasoning or salt, if needed. Also add more mayo if you like it extra creamy.
- Add the butter to a small skillet and allow it to melt completely. Add the uncooked lobster meat chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it’s no longer translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds. Season with salt, remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the lobster meat over the pasta salad and serve immediately.
TOP TIPS
- Add more mayo if you like it extra creamy. And add more old bay seasoning for extra flavor!
- Not a fan of basil? Add some fresh tarragon or the herbs of your choice.
- After draining the pasta, let it cool for at least 20 minutes otherwise, it will absorb most of the mayo dressing.
- Make sure not to overcook the lobster otherwise, it will turn out tough. Definitely keep an eye on it while it cooks.
STORAGE
Place any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add a couple of tablespoons of mayo and stir right before serving.
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Lobster Pasta Salad
A creamy pasta salad loaded with crispy bacon, tomatoes, and buttery lobster meat. It's citrusy, sweet, savory, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 lb shells , or the pasta of your choice, cooked til al dente
- 1 cup mayo , full-fat
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 cup grape tomatoes , halved
- 6 strips bacon , *check notes*
- 1 tablespoon basil, fresh
- ½ small red onion , finely diced
- 1 & ½ teaspoon old bay seasoning , or to taste
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ cup lobster meat , uncooked
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it's al dente. Drain and let it cool for at least 20 minutes. Hot pasta tends to absorb most of the mayo dressing, so keep that in mind.
- In a large bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, lemon juice, and old bay seasoning.
- Fold in the cooked pasta, basil, onions, tomatoes, and bacon. Check for seasoning and add more old bay seasoning or salt, if needed. Also add more mayo if you like it extra creamy.
- Add the butter to a small skillet and allow it to melt completely. Add the uncooked lobster meat chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it's no longer translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds. Season with salt, remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the lobster meat over the pasta salad and serve immediately.
Notes
I cooked the bacon for 15 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees F. Feel free to bake it or cook it on the stovetop, just make sure it’s nice and crispy. Avoid using bacon bits.
Nutrition
Calories: 706kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 545mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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