Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (2024)

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Baked Lobster tails with garlic butter are a classic and luxurious dish that can be served as the main course for a special occasion or as part of a larger seafood feast.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (1)

Oh yah, I loved that Garlic Butter Salmon recipe so much I decided to try it out with lobster tails.

If you love lobster recipes check out Smoked Lobster Tails, Ina Garten's Lobster Mac and Cheese, How to Make Lobster Bisque, or Red Lobster's Shrimp Scampi.

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  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients for Lobster Tails
  • How to Cook Baked Lobster Tails
  • What to serve with Lobster Tails
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Great Recipes to Try:
  • Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter

Why You'll Love This Recipe

It takes less than 20 minutes to get the perfect, juiciest, and flavorful lobster tail right out of the oven.

Lobster tails is one of those elegant dishes I like to make whenever lobster is on sale or for a special occasion such as New Year's Eve. I like to think of them as a treat because lobster is expensive but it is so damn good. Baked lobster tails is a special dish you can make for your loved one. Believe me, they will be super impressed once you bring out the lobster tails.

Lobster is a tricky meat to get correct because if you don’t cook it properly or long enough the meat can get rubbery. Rubbery or hard to chew food is no bueno. Lobster tails are great dipped in garlic butter and served with some Garlic Cheddar Biscuits just at like Red Lobster.

I live in the Midwest so it is hard for me to get fresh lobster tails here. The lobster tails come frozen all the time so I just defrost them before I am ready to cook. There is nothing wrong with frozen seafood. They are just frozen at their freshest state so they can be shipped off to other parts of the US.

Ingredients for Lobster Tails

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (2)
  • Lobster tails- the smaller sized ones (larger lobster tails will take longer to cook
  • Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.
  • ¼ c. gratedParmesan, plus more for serving
  • Lemon - Is a citrus juice made from squeezing fresh lemons. It is commonly used as a flavoring agent in cooking, baking, and beverages. Bottled lemon juice is also ok to use.
  • Italian seasoning - Is a popular blend of herbs and spices that typically includes a mix of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and sometimes garlic powder or dried red pepper flakes.
  • Melted butter - is the most commonly used type of butter in baking, as it allows for more control over the amount of salt in the recipe.
  • See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Cook Baked Lobster Tails

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and melted butter and season with salt.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: Using sharp scissors, cut the clear skin off the lobster and brush the lobster tails with the garlic butter seasoning.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (4)

Step 3: Place the lobster tails on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake the lobster tails for 12 to 15 minutes. The lobster meat inside will be firm and opaque. Internal temperature should read 140 to 145 degrees.

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (5)

What to serve with Lobster Tails

There are many options for what to serve with lobster tails, depending on your personal preferences and the overall theme of your meal. Some ideas for sides to serve with lobster tails include.

Looking for some tasty Summer side dishes to serve with lobster tails? Try these out.

Pasta Salads: Italian Pasta Salad, Mexican Macaroni Salad, BLT Pasta Salad, Shrimp and Pea Orzo Salad

Crock Pot Sides: Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Slow Cooker Calico Beans

Cold Salads: Berry Cheesecake Salad and Aunt Carol’s Potato Salad

Recipe FAQs

How long does it take lobster to cook in the oven?

For smaller lobster tails it take anywhere from 12 - 15 minutes. Larger size lobster tails that vary in size will lake 20 - 30 minutes.

How to tell when a lobster is done?

The lobster tail will turn a bright reddish pink color and the meat in the lobster tail will no longer be opaque, it will be white. If you are boiling lobster tails they will float to the top when they are done cooking.

More Great Recipes to Try:

  • Creamy White Chicken Chili
  • Weight Watchers Spaghetti Pie
  • Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
  • Air Fryer Cheddar Biscuits

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Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (10)

Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4.8 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Jenna
  • Total Time: 15 min
  • Yield: 2 1x
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Description

Baked lobster tails - lusciouslobster tails coated in garlic, butter, and parmesan cheese and then baked in the oven. This will be your new favorite lobster recipe!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 lobster tails(5oz)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ c. grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 4 tbsp. melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and melted butter and season with salt.
  2. Using sharp scissors, cut the clear skin off the lobster and brush the lobster tails with the garlic butter seasoning.
  3. Place the lobster tails on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake the lobster tails for 12 to 15 minutes. The lobster meat inside will be firm and opaque. Internal temperature should read 140 to 145 degrees.
  4. Serving size: 1 lobster tail.

Notes

My WW Personal Points: 8 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 515
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Sodium: 581mg
  • Fat: 36
  • Saturated Fat: 14g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 17g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 34g
Baked Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

What temperature should lobster tails be baked at? ›

How Long To Bake Lobster Tails. Lobster tails typically bake in 8 to 30 minutes depending on the size. They should be baked at 350 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.

What is the most flavorful way to cook lobster tails? ›

Place the lobster tails on a preheated grill over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes per side or until they turn opaque and start to brown. Finally, serve with fresh lemon or your favorite sauce. Grilling lobster tails is a fantastic and summer-friendly way to enjoy a classic seafood dish in your backyard.

Is it better to boil or bake lobster tails? ›

Cooking lobster tails is a fairly simple process. When you buy lobster tails, you can steam them, boil them, grill them, bake them, broil them or even smoke them. If you aren't sure which method to use, we strongly recommend boiling your lobster tails because it's your best bet to avoid the tails sticking to the shell.

How do you cook lobster tails without them getting tough? ›

Overcooked lobster becomes tough and chewy, no matter how you cook them. Avoid this by keeping a close eye on the cooking time, and when in doubt use a meat thermometer. Most experts agree lobster tail should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

How long does it take to cook lobster tail at 350 degrees? ›

Season lobster tails with seafood seasoning and pour melted butter mixture on top until each tail is completely covered. Squeeze lemon juice over top. Bake in the preheated oven until shells are bright red and meat is opaque, 12 to 15 minutes.

Do you bake lobster tails shell up or down? ›

Place the tails flesh-side up in a single layer in the baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the flesh is firm when pressed, cooked through, and the internal temperature registers 135 to 140ºF, 20 to 27 minutes.

What brings out the flavor of lobster? ›

If you want to stay simple, stick with a subtle lemon and butter sauce or garlic herb and butter sauce. You might also want to try seasoning your lobster with a subtle blend of classic spices like sage, rosemary, thyme and parsley or complement your meal with a French-inspired tarragon marinade or cream sauce.

Should I season lobster tails before cooking? ›

If you are boiling the lobster tails, you should season the water so that the meat gets salted as it cooks. If you are steaming or baking the lobster tails, you don't need to add salt to the water, as the meat doesn't actually come in contact with the water.

What is the best way to cook 4 oz lobster tails? ›

Cut the lobster tails along the top of the shell, from the edge of the tail straight down the middle lengthwise to the bottom of the tail. Carefully place the lobster tails in the boiling water, and boil for 1 minute per ounce of tail. For 4 ounce tails, boil for 4 minutes.

How long do you cook a 4 oz lobster tail? ›

The cooking time for 4 oz lobster tails depends on the method you choose and the specific recipe. As a general guideline, grilled or broiled lobster tails may take around 6-8 minutes, steamed lobster tails can take 8-10 minutes, while baked lobster tails can take approximately 12-15 minutes.

What is the best way to cook a frozen lobster tail? ›

Place the lobster shell-down on the foil-covered baking sheet. Bake the lobster for about 15 minutes per four ounces of lobster tail. As the lobster is baking, check it frequently to assess its color. Once the lobster meat turns white and opaque, remove from heat right away so it doesn't overcook.

Do you cut lobster tail before boiling? ›

Prep your lobster tails for cooking by cutting the shell back to expose the meat. Using a knife or kitchen scissors, carefully cut the shell lengthwise from top to bottom. Next, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Make sure to select a pot with enough space that the water will cover the lobster tails.

How long does it take to cook lobster in the oven? ›

Place the tails onto a baking sheet, then bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, until the lobster is fully cooked but not rubbery. Serve with a side of broccoli and a lemon wedge. Enjoy! Don't just wing it -- plan it!

Why is my lobster tail chewy? ›

The issue we see again and again is the recommended cooking times are often too long. Overcooked lobster will be tough and chewy no matter if you steam or boil them. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer to help you ensure you're not overcooking those large lobsters.

How long to bake frozen lobster tails at 400? ›

Bake the lobster for about 15 minutes per four ounces of lobster tail. As the lobster is baking, check it frequently to assess its color. Once the lobster meat turns white and opaque, remove from heat right away so it doesn't overcook. If the meat is still translucent, it isn't fully cooked.

How long to cook lobster tails at 250 degrees? ›

Once your smoker is preheated, the smoking process is simple. Just place your lobster tails with the meat side facing up directly on the grates of your smoker. They will take about 45 minutes to cook at 250°F.

How to cook 4 oz lobster tails? ›

Place lobsters in prepared pan. Brush with butter brush-on sauce. Bake until meat is opaque and lightly browned (145 degrees), allowing 4 to 6 minutes for 4-oz. lobsters and 8 to 10 minutes for 8-oz.

What temperature do you cook frozen lobster tails? ›

Broil 4-6" from heat or bake in a preheated 350° oven until meat is firm (10-15 min., depending on size).

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