Creamy Butter Poached Lobster Risotto Recipe
My easy lobster risotto recipe will fancy up your date night dinner. Succulent chopped lobster, poached in a sea of butter, mingling with creamy risotto that's been lovingly kissed by white wine, fresh thyme, garlic, and shallots. A perfect dish for holidays or summer dinner parties.
Servings: 4 side servings
Calories: 446kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces raw lobster tail meat or 8 oz of pre-cooked lobster meat
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups lobster or seafood stock warmed in separate saucepan
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese with extra for serving, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- lemon wedge optional, for serving
Instructions
Butter Poach the Lobster
- For Raw Lobster: Melt ¼ cup of butter over medium-low heat in a large skillet or braiser. Add the shelled raw lobster meat and gently poach for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the lobster from the pan and chop into bite-sized pieces.8 ounces raw lobster tail meat
- For Precooked Lobster: Melt ¼ cup of butter over low heat. Add the precooked lobster meat to the skillet and gently warm through for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and chop into bite-sized pieces if needed.6 tablespoon unsalted butter
Make the Risotto
- In the same skillet used for the lobster, leave that butter in there and add an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Sauté the shallot, thyme, and garlic with a nice pinch of salt over medium heat until the shallot is translucent and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.1 large shallot, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Add the Arborio rice to the skillet, stirring to coat with the butter and aromatics. Toast the rice until the edges become translucent, around 2 minutes.1 cup Arborio rice
- Stir in the white wine and let simmer until the wine is fully absorbed by the rice.½ cup dry white wine
- Begin adding the warm lobster or seafood stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Wait until each ladle of stock is almost fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue this process until the rice is creamy and cooked to al dente, about 18-20 minutes. Remember to taste as you go!4 cups lobster or seafood stock
- Stir in the chopped lobster meat, thyme leaves, and Parmesan cheese (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the lobster is warmed through and the Parmesan is melted into the risotto.Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Serve the risotto hot and garnish with extra thyme leaves, lobster claws (if you have any), and grated parmesan. Optionally, serve with lemon wedges on the side.lemon wedge
Notes
This lobster risotto can serve 4 generous sides or 2 generous main courses.
Faster Cook Time
Cook the risotto and lobster in separate pans (start the lobster later than the risotto, it cooks much quicker). They'll finish at the same time rather than cooking the lobster first and cooking the risotto in the lobster butter.Chef's Tips
- Get your stir on, honey! Risotto needs you to be a bit of a hover-parent to avoid sticking and to get that creamy goodness just right.
- Don’t wait till the end to season! Sprinkle a little salt and pepper as you go to layer those flavors beautifully—it’ll make your risotto pop just right.
- Right before you serve, toss in some fresh thyme —heck, even a little squeeze of lemon. It’ll lift up the flavors and give that risotto a nice, bright finish.
- Always, always add warm broth to your risotto. Keep a small saucepan with the broth on the stove to simmer. It keeps everything cooking evenly and helps the rice soak up all that flavor without slowing down the heat.
- Choose a dry white wine that you like. Always cook with wine you will drink!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Potassium: 428mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 3mg