Classic Maine Lobster Rolls
This easy recipe for classic Maine lobster rolls is a tradition in my family! Lightly dressed, with big chunks of lobster, stuffed inside a buttery top split bun. There's nothing like them!
If there's one thing I know, it's lobster. For years, I represented Greenhead Lobster on QVC and spent plenty of time up in Stonington, Maine, aka the lobster capital of the world.
Lobster is my favorite seafood and I've been perfecting this recipe since I was a teenager. I started making them with the leftovers after our big yearly family lobster feast!
I'm confident this is the best lobster roll recipe around. Succulent lobster meat, a light and tangy dressing and just enough celery and onion for the perfect amount of texture, all piled into a butter toasted bun. Not only are they the best you'll ever have, they're SO easy to make.
Try my lobster corn fritters with tarragon aioli, or this classic San Francisco seafood Cioppino recipe for more lobster goodness!
Maine vs Connecticut
The key difference between a Maine and a Connecticut lobster roll is temperature. Maine is cold, while a Connecticut lobster roll is served warm.
Maine lobster rolls are dressed with mayonnaise and Connecticut's are dressed with melted butter. The rest comes down to who you ask.
Purists will say a proper Maine lobster roll should consist of lobster, mayonnaise and nothing else. Me? I want a little more personality, and definitely some crunch.
But don't go overboard! You can easily overpower the delicate lobster. This recipe is all about balance.
What makes a great lobster roll?
Of course, good quality fresh lobster is of utmost importance. Traditionally, lobster rolls are made with knuckle and claw meat, since lobster tails are often sold and eaten on their own. The rolls became a way to use up the lesser used (but still delicious) parts.
The lobster chunks should be big and meaty, but not too large or they can get chewy. The lobster salad should be lightly dressed, with a little it of finely diced celery for crunch, lemon, and a few other simple, yet refined seasonings.
The real key to a great lobster roll, be it from Maine or elsewhere, is a fresh, soft, heavily buttered bun. The roll should be griddled in melted butter - lots of it. This is what sets apart the good rolls from the great ones.
Why This Recipe Works
- An elevated version of a classic recipe.
- Simple ingredients.
- Quick and easy to make.
- Perfect for summer!
White pepper - White pepper is more subtle and has a distinct flavor that pairs beautifully with lobster. It's my secret ingredient. You can substitute black pepper, but it won't be the same.
Lobster meat - You can purchase cooked and cleaned lobster meat for this recipe or cook and clean the lobsters yourself. You’ll need the meat from about 3 medium lobsters ( 1½-2 lbs) or 4 medium lobster tails (4-6 oz). Ask your fishmonger if they can steam and clean your lobsters for you - many will!
If you're planning a lobster feast, buy two 1¼-1½ pound lobsters per person so there's plenty leftover lobster meat to make lobster rolls the next day!
Save the shells! Freeze leftover lobster shells to make lobster stock in the future! Use it in this creamy Lobster Bisque Recipe or this classic Lobster Chowder.
Hot sauce - Use a vinegar-based hot sauce like Tabasco or Crystal. Avoid hot sauces like Sriracha or Frank’s Red Hot - they will overpower the delicate lobster meat.
Buns - New England style split-top buns work best for lobster rolls, but if you can’t find them, you can use split top hot dog buns, or even regular hot dog buns in a pinch. A brioche bun is especially delicious!
Salted Butter - It's important to use salted butter when griddling the buns, or else they won't have enough flavor.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
Whisk and Rubber Spatula - For mixing the dressing and lobster salad.
Griddle or Large Saute Pan - For toasting the buns.
Large Stock Pot and Claw Crackers - If steaming and cleaning lobster yourself.
Step by Step Instructions
- Place the onion, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce parsley, white pepper and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Gently fold in the lobster meat, then cover and chill until ready to serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Preheat a griddle or large skillet on low heat. Butter the sides of each bun and toast them in the pan until golden brown and crisp on each side.
- Mix the lobster salad well, then spoon lobster mixture into the toasted buns and serve immediately.
How to Cook Lobster
I prefer steaming vs boiling because it retains more flavor, but either method works.
Frozen Lobster Tails - Be sure to thaw completely before cooking, then steam or boil for one minute per ounce.
Live Lobsters - Steam for 10 minutes for 1-1½ lb lobsters, and one additional minute for each additional ½ lb.
Tip - Place live lobsters in the freezer for about 10 minutes prior to cooking. The intense cold causes them to become temporarily paralyzed, making it slightly more humane.
Serving Suggestions
For a classic New England summer dinner, start with this traditional clam chowder recipe, or a simple starter of perfectly caramelized pan seared scallops.
Then move on the the lobster rolls. Serve them with potato chips or parmesan truffle fries and a light cucumber melon salad or this classic summer heirloom tomato salad.
Don't forget dessert! This Lemon Ice Cream is the perfect sweet treat after a lobster roll feast.
FAQ
Store leftover lobster salad mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep rolls in the freezer, then defrost and griddle right before serving to keep them as soft and as fresh as possible.
Assembled lobster rolls will get soggy after about an hour, so make them to order and serve immediately.
Maine-style lobster rolls are served cold with a mayonnaise based dressing. A Connecticut-style roll is served warm with a butter-based sauce.
Although Maine and Connecticut are in New England, New England lobster rolls generally refer to Maine style but with the addition of lettuce.
This easy lobster roll recipe is a Maine style roll with mayo and cold lobster meat.
In Maine, lobster rolls are typically made with knuckle meat and claw meat, since it is often leftover when serving lobster tails. You can make lobster rolls with any type of lobster meat, including the tail, if you wish.
Did you LOVE this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and comment and tag your creations @ColeyCooks on Instagram!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox.
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Coley Cooks.
The BEST Classic Lobster Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely diced celery
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- dash of hot sauce like Tabasco or Crystal, not Frank's or Sriracha, optional
- 1 teaspoon finely minced parsley
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper *see note
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 lb cooked and cleaned lobster meat cut into bite-sized pieces (*see note)
- 4 New England style top split hot dog buns *see note
- 4 tablespoons salted butter softened
Instructions
- Place the onion, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce parsley, white pepper and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Gently fold in the lobster meat, then cover and chill until ready to serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Preheat a griddle or large pan on low heat. Butter the sides of each bun and toast them in the pan until golden and crisp on each side.
- Mix the lobster salad well, then spoon it into the buns and serve immediately.
Notes
- Do not substitute black pepper for white pepper in this recipe - it's too strong. If you don't have any just leave it out altogether.
- You can purchase already cooked and cleaned lobster meat or use the meat from about 3 medium lobsters or 4 medium lobster tails.
- If you can't find New England style buns, use top split hot dog buns. The brioche buns are especially good.
Nutrition
I just got back from my hometown. Portland, Maine knows a thing or two about lobster rolls so I am a fan of this post. Now go visit Portland and do a special series of posts about it!
Wow! That was a beautiful homage to your people and their food! Love this post, you and some of your relatives back home in Gloucester, MA! You go girl!
Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I owe Gloucester a trip!
Love Crystal I make my signature Crystal Wings
Interesting recipe - definitely different from what we would consider here in Maine. Not to say wrong, but...different.
You guys are all about the butter in Maine. Which I have no problem with. But these are sooosoooo goo. Did you give it a try??
Love this post! I make my lobstah salad in a similar fashion, comes out great every time!
Gloucester is the oldest seaport in the US, also made famous by the book and movie "Captains Courageous". There is hundreds of years of fishing history in this town and I hope you visit soon to cook up some coastal cuisine goodness!
Additionally, I'm glad your family kept their ties with Gloucester...or else I may never have been able to become part of it! :o)
Sorry I'm just getting around to commenting now! Glad you liked this one. I need to come visit soon!! So glad you became a part of the fam and I got to know you over the years!
It appears Coley, that we both share September birthdays with your mother as she was just a few weeks older than me, both of us being born in September 1958!! My mom used to tell me, "Aunt Rosalie came home from the hospital just as I (she) was going in"!!
Aww happy birthday to you too! Its great to be a Virgo!
Yes your great grandfather Marco did emigrate here at the turn of the century at age 13, but your great grandmother whom your mother Grace was named after, was born here in the U.S. in 1906 in Boston's Italian North End!! 😀 <3
Ahh you're right! It gets so confusing sometimes 😉