Lobster is a wonderful dish that is a special treat for your family or guests, and can be cooked in many different ways.
What to serve with lobster? Because it is such an exceptional indulgence, you want to be sure to match it with a delicious and well-suited side dish.
Here are some ideas for wonderful side dishes to pair with your best lobster recipes – from the delectable basics to some more novel ideas.
Related | Ordering Lobster Online
1. Butter
This may sound far too obvious, but having quality butter that’s prepared correctly is a key component – and the simplest side dish – for many different preparations of lobster, including whole lobster and lobster tails.
Clarifying butter is the important process that separates milk solids from the oily butterfat. Otherwise, heating butter simply turns it brown. The recipe at Lobsterhelp will walk you through the steps to make perfect butter to accompany your lobster.
2. The Basic Baked Potato
If the main course is lobster or lobster tail, a baked potato is a hearty side dish option to serve alongside it. Served with butter, just like your lobster, it can be garnished with parsley or dill for some extra flavor.
You can also dress up a basic potato dish by boiling potatoes, allowing them to cool, cubing them and covering them in mayonnaise and chives for a simple potato salad.
This dish is great because it will be ready to serve as soon as the lobster is ready, so there’s no need to stress about timing.
3. Corn On The Cob
This is another standard side dish to serve with lobster, because it’s also served with butter. These more basic options ensure the lobster will remain the highlight of the meal.
4. Hail Caesar (Salad)!
A Caesar salad is an ideal side dish to pair with lobster, particularly if the serving is a whole lobster, because it can be very rich. A Caesar salad is relatively light and the garlic and lemon hints in the dressing will pair nicely with your crustacean.
Here’s a great recipe for homemade dressing, using mayonnaise instead of raw egg yolks.
5. Grilled Caesar
For something different, try a grilled Caesar salad. The slightly charred lettuce and warm salad is a wonderful alternative to a cold salad with a lobster dinner.
To make a grilled Caesar, slice the romaine hearts in half, leaving the stem attached. Drizzle oil and lemon juice over the lettuce and grill for 1-2 minutes per side. Serve with dressing, bacon bits, croutons and Parmesan cheese.
6. Coleslaw
Another lighter option to pair with a whole lobster is coleslaw, particularly one made with a lighter dressing that doesn’t feature mayonnaise. Besides cabbage, you can include a variety of vegetables, such as grated carrots or green onions.
We particularly love this honey mustard coleslaw as a mouthwatering accompaniment to lobster.
7. Pasta Salad
How about combining starch with a salad and creating a pasta salad? This is another side that can be made ahead of time, ensuring everything is ready when your lobster is.
Use little shells to accompany the lobster and then add what you like – corn, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and red onion are all good options. Mix up a light herb vinaigrette with oil and vinegar and you’re set.
We recommend seasoning your salad with a simple vinaigrette featuring the oils and herbs you prefer.
8. Lobster Salad
Rather than serving lobster with salad, you can make a great summertime treat by combining the two and making lobster salad. It’s a simple, fuss-free and delicious treat for a hot summer’s day. Check out one of our favorite recipes by lobsterfrommaine.com.
9. Lobster Tails and Biscuits
What to serve with lobster tails? Here you can choose a slightly heavier, starchier side because a tail is a smaller portion than a whole lobster.
Biscuits are the ultimate way to soak up any extra butter that ends up on your plate. Spice it up a little by getting creative with some bacon and cheddar biscuits.
10. Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is another popular dish to serve with lobster – particularly with the smaller serving size of lobster tails – because macaroni and cheese is a rich, filling dish in itself.
You can also get inventive and combine the two to make a delicious lobster mac and cheese.
Related | What To Serve With Mac And Cheese
11. Wild Rice
An interesting starchy side dish to serve with lobster is wild rice. It has a distinctive flavor but should be cooked with mild seasoning so it doesn’t overpower the lobster. This wild rice pilaf recipe is a tasty complement to lobster.
12. Lobster Thermidor and Vegetables
If you’re considering some more exotic ways to cook lobster, the sides are perhaps even more important.
For instance, what to serve with lobster thermidor? This is a rich dish made with lobster chunks covered in a creamy white sauce. It has cream; egg yolks; dry mustard; sherry, brandy or cognac; and then it’s topped with broiled Gruyere or Swiss cheese.
These heavy ingredients mean it’s best paired with relatively simple foods. A nice option is to choose fresh green vegetables such as asparagus or green beans, which complement the thermidor’s creamy sauce and mustard flavors. Or try roasted Brussels sprouts if you’re a fan.
13. Lobster Thermidor and Pasta
Another fitting option with thermidor is a starch. Consider a pasta that doesn’t overwhelm the lobster, like penne cooked al dente, seasoned with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and fresh herbs such as dill. The key is to let the thermidor take center stage.
14. Lobster Rolls and Corn Chowder
Lobster rolls provide another unique option for serving up your meal. They can be served hot or cold and are usually served on a bun sliced lengthwise rather than on the side, with a filling that could best be described as “lobster salad sandwich,” with mayonnaise, celery and herbs.
What to serve with lobster rolls? If the weather is cool, a hot cup of corn chowder is a wonderful accompaniment. We like this relatively easy recipe that includes potatoes, for a nice starchy addition to the meal.
15. Lobster Rolls and Zucchini Fries
If the weather is warm, a traditional side with lobster rolls is fries. But for a unique and flavorful option, make zucchini fries.
16. Bisque
If you’re ready to get adventuresome and test your culinary skills, you can make bisque and serve it as an appetizer to accompany your lobster dinner.
I can never get enough lobster, so I would even make lobster bisque. But you can also use crab, shrimp or crayfish. Bisque is a smooth and creamy soup based on a broth made of crustaceans. Check out this delicious bisque recipe from africanbites or try out Ina Garten’s shrimp bisque.
17. More Seafood
It may seem like a lot to some people, but seafood is great with seafood. Consider an appetizer of chilled shrimp or perhaps some steamed mussels. The folks in Prince Edward Island, Canada, know how to prepare amazing mussels, so check out their cooking advice for tasty results.
18. Beer
I can hear you asking, “Beer as a side?” You bet! When enjoying the flavors of a fresh lobster, an appropriate drink needs to be paired with it.
Here are some of our favorite options:
- Belgian witbiers or hefeweizens – contains citrus notes that complement lobster.
- German-style pilsners, which are crisp and pair nicely with lobster.
- India Pale Ale – hoppy but doesn’t overpower the flavors of the lobster.
19. Wine or Champagne
If beer isn’t your thing, a white wine such as chardonnay; a fruitier wine like Gewurztraminer; or even a rose would all be nice pairings with lobster. To kick it up a notch, serve champagne for a delightful summer meal.
20. The Finishing Touch – Dessert
The flavor of lemon is a wonderful complement to seafood, so a lemony dessert is a great way to finish off a lobster party. Does dessert qualify as a side? It does in my house!
This recipe for a lemon cheesecake from chatelaine.com is a perfect ending to their Canadian lobster party, served very cold.
