Lobster & Scallop Pasta

This lobster and scallop pasta is the perfect option for a special occasion meal at home! The recipe is loaded with lobster and scallops, coated in a tangy lemon garlic wine sauce! If you've never prepared lobster at home before, this is a great first recipe to try! It uses lobster tails, which are so much easier than preparing a whole lobster.

Seafood pasta is my go-to order at a fancy restaurant, but 9 times out of 10 I'm dropping $30-$50 on a dish that falls incredibly short of my expectations. After a particularly skimpy serving of restaurant seafood pasta, I decided that I needed to make one loaded with only my favorites - lobster and scallops.

The seafood for this dish cost me $12 for 8 high quality scallops, and $12 for two small lobster tails. We each had two servings, making this dish around $12 per person for the seafood and just a few dollars more for the other ingredients. Instead of spending $40 on a skimpy restaurant serving, I'll be getting my fix at home from now on. _{(Prices from mid 2022)}

Key Tips - Lobster & Scallop Pasta

Buy frozen lobster tails.

• Lobster tails are one of the most readily available ways to purchase raw lobster, usually in the display case at the grocery store's butcher counter. The lobster tails in the case are all previously frozen, but have been defrosted when transferred to the display. Sometimes the lobster tails will be stuck in the case for days, slowly losing quality and possibly becoming unsafe to eat. For the best quality, ask the butcher if they have any more lobster tails still frozen in the back, and purchase those instead. Place the frozen tails in the fridge to defrost - which should take about a day.

Look for dry stored scallops.

• Scallops are typically frozen immediately after harvesting, either on ice or in a "dry" freezer. When stored on ice, the scallops absorb the water as the ice melts, which causes them to swell up. Scallops that have absorbed a lot of water are less flavorful, and you're paying for that water weight when you pay by the pound. Using dry stored scallops is incredibly important when preparing sushi, but for a cooked dish like this one, it's just a nice-to-have.

Don't skip the thyme.

• This is a simple dish, and the thyme really adds a lot to the flavor at the end. It's more than just a garnish! That said, the thyme also helps the aesthetics of the final product since the sauce is a brown color, the fresh thyme really helps to brighten it up.

Use a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio.

• A "dry" wine is one with a low sugar content. I typically use Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris in this recipe. Other good options are Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, or a dry Riesling. I don't recommend Chardonnay because most Chardonnay have a strong oak flavor that will affect the taste of the sauce.
• This recipe calls for ¾ cup of wine, which is the exact amount that comes in those mini single serve plastic wine bottles, which are typically sold in 4 packs. I like to buy these to have on hand for cooking if I don't want to open up a whole bottle, or I don't want to cook with expensive wine.
• This dish is delicious when served with a glass of dry white wine, so opening up a bottle to cook with and then drink with the dish is a great idea!

Variations - Lobster & Scallop Pasta

Use only scallops.

• If desired, skip the lobster tail and just use scallops. Add a few extra scallops per person to make up for lack of lobster. You may need to add a little more oil when cooking the scallops.

Use only lobster.

• If desired, skip the scallops and just use lobster tails. Add 1 to 2 more small lobster tails to make up for the lack of scallops. Add 1-2 tablespoon extra butter to the pan when cooking the lobster. After cooking the lobster, do not discard what's left in the pan. Instead, skip to step 6 and use the lobster remnants to make the sauce rather than the scallop.

Dietary Restrictions - Lobster & Scallop Pasta

Make it Dairy-Free.

• Use a non-dairy substitute for the butter, such as margarine or plant butter.

Make it Gluten-Free:

• Use gluten-free pasta. Chickpea pasta is my favorite GF variety!

A Note On Serving Sizes

Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. While this is listed as 4 servings, some people would prefer to have more than one serving. I typically serve this dish as 2 large dinner portions, which are about the quantities you would expect to receive at an American restaurant. Plated in the pictures is two servings per bowl.

Lobster & Scallop Pasta

Perfect for a special occasion! This pasta is loaded with lobster and scallops, coated in a garlic and lemon wine sauce - a seafood lover's dream!

4.87 from 36 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 small lobster tails 3-4 oz each
• 8-10 sea scallops
• 8 oz bucatini, spaghetti, or similar
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
• ¾ cup dry white wine (one mini-bottle), I recommend Pinot Grigio
• 1 large lemon juiced and zested (~¼ cup lemon juice)
• ½ tablespoon fresh thyme
• 5 tablespoon salted butter divided
• salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
• olive oil

Instructions

 

• Halve the lobster tails lengthwise: Use sharp kitchen shears to cut through the shell on the top of the tail, then flip it and repeat along the bottom. Once the shell is cut, use a sharp knife to slice the flesh, which should completely halve the tail. Rinse the pieces, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Season the flesh with salt and pepper.
• Rinse the scallops, then thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper.
• Begin bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook pasta per package directions for al dente as you cook the rest of the meal. I add my pasta to the water when I begin simmering the wine in step 8.
• Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add 2 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the lobster tails shell side down and cook for 2-3 minutes until the shells begin to turn bright red. Flip the tails, so they are flesh side down, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the flesh is cooked through. Remove the tails to a plate and let cool while you cook the scallops. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, pull the flesh from the shells, then chop it into small pieces. Set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Carefully discard the remaining butter from cooking the lobster, and wipe the skillet clean. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet just before adding the scallops. Add scallops to the skillet in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on the outside- about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the pan (keeping any remnants from the scallops). Add a little more olive oil if necessary to cook the garlic, cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the wine to the pan and scrape up any brown bits, incorporating them into the sauce. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens and loses about ⅔ of its volume - about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a dash of fresh cracked black pepper (to taste). Simmer for another 1-2 minutes until well combined.
• Add the pasta to the skillet and mix well, so the sauce fully coats the noodles. Place the noodles into the serving dishes, then top with the scallop and lobster pieces. Pour any remaining sauce over the pasta and garnish each dish with fresh thyme.

Keyword Bucatini, Lobster, Lobster Pasta, Lobster Scampi, Pasta, Scallop, Scallop Pasta, Scallop Scampi, Scampi, Seafood Pasta, Special Occasion

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