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A classic New England lobster roll with tender chunks of lobster, a light creamy dressing, and buttery toasted buns.
Few things say summer quite like a lobster roll. This New England-style version keeps things classic: sweet chunks of lobster lightly dressed with mayonnaise, celery, lemon, and chives, then tucked into buttery toasted split-top buns. It’s simple, fresh, and all about letting the lobster shine.
If you’ve never made lobster rolls at home, you’ll be surprised by how easy they are. You can cook the lobster yourself (I walk you through it step-by-step using lobster tails) or use good-quality cooked lobster meat from the seafood counter to save time. Either way, they’re perfect for everything from casual summer lunches to easy entertaining.
What You’ll Need To Make Lobster Rolls
To make lobster rolls, you’ll need lobster meat, mayonnaise, celery, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, fresh chives, salt, pepper, split-top hot dog buns, unsalted butter, and Boston lettuce leaves.
For the lobster, you have a few options. You can cook whole lobsters or lobster tails (fresh or frozen both work well). If using frozen tails, thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. You can also use cooked lobster meat—look for a mix of claw, knuckle, and tail meat, often labeled “picked lobster meat.” Claw and knuckle meat are especially prized for their sweet flavor and tender texture.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Boil and shock the lobster. Bring a very large pot of generously salted water (I use 1 tablespoon kosher salt for every 2 quarts water) to a boil, drop in the lobster tails, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the shells are bright red and the meat is just opaque. Using tongs, immediately transfer the tails into a prepared ice bath for 5 minutes to halt the cooking process.
Step 2: Remove and chunk the meat. Use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the soft underside of each cooled shell, gently pull the shells apart to extract the meat, pat it dry with paper towels, and chop it into generous bite-size chunks.
Pro Tip: Cutting the shell and removing the meat will take a touch of elbow grease. To help, start cutting the soft underside from the fin end rather than the body end. The shell is thinner and more tender there, making it much easier to glide your kitchen shears straight through without slipping.
Step 3: Mix the lobster salad. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, celery, lemon zest, mustard, chives, salt, and pepper until uniform, then add the prepared lobster meat and gently fold everything together to combine.
Step 4: Toast the buns and assemble. Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, spread softened butter onto the flat outer sides of your split-top buns, and toast each side for about 2 minutes until crisp and golden brown before lining each bun with a leaf of Boston lettuce and spooning in the chilled lobster salad.
Pro Tip: Look for split-top buns (often labeled as New England style or top-sliced) in two main areas in your supermarket: the commercial bread aisle with standard hot dog buns, or the in-store bakery, where higher-end brioche or brioche-style split-top rolls are frequently stocked.
More Classic Seafood Recipes You’ll Love
New England Lobster Rolls
The perfect summer sandwich: sweet lobster, a light dressing, and toasted buns.
Ingredients
- 2 lb raw lobster tails (4 to 8 tails, depending on size), thawed if frozen (or 1 lb/454 g cooked lobster meat)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- 3 tablespoons minced celery, from 1 stalk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons minced fresh chives
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- A few grinds fresh black pepper
- 6 New England-style split-top (or top-sliced) hot dog buns (see note)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
- 6 leaves Boston lettuce
Instructions
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If cooking the lobster, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
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To cook the lobster (skip this step if using cooked meat): Bring a very large pot of generously salted water to a boil (I use 1 tablespoon kosher salt for every 2 qt/2L water). Add the lobster tails and cook until the shells are bright red and the meat is just opaque, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on their size. Do not overcook.
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Using tongs, transfer the lobster tails to the ice bath and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Using kitchen shears, cut lengthwise through the soft underside of each shell. Gently pull the shell apart and remove the meat. Pat dry with paper towels, then cut the lobster into generous bite-size chunks.
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In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, celery, lemon zest, mustard, chives, salt, and pepper. (If using store-bought cooked lobster meat, drain well and pat dry with paper towels before adding.) Add the lobster meat and gently toss to combine.
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Place a 12-in (30-cm) nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Spread the softened butter on the flat outer sides of the buns (the sides created by the top split). Place the buns in the skillet with one buttered side down and cook until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and toast the second buttered side until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the buns to a platter or serving plates. Line each bun with 1 Boston lettuce leaf, spoon the lobster salad into the buns, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can make these rolls with either cooked lobster meat or lobster tails that you cook yourself. Many seafood counters sell cooked lobster meat by the pound, often labeled “lobster salad meat,” “picked lobster meat,” or simply “cooked lobster meat.” You’ll usually find it near the fresh seafood case or in the refrigerated seafood section. If buying cooked meat, look for claw, knuckle, tail meat, or a mix.
- If cooking your own lobster tails, both fresh and frozen work well. Fresh tails are often available right at the seafood counter, while frozen tails are typically stocked in the freezer section near the seafood department. Thaw frozen lobster tails overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
- For the best New England-style lobster rolls, look for top-split hot dog buns, sometimes labeled “top-sliced,” “top-split,” or “New England-style,” depending on the brand. Their flat sides are ideal for buttering and toasting, which gives lobster rolls their signature crisp, golden exterior. Traditional side-split hot dog buns will work in a pinch, but they don’t toast as evenly or hold the filling quite as neatly. If you can find them, Pepperidge Farm and Martin’s both make good New England-style/split-top versions, and many grocery store bakery sections carry them seasonally in the summer. Brioche buns aren’t traditional, but they’re delicious if you like a slightly richer, more buttery roll.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The lobster salad can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. For the freshest flavor and texture, wait to toast the buns and assemble the rolls until just before serving.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (6 servings)Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 17gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 601mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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