Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (2024)

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Baked Lobster tails with garlic butter are a classic and luxurious dish that can be served as the main course for a special occasion or as part of a larger seafood feast.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (1)

Oh yah, I loved that Garlic Butter Salmon recipe so much I decided to try it out with lobster tails.

If you love lobster recipes check out Smoked Lobster Tails, Ina Garten's Lobster Mac and Cheese, How to Make Lobster Bisque, or Red Lobster's Shrimp Scampi.

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  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients for Lobster Tails
  • How to Cook Baked Lobster Tails
  • What to serve with Lobster Tails
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Great Recipes to Try:
  • Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter

Why You'll Love This Recipe

It takes less than 20 minutes to get the perfect, juiciest, and flavorful lobster tail right out of the oven.

Lobster tails is one of those elegant dishes I like to make whenever lobster is on sale or for a special occasion such as New Year's Eve. I like to think of them as a treat because lobster is expensive but it is so damn good. Baked lobster tails is a special dish you can make for your loved one. Believe me, they will be super impressed once you bring out the lobster tails.

Lobster is a tricky meat to get correct because if you don’t cook it properly or long enough the meat can get rubbery. Rubbery or hard to chew food is no bueno. Lobster tails are great dipped in garlic butter and served with some Garlic Cheddar Biscuits just at like Red Lobster.

I live in the Midwest so it is hard for me to get fresh lobster tails here. The lobster tails come frozen all the time so I just defrost them before I am ready to cook. There is nothing wrong with frozen seafood. They are just frozen at their freshest state so they can be shipped off to other parts of the US.

Ingredients for Lobster Tails

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (2)
  • Lobster tails- the smaller sized ones (larger lobster tails will take longer to cook
  • Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.
  • ¼ c. gratedParmesan, plus more for serving
  • Lemon - Is a citrus juice made from squeezing fresh lemons. It is commonly used as a flavoring agent in cooking, baking, and beverages. Bottled lemon juice is also ok to use.
  • Italian seasoning - Is a popular blend of herbs and spices that typically includes a mix of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and sometimes garlic powder or dried red pepper flakes.
  • Melted butter - is the most commonly used type of butter in baking, as it allows for more control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
  • See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Cook Baked Lobster Tails

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and melted butter and season with salt.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: Using sharp scissors, cut the clear skin off the lobster and brush the lobster tails with the garlic butter seasoning.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (4)

Step 3: Place the lobster tails on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake the lobster tails for 12 to 15 minutes. The lobster meat inside will be firm and opaque. Internal temperature should read 140 to 145 degrees.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (5)

What to serve with Lobster Tails

There are many options for what to serve with lobster tails, depending on your personal preferences and the overall theme of your meal. Some ideas for sides to serve with lobster tails include.

Looking for some tasty Summer side dishes to serve with lobster tails? Try these out.

Pasta Salads: Italian Pasta Salad, Mexican Macaroni Salad, BLT Pasta Salad, Shrimp and Pea Orzo Salad

Crock Pot Sides: Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Slow Cooker Calico Beans

Cold Salads: Berry Cheesecake Salad and Aunt Carol’s Potato Salad

Recipe FAQs

How long does it take lobster to cook in the oven?

For smaller lobster tails it take anywhere from 12 - 15 minutes. Larger size lobster tails that vary in size will lake 20 - 30 minutes.

How to tell when a lobster is done?

The lobster tail will turn a bright reddish pink color and the meat in the lobster tail will no longer be opaque, it will be white. If you are boiling lobster tails they will float to the top when they are done cooking.

More Great Recipes to Try:

  • Air Fryer Muffins Mixed Berry
  • Air Fryer Custard Toast (Tiktok)
  • Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
  • Cottage Cheese Pancakes (High Protein)

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Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (10)

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4.8 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Jenna
  • Total Time: 15 min
  • Yield: 2 1x
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Description

Baked lobster tails - lusciouslobster tails coated in garlic, butter, and parmesan cheese and then baked in the oven. This will be your new favorite lobster recipe!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 lobster tails(5oz)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ c. grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 4 tbsp. melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and melted butter and season with salt.
  2. Using sharp scissors, cut the clear skin off the lobster and brush the lobster tails with the garlic butter seasoning.
  3. Place the lobster tails on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake the lobster tails for 12 to 15 minutes. The lobster meat inside will be firm and opaque. Internal temperature should read 140 to 145 degrees.
  4. Serving size: 1 lobster tail.

Notes

My WW Personal Points: 8 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 515
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Sodium: 581mg
  • Fat: 36
  • Saturated Fat: 14g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 17g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 34g
Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

How long to cook lobster tails in the oven at 350? ›

Lobster tails typically bake in 8 to 30 minutes depending on the size. They should be baked at 350 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.

What is the most flavorful way to cook lobster tails? ›

Simply place lobster tails into simmering water and poach for about 5-7 minutes until the meat is opaque and firm. This cooking method rewards a very tender and savory lobster tail. We bet you're craving some sweet, succulent lobster right about now.

What to put lobster tails on in the oven? ›

In a small bowl, combine the butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, lemon juice, and parsley, then brush the mixture evenly over the lobster meat. Place the tails onto a baking sheet, then bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, until the lobster is fully cooked but not rubbery.

Is it better to boil or bake lobster tails? ›

Cooking lobster tails is a fairly simple process. When you buy lobster tails, you can steam them, boil them, grill them, bake them, broil them or even smoke them. If you aren't sure which method to use, we strongly recommend boiling your lobster tails because it's your best bet to avoid the tails sticking to the shell.

Do you bake lobster tails shell up or down? ›

Place the tails flesh-side up in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the flesh is firm when pressed, cooked through, and the internal temperature registers 135 to 140ºF, 20 to 27 minutes.

How long do you cook a 4 oz lobster tail? ›

The cooking time for lobster tails varies depending on the method and the size of the tails. As a general guideline, for boiling, baking, and broiling, allow 1-2 minutes of cooking time per ounce of tail meat. Steaming may require slightly longer, typically 3-4 minutes per ounce.

What brings out the flavor of lobster? ›

If you want to stay simple, stick with a subtle lemon and butter sauce or garlic herb and butter sauce. You might also want to try seasoning your lobster with a subtle blend of classic spices like sage, rosemary, thyme and parsley or complement your meal with a French-inspired tarragon marinade or cream sauce.

How do chefs cook lobster tails? ›

Lobsters are typically cooked by boiling or steaming before being served at restaurants. Boiling is the most common method of cooking lobster and involves placing live lobsters in a large pot of salted boiling water for 10-15 minutes, until the shells turn bright red and the meat is cooked through.

Why do you put butter on lobster? ›

Butter-poached lobster is a simple recipe consisting of fresh lobster meat cooked in butter and wine poaching liquid until cooked through. This process adds a lot of flavor and fat to lobster, making it more delicious.

Do you rinse lobster tails before cooking? ›

Cleaning a lobster doesn't just mean rinsing it off, though. Before cooking things like lobster tails, if you aren't planning to boil them, require some rinsing under that exoskeleton.

Do you season lobster tails before cooking? ›

If you are boiling the lobster tails, you should season the water so that the meat gets salted as it cooks. If you are steaming or baking the lobster tails, you don't need to add salt to the water, as the meat doesn't actually come in contact with the water.

What is the best way to cook 4 oz lobster tails? ›

Place lobsters in prepared pan. Brush with butter brush-on sauce. Bake until meat is opaque and lightly browned (145 degrees), allowing 4 to 6 minutes for 4-oz. lobsters and 8 to 10 minutes for 8-oz.

How do you cook lobster tails without them getting tough? ›

Let the lobster tails steam for 8-10 minutes or until they turn bright red. Be careful not to overcook them, making them tough and rubbery. Once the lobster tails are done, take them out of the pot and let them cool for a few minutes. When ready to serve, carefully remove the shells from the tails.

What is the best way to cook a frozen lobster tail? ›

Place the lobster shell-down on the foil-covered baking sheet. Bake the lobster for about 15 minutes per four ounces of lobster tail. As the lobster is baking, check it frequently to assess its color. Once the lobster meat turns white and opaque, remove from heat right away so it doesn't overcook.

What temperature should lobster tails be cooked to? ›

Brush the lobster meat with butter and season with salt. Bake the lobster tails in a 350 degrees F oven until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees F. Serve the lobsters on top of their shells for a gorgeous presentation.

At what temp is lobster tail cooked? ›

The lobster is done when its internal temperature, checked by an instant-read thermometer, reaches 135°F.

How long do you keep lobster in the oven? ›

Bake the lobster in the preheated oven for 22 to 27 minutes, checking halfway through. You can brush on additional flavored butter at this time if you desire. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges if desired.

How long to cook 2 lb lobster tails? ›

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and keep water at a gentle boil — stronger than a simmer, but weaker than a rolling boil. Add lobster tails, and boil until they are bright red and their meat turns white and tender. Each tail should take about 1 minute per ounce to cook.

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