Lobster Risotto
Luscious, luxurious Lobster Risotto – a romantic, elegant dish to share with that special someone. Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Chunks of succulent, buttery lobster in toasted, creamy rice Lobster Risotto is ideal as an intimate entree for two or a recipe to impress guests! Featuring lobster tail and Arborio rice cooked in butter, seafood broth, white wine, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings, this decadently delicious dinner only takes 25 to 30 minutes to prepare! Serve with roasted asparagus, rustic bread, and a side salad – heavenly!
Risotto is Just Rice – Really!
So, if risotto is simply rice, why is it called risotto? It’s all about the preparation!
For one thing, risotto starts with high-starch rice like Arborio. (don’t worry – it’s easy to find at the grocery store!) For another, it’s double-cooked. First, the rice is toasted by sauteing it in butter. Second, it is slow-cooked in broth and wine, allowing the liquids to become fully absorbed into the starches.
This process creates an ultra-creamy finish! So, yes, risotto takes a bit more time to prepare, but it’s truly spectacular!
Other Recipes to Serve with Italian Risotto
- Ricotta Parmesan Garlic Bread is the perfect sidekick for every Italian entree!
- Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts take 5 minutes to prep and have a nutty, caramelized flavor. So good!
Ingredients
Rice: Risotto needs a short-grain, high-starch rice, and Arborio rice is perfect!
Seafood: To make the best lobster risotto, start with lobster tails (with the shells removed) and seafood stock (either store-bought or homemade).
Liquids: In addition to the seafood stock and some water, a dry white wine adds dimension to the flavor.
Dairy: The lobster and rice will both be cooked in unsalted butter. Grated parmesan cheese is added to the risotto to finish the dish perfectly!
Seasonings: Dried and fresh parsley, minced shallots, cloves of garlic, and sea salt all add layers of flavor to this scrumptious seafood risotto!
How to Make Lobster Risotto
STEP ONE: To a medium saucepan, add the seafood stock and water and bring to a low simmer. Keep it on low heat until needed. In a small pan, melt the butter with the water and parsley and bring it to a slow boil on low heat. Place the lobster meat in the butter and cook until the meat is opaque and tender. Set aside to cool. Keep the butter.
STEP TWO: Place 6 tablespoons of the melted butter from the pan into a medium-sized pan and cook with the minced shallots, garlic, and salt for 3 minutes. Add the rice and gently stir to help the rice soak up the butter. Toast the rice for about 5 minutes until almost translucent.
STEP THREE: Pour 1 cup of white wine into the skillet and cook until the rice absorbs all the liquid. Then add 1 cup of stock from the saucepan and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
STEP FOUR: Repeat this, adding 1 cup at a time until only about a cup of liquid is left in the large pan. The rice should now be soft and tender.
STEP FIVE: Remove the pan from the heat. Return the lobster meat to the pan, along with the remaining lobster butter and parmesan. Mix to melt the cheese and reheat the lobster.
STEP SIX: Garnish with more parmesan and fresh chopped parsley before serving warm. Savor every scrumptious mouthful!
Tips for Success
- If you don’t have seafood stock, chicken broth will substitute in a pinch. Add the lobster shells to simmering chicken broth and cook for 15 minutes to add some seafood flavor. If you want to make homemade seafood stock, the linked recipe makes about 8 cups.
- Brandy or cognac can be substituted for the white wine if you prefer. This will give the risotto a boozier taste.
- Make a little extra browned butter to drizzle over the top of the plated dish for a nutty, toasty caramel flavor!
- Make your own seafood broth using whole lobsters, including shells.
- To keep the dairy from breaking down, add the Parmesan cheese at the very end after removing the risotto from the heat.
What is Risotto?
Risotto is considered the national dish of Northern Italy, so you know it has to be spectacular! Risotto is a toasted, short-grain rice dish that’s cooked in wine and broth. Risotto is creamy, luxurious comfort food that is often prepared with rich, flavorful ingredients like butter, parmesan, cream, caramelized onion, white wine, or saffron to make a rustic yet elegant, delicious dinner or side dish.
Can You Freeze Risotto?
The best way to store leftover risotto is in a shallow dish with an airtight lid or zip-top bag. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then slowly warm in a skillet or the microwave, adding a splash of broth, cream, or a small pat of butter as needed to bring it back to a creamy consistency.
Other Luscious Lobster and Succulent Seafood Recipes
- Lobster Roll
- Lobster Alfredo
- Blackened Shrimp & Lobster Pasta
- How to Cook Lobster Tail
- California Roll
- Surf and Turf Kabobs
Lobster Risotto
Ingredients
Poached Lobster
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 12-16 ounces lobster tails shells removed (about 4)
Risotto
- 3 cups seafood stock (see note)
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 shallot peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine (like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Garnishes
- Fresh parsley chopped
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Lobster
- To a medium pot, add the seafood stock and water. Bring to a low simmer. Keep the stock simmering so it's warm for later.
- Melt the butter in a small pan. Stir in the water and parsley and bring to a very low boil on low heat. Pro Tip: Using a pan that is too large will give you a shallower amount of butter to poach the lobster in.
- Place the lobster meat into the butter and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. The meat should be opaque when cooked through. Set the lobster aside to cool and then roughly chop. Do not discard the butter.
- Place 6 tablespoons of the lobster butter into a large skillet. (Reserve the remaining butter.) Place the skillet over medium-low heat and add the shallot, garlic, and salt to the butter. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the rice to the skillet and stir to absorb all the butter. Toast the rice for about 5 minutes or until almost translucent. Pour in the white wine and cook down until almost all of the liquid is gone.
- Add 1 cup of warm stock to the rice and cook until almost all the broth has been absorbed, stirring frequently. Repeat the process until you have about 1 cup of stock left in the saucepan. Test the rice for your desired doneness. If needed, add ¼ cup of stock at a time and then recheck the rice.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the lobster meat, parmesan cheese, and remaining lobster butter to the risotto. Mix to melt the cheese and reheat the lobster.
- Portion onto plates and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and more parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.
