Easy and Elegant Baked Stuffed Lobster

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
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Updated on 04/7/21
Easy and Elegant Baked Stuffed Lobster

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 32 mins
Total: 42 mins
Servings: 2 servings

If you're planning a celebration menu, why not create a restaurant-caliber stuffed lobster dish at home. It's a great centerpiece for a fancy meal and perfect for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, or New Year's Eve. To make this dish, fresh lobster is stuffed with a savory cracker mixture flavored with sweet onion, celery, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. The dish is then baked in the oven for a quick and elegant meal for two.​

Whereas steaming or boiling lobster kills this crustacean; when stuffing and baking, the lobster needs to be killed beforehand. There are a few ways to do this, including freezing ahead of time or, for a quicker method, placing a knife in the lobster's back.

This impressive dish should have some worthy sides, such as creamy clam chowder or zesty gazpacho. Pan-roasted asparagus with lemon and garlic is a wonderful accompaniment, as is a simple risotto.

Ingredients

  • 1 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound) live lobster

  • 1 cup buttery cracker crumbs, such as Ritz or Club

  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for serving if desired

  • 2 tablespoons minced celery

  • 2 tablespoons minced sweet onion

  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

  • Dash of salt, or to taste

  • Dash of sweet Hungarian paprika

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

    Easy and Elegant Baked Stuffed Lobster ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. To instantly kill the lobster, place the lobster flat on a cutting board and plunge the tip of a sharp knife straight down just behind the lobster's eyes to cut the spinal cord. (Alternatively, you can freeze the lobster for 30 to 60 minutes.)

    place the tip of a sharp knife straight down just behind the lobster's eyes to cut the spinal cord

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Flip the lobster over on its back. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the lobster's body cavity open all the way down to the end of the tail but not all the way through.

    cut the lobster's body cavity open all the way down to the end of the tail

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Remove and reserve the tomalley (yellowish-green colored liver).

    Remove and reserve the tomalley

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Remove the stomach and intestines, being careful not to rupture them, and discard.

    Remove the stomach and intestines

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Rinse the lobster cavity and set aside.

    Rinse the lobster cavity

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. In a mixing bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, melted butter, celery, onion, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and salt to taste.

    cracker crumbs, melted butter, celery, onion, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Add the tomalley from the lobster and mix gently.

    add the tomalley to the cracker mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  9. Pack the cracker mixture into the lobster's body cavity.

    lobster cavity filled with the cracker mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  10. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and dust lightly with paprika.

    parmesan cheese on top of cracker mixture in the lobster cavity

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  11. Bake the stuffed lobster in an uncovered 2-inch-deep baking pan for 30 minutes. If needed, place under the broiler and broil for another 2 minutes to brown the stuffing. Serve the stuffed lobster immediately with melted butter on the side, if desired.

    Easy and Elegant Baked Stuffed Lobster on a baking pan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states "oven-safe" or "heat resistant," tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Recipe Variation

Lobster tomalley can be an acquired taste. If you are not a fan, simply eliminate it from the recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
797 Calories
28g Fat
36g Carbs
94g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 797
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 341mg 114%
Sodium 1479mg 64%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 94g
Vitamin C 8mg 39%
Calcium 328mg 25%
Iron 7mg 37%
Potassium 809mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)