Lobster Risotto Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Lobster Risotto
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 21, 2024 • 3 min read
Lobster risotto is a creamy rice dish featuring lobster meat. For extra flavor, make homemade lobster stock and cook fresh lobsters.
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What Is Lobster Risotto?
Lobster risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish featuring cooked lobster tail meat. Some lobster risotto recipes use lobster or seafood stock for extra flavor. Popular toppings for lobster risotto include Parmesan cheese, chives, and lemon zest. Risotto recipes traditionally call for Arborio rice—rounded, short-grain rice with a high starch content—though you can substitute carnaroli rice or other grains for an oat or barley risotto.
The key to risotto is the cooking method: Sauté the risotto rice and then cook it on low heat as you add ladles of stock. This allows the rice to release its starches gradually, yielding a perfectly al dente result in a creamy sauce.
3 Tips for Making Lobster Risotto
When making lobster risotto, consider the following substitutions and cooking tips:
- 1. Cook the lobster yourself. Use store-bought pulled lobster to make lobster risotto. For the best flavor, order live lobsters directly from Maine and boil or steam them.
- 2. Make a lobster stock. Make a flavorful lobster stock using lobster shells. Some seafood shops and lobster pounds will also sell lobster stock. You can also use vegetable, beef, or chicken stock.
- 3. Remove the risotto from heat before adding dairy. For a creamy texture, add Parmesan cheese to the cooked rice. Take the risotto off the heat before stirring in Parmesan cheese. The fats found in dairy products can break and separate when heated.
Chef Thomas Keller Teaches How to Cook Lobster
Lobster Risotto Recipe
makes
prep time
20 mintotal time
1 hr 30 mincook time
1 hr 10 minIngredients
- 1
Fill a stockpot with 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
- 2
Add lobster and cook until the lobster is bright red and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove lobster from the stock and reserve the liquid.
- 3
Once the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove the lobster meat from shells using kitchen shears and store in the refrigerator.
- 4
Return the shells and other lobster scraps to the stockpot.
- 5
Add the onion, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns to the stockpot. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- 6
Strain the stock and discard the shells.
- 7
Return the stock to the stockpot. Bring the stock to a low boil, then reduce heat to low, keeping the broth just below a simmer. You want the stock to be about the same temperature as the rice while it’s cooking.
- 8
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-low, then sauté the shallots until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- 9
Add the garlic and stir continuously until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds.
- 10
Add the rice to the shallots-garlic mixture, season with salt, and stir to combine. Continue stirring the rice until well coated and translucent, 2–5 minutes.
- 11
Add about ½ cup warm broth and a splash of wine to the rice mixture. Stir often, until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth in ½-cup increments, following each addition with a splash of wine and allowing the rice to absorb liquid between additions, until the rice is al dente, about 25–35 minutes. (You may not need all of the liquid.)
- 12
Remove pan from heat and add ½ cup Parmesan cheese and pepper, stirring to combine.
- 13
Cover and allow to rest 5 minutes.
- 14
To serve, top the risotto with lobster meat and garnish with chives. Spritz the lobster with lemon juice, if desired.
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