Lobster Bucatini Pasta (Printable)
Tender lobster with bucatini in rich tomato white wine sauce
# What You'll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 live lobsters (1–1.25 lb each), or 12 oz cooked lobster meat
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz bucatini pasta
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
→ Liquids
09 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
10 - 1/2 cup lobster or seafood stock
→ Dairy
11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Pantry
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
# Directions:
01 - If using live lobsters, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add lobsters and cook for 5–6 minutes until bright red. Transfer to an ice bath. Remove meat from claws, tail, and knuckles. Chop into bite-size pieces. Reserve shells for stock if desired.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook bucatini according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
03 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot; sauté 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until tomatoes begin to soften.
05 - Pour in white wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add lobster stock and simmer 3 more minutes.
06 - Stir in butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add chopped lobster meat and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, just to warm through. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Add drained bucatini to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in fresh parsley. Divide among plates and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The bucatini noodles catch every drop of that garlicky wine sauce in their hollow centers
- It transforms an intimidating ingredient into something totally approachable and worth every penny
- The whole dish comes together in under an hour but tastes like a special occasion
02 -
- The biggest mistake is overcooking the lobster when you add it to the sauce—turn off the heat as soon as the meat is warmed through
- That splash of pasta water is not optional it transforms a broken sauce into something restaurant quality
- Bucatini thick hollow noodles are essential here because they hold sauce differently than regular spaghetti
03 -
- Save the lobster shells to make a quick stock by simmering them with water onion and celery for 30 minutes
- Room temperature lobster meat cooks more evenly than cold straight from the refrigerator