Dive into big Key West flavors with Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta and you’ll feel like you’re on vacation in your dining room!
Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta is a beautifully easy dinner that is ready in under 40 minutes! Full of boldly seasoned shrimp, buttery lobster, and tender pasta, tossed with a delicious cream sauce, this dish is a vacation date night meal that is sure to be remembered!
Make Date Night Special Again
Ok, yes this Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta would be amazing for date night but it’s also perfect for impressing your family and friends. This recipe makes a lot of servings, so I figured, why not combine the two occasions? Like a triple date! There is something so decadent about lobster that you can’t help but feel kinda fancy! I was a little intimidated to de-shell the lobster but it was actually really easy and now I’m a lobster pro. The blackened shrimp also gives this dish a bit of a kick but it doesn’t overwhelm everything so you definitely taste the buttery lobster and cream sauce. There were no leftovers, I’m happy to report, and it was the perfect meal for a really perfect night.
Other Recipes to Serve with Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta
- Spinach Artichoke Pull Apart Bread would be an amazing appetizer to this star dish and is so easy to prepare!
- Strawberry & Lime Moscato Punch is the perfect entertaining drink for guests and what better way to feel like you’re far from home than sipping on this in your living room?
Ingredients
Sea Food: You’ll need three lobster tails and one pound of deveined shrimp.
Veggies: The Garlic, Roma tomatoes, Grape tomatoes, onion, scallions all bring a freshness to this dish.
Pasta: While the recipe calls for Fettuccine pasta, any long, thicker pasta can be used, such as spaghetti or linguine, for example.
Seasoning: You’ll need salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and blackened seasoning.
Liquids: Olive oil, white wine, chicken broth, heavy whipping cream are needed at different stages of this recipe. While not a liquid, you’ll also need butter.
How to Make Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta
STEP ONE: In a heated deep-sided skillet coated with olive oil, add the lobster tails, garlic, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Cover and cook the lobster for 4minutes. When turning the lobster tails, add 3 tablespoons of butter, and then the white wine and cook for 4 more minutes. You’ll then remove the lobster tails but keep the liquid in the pan to use for the sauce. Remove the lobster meat from the shells and roughly chop the meat.
STEP TWO: While the lobsters are cooking start preparing the shrimp by tossing them with olive oil and then the blackened seasoning in a mixing bowl. In another skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter. Add the shrimp and cook on each side for 3 minutes and then remove the skillet from the heat.
STEP THREE: In the same skillet you cooked the lobster tails with the sauce you kept, add the heavy whipping cream, chicken broth, tomatoes, and onions and simmer for about four minutes. You’ll then stir in the lobster meat and shrimp and cook for two minutes for the flavors to meld.
STEP FOUR: Cook the Fettuccine according to the package directions in a large pot of salted water. When the pasta is cooked and drained, add the Fettuccine to the shrimp and lobster, tossing everything until well mixed. Stir in the scallions as well. Garnish the Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta with freshly chopped parsley and shaved parmesan, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Since seafood cooks quickly, pay attention to the cooking times so you don’t end up with overcooked shrimp and lobster.
- Large, frozen shrimp would be great in this recipe and it’s an easy way to make sure you always have shrimp on hand!
- Any thicker pasta will work for this recipe so you can pretty much use what you have, just skip thinner pastas like angel hair.
What is Blackened Seasoning?
Blackened seasoning is a savory mix of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, basil, and oregano. It creates a slightly blackened crust on seafood, which is where it gets its name. While it has a little kick, Blackened seasoning is not as spicy as Cajun seasoning, making it a good choice for those who are sensitive to heat.
How do I cut lobster tails?
Cutting lobster tails for the first time can seem a little daunting but while you hold the lobster tail, shell side up, insert kitchen scissors under the shell in the middle and cut right down the center, and the shell will come apart easily.
Need More Great Pasta?
- Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta
- One Pot Alfredo Pasta
- Garlic Roasted Shrimp with Spinach Artichoke Pasta
- Pasta Carbonara
- Rigatoni Pasta with Mushrooms and Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 3 lobster tails
- 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 tablespoon salted butter divided
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
- ½ yellow onion diced (about 1/2 cup)
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon blackened seasoning
- 1 pounds shrimp peeled & deveined
- 1 pound fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped, for garnish
- ¼ cup Parmesan shaved, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a deep-sided skillet or pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the lobster tails to the pan.
- Add garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook for four minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Turn the lobster tails over, then pour in the wine and cook for 4 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add blackened seasoning and toss to coat. Heat another skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once melted add the shrimp. Cook 3 minutes per side and then remove from heat.
- Remove lobster tails from the pan and place them onto a wooden cutting board. Keep liquid in the pan as this will be used for the lobster sauce. Remove the shells and discard them. Roughly chop the lobster meat.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, chicken broth, tomatoes, and onion to the same pan the lobsters cooked in. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 4 minutes. Stir in the lobster meat and shrimp and cook for 2 more minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions until al dente.
- Combine the lobster sauce and fettuccine. Add the green onions and stir. Garnish with parsley and parmesan before serving warm.
Olivia says
I’m trying this today, but I accidentally grabbed a bottle of sweet wine instead of dry. Will it still turn out good if I use the sweet?
Mike Acebedo says
Adding the diced onion along with whipping cream and simmering did not cook the onion to a soften state before over cooking the whipped cream. Seems it should have been sauteed along with the garlic before.
Josh says
what an amazing dinner! it takes alot of prep, but its so worth it! weve enjoyed this meal about 4 times, and making it tonight!