New England Lobster Roll Recipe (Made 2 Ways)

In this post, we’ll show you how to make a Classic New England Style Lobster Roll as well as a New England Lobster Salad style sandwich. They are both equally delicious and very easy to recreate at home. If you’re able to get your hands on some lobster meat, now is the time to indulge in one of these classic treats from the Northeast.

Jump to Recipe

Whether you love your lobster warm and buttery, or chilled and creamy, these two recipes are sure to spark your taste buds. If you’re lucky to find some deeply discounted lobster, or maybe even a fresh off the boat catch–you’ll enjoy one of these two styles!

Ingredients

Before starting this recipe, you’ll want to verify that you have the following ingredients to make two hearty sandwiches. Depending on which style you prefer, the ingredients do vary greatly.

New England Lobster Salad

Sweet, tender, lobster meat is enveloped in a tangy, creamy sauce and tucked into a warm, buttered, and toasted bun.

Cooked Lobster Meat – We used lobster tail, and claw for our sandwiches. We were able to purchase very large lobsters off a local fishing boat so we had extra meat from the tail and claw. Normally, knuckle, and claw are used in lobster salad because they are less rubbery and have nice flavor. One pound of meat is sufficient for 2 good sized rolls.

Mayonnaise – This will be the ingredient that adds the creaminess to the lobster salad. Typically we use normal Hellman’s Mayonnaise.

Lemon or Lime juice – Lobster salad has a special tang to it and that is due to the freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.

Dill – This recipe has a vibrant flavor due to the dill which pairs so well with the tarragon.

Tarragon – Fresh tarragon is a green herb that can be found at your local grocery store in the produce section. It is often used in seafood salad dishes and has a fresh, distinct flavor.

Celery – This adds a nice color and crunch to the salad. I opted to not add it to this particular roll and the end product was delicious. I simply forgot to pick it up at the market– it is not a deal breaker ingredient.

Hot Dog or Bakery Style Buns – Warm buttered lobster tastes so good on a golden-brown, buttered, toasted hot dog bun. There is nothing as delicious as a crispy, buttery outer bun with a fluffy inside–yummy!

Butter – This is used for the bun. You will want to melt the butter to brush it on the bun you will be toasting on a griddle. I love toasting my lobster roll buns regardless of which recipe I use.

I find it provides such an enhanced flavor to the overall lobster. Of course, if you’re enjoying a low-carb lifestyle, you can enjoy this alone or on a bed of greens.

New England Style Lobster Roll

Cooked Lobster Meat – We used lobster tail, and claw for our sandwiches. We were able to purchase very large lobsters off a local fishing boat so we had extra meat from the tail and claw. Normally, knuckle, and claw are used in lobster salad because they are less rubbery and have nice flavor. One pound of meat is sufficient for 2 good sized rolls.

Butter – This is used both for the bun, and for pan-cooking the meat. Overall, you’ll need 4-5 tablespoons of unsalted butter for one pound of lobster meat. 2-3 tablespoons will be used for the meat, and 2 tablespoons for the buns.

For the bun, You’ll want to melt the butter directly on a griddle, and rub both sides of the bun on it to coat it before toasting. I love toasting my lobster roll buns regardless of which recipe I use. I find it provides such an enhanced flavor to the overall lobster. Of course, if you’re enjoying a low-carb lifestyle, you can enjoy this alone or on a bed of greens.

Lemon Juice – This is added to the warm buttered lobster to add a little tang and enhance the flavor. However, if you prefer just butter that is okay too! You can 100% skip this!

Hot Dog or Bakery Style Buns – Warm buttered lobster tastes so good on a golden-brown, buttered, toasted hot dog bun. There is nothing as delicious as a crispy, buttery outer bun with a fluffy inside–yummy!

Lettuce – This adds some “filler” to the bun, color, and a wee bit of flavor. I skipped it on mine because I wanted to focus on the good stuff!

Equipment and Supplies Needed

We used the following equipment and supplies to make this recipe. Items that are optional or can be substituted will be noted.

• Cutting board – To cut the lemon, herbs, cooked lobster meat.
• Knife – For cutting the lobster and herbs.
• Griddle/grill – To toast the buns.
• Mixing bowl – For mixing the lobster salad.
• Spoon – To mix the lobster salad, or stir the warm, buttered lobster in the skillet.
• Medium Skillet – If you decided to make the buttered lobster you’ll need this to melt the butter and warm the meat.

Directions

New England Lobster Salad

Chop and prepare the herbs, and celery (if using). Rinse the cutting board, and chop the lobster pieces into bite-sized chunks.

Add the lobster, mayonnaise, citrus juice, herbs, and celery to a mixing bowl. Combine until all ingredients are mixed, and the lobster is creamy. Cover the mixing bowl, and allow lobster to marinade in the flavors for at least one hour, or up to 24 hours. This recipe stays good for about 2 days for best taste.

Once ready to assemble the sandwiches, grill the buns with butter until toasty, and golden-brown. Fill the rolls with lobster salad and serve with potato chips for the classic meal. Enjoy!

New England Style Lobster Roll

Chop the lobster into small, bite-sized pieces. Add 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once butter is just melted, reduce heat to low-medium, and stir in the lobster chunks and lemon juice. Combine for 2 minutes until all pieces are coated.

Once ready to assemble the sandwiches, grill the buns with butter until toasty, and golden-brown. Fill the rolls with lobster salad, lettuce (optional) and serve with potato chips for the classic meal. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

This recipe is easy to make if you know the right tips and tricks! Here are my tips for ensuring your KEYWORD comes out perfectly.

Lobster Meat

Typically, lobster rolls are made with knuckle, and claw meat. They usually contain at least 1/4 of a pound of meat, but heartier rolls have 1/2 of a pound of meat. We has an excess of lobster (a blessing for sure), so we used tail meat as well. Tail meat is very rubbery so it will need to be cut into very small pieces to avoid choking.

Bun Style

The best lobster rolls are served on golden-brown, buttered hot dog buns. This simple delivery method provides a tasty and classic experience of nostalgia and flavor. However, you can use any style bread you prefer–just make sure to butter it up and toast it. For some reason, toasted bread just tastes a world of differences better when it comes to lobster.

Storage

If you want to store your lobster meat/salad, just follow these easy steps.

Refrigerator

Lobster meat is best consumed (once initially cooked) within 2 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezer

While lobster salad cannot be frozen, you can freeze boiled or steamed lobster meat once it is cooked, and removed from the shell. We often do this to save excess meat for recipes like these lobster rolls. Simply remove the desired meat from the cooked lobster, and place it in an airtight freezer bag. Allow the meat to thaw in the refrigerator before using it. Do not refreeze thawed lobster meat because that risks food borne illness.

Recipe

Follow the recipe below to make your favorite New England Lobster Roll Recipe! This recipe makes 2 SERVINGS, but you can adjust the recipe card for other serving sizes.

More Seafood Salad Recipes to Try

If lobster is not exactly in your budget at the moment that is okay! We have some other tasty warmer weather meals to try! These mainly use tuna fish or imitation crab meat which is very affordable.

Tarragon Crab Stuffed Avocados

Crab Pasta Salad Recipe

Crab Rangoon Dip

Deli Style Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad with Peas