Lobster Bucatini Pasta (Printable)

Tender lobster meets bucatini in a savory tomato white wine sauce with garlic and herbs.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 (1–1.25 lb each) live lobsters, or 12 oz cooked lobster meat

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz bucatini pasta

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

→ Liquids

09 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
10 - 1/2 cup lobster or seafood stock

→ Dairy

11 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Pantry

12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

# How-to Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add live lobsters and cook for 5–6 minutes until bright red. Transfer to an ice bath. Remove meat from claws, tail, and knuckles. Chop into bite-size pieces. Reserve shells for stock if desired.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook bucatini according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot; sauté 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add cherry tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until tomatoes begin to soften.
05 - Pour in white wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add lobster stock and simmer 3 more minutes.
06 - Stir in butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add chopped lobster meat and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, just to warm through. Season with salt and pepper.
07 - Add drained bucatini to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in fresh parsley. Divide among plates and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Restaurant quality luxury without the restaurant price tag
  • The white wine and tomato sauce strikes that perfect balance between bright and rich
  • Bucatini captures more sauce than regular spaghetti, making every bite exceptional
02 -
  • Do not overcook the lobster when you add it to the sauce, it only needs to warm through or it will turn rubbery
  • The pasta water is your insurance policy if the sauce looks too tight or separated
  • Grating Parmesan over shellfish is controversial in Italy, but I leave that choice to you
03 -
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it bubble for an extra minute before adding the lobster
  • A drizzle of really good olive oil right before serving transforms the dish
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well with a splash of water to loosen the sauce

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