What To Serve with Lobster Tails? 16 Delicious Suggestions | Alices Kitchen (2024)

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Lobster tails are a wonderfully decadent and meaty type of seafood that are regularly coveted in many restaurants. Now you may already have an idea of what to serve with lobster tails. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the dish or just simply looking for some new ideas we’ve got plenty of suggestions below.

What Are Lobster Tails?

Lobster tails as you can probably imagine are the tails of lobsters. Even more so than claws, the tail is the part of the lobster that is most sought after by dinners.

This is because it is known to have a wonderfully firm and slightly chewy and spongy texture, which comes from the high levels of protein present in the tail. As a result of the texture, the lobster tail is often compared to a more meaty and sweet version of shrimp.

What Goes With Lobster Tails?

Lobster tails are wonderfully meaty, rich and decadent in flavour with a distinctly noticeable sweetness. As mentioned above the texture is known for being firm and slightly spongy or chewy in a similar way to meat from land animals.

With this all in mind, it is important to match any accompaniments to your lobster tails with these traits. Due to being such a rich, sweet and spongy dish, many of the best options will enhance the impact of these flavours by contrasting them in some way. However, some options will also mirror the lobster tails in some manner.

What To Serve with Lobster Tails?

Like when trying to figure out what to serve with lobster ravioli or even what goes with crab cakes, there are many options that you can choose from. Many of these options will have some similarities to each other. However, others will vary wildly whilst each will have its own unique appeal. With that in mind then, some of the best options for what to serve with lobster tails include the following:

1. Melted Butter
2. Baked Potato
3. Potato Salad
4. Veggie Fries
5. Macaroni Cheese
6. Pasta Salad
7. Fresh Salad
8. Caesar Salad
9. Corn On The Cob
10. Green Beans
11. Lobster Bisque
12. Clam Chowder
13. Steamed Mussels And Clams
14. French Baguettes
15. Drinks
16. Desserts

Melted Butter

Butter truly makes everything better as it adds an extra layer of creaminess and of course that distinct buttery taste. Naturally, lobster tails are no exception to this.

In fact, when eating lobster tails you really want them to be the main star. As such when drizzled in a generous amount of melted butter these wonderful tastes and textures will take centre stage. Meanwhile, the creamy butteriness added by the melted butter helps to further enhance these flavours.

Melted butter won’t substantially increase the size of your meal. However, if planning to only have a light bite or the lobster tail is only an initial course then it makes for a perfect accompaniment. Alternatively, though, with certain other sides below, melted butter would also be a welcome addition to them as well.

Baked Potato

When speaking of another side that would go wonderfully with butter and lobster tails, baked potatoes are an obvious choice.

However, whilst having plenty of butter on hand will enhance the dining experience of lobster tails and baked potatoes it is not the reason they go well together.

Instead, the reason is that they provide a sharp contrast in texture to the lobster tails. This is because whilst the tails are spongy and meaty, the baked potatoes have a crispy skin with a wonderfully fluffy and soft interior.

The taste is also mildly earthy and starchy in direct contrast to the rich meaty and sweet tastes of the lobster tails. As such roasted potatoes make for wonderfully hearty accompaniment to lobster tails.

Potato Salad

Lobster tail is known for its deliciously sweet and meaty flavours and slight richness, as such paring it with something creamy and rich is a decadent dream. As such another potato dish in the form of potato salad makes for a wonderful choice.

Just think about it, the hearty potatoes go wonderfully with lobster tails as established above. However, here they are also supplemented by the wonderfully creamy taste of mayonnaise, which may or may not also be flavoured with lemon juice or dijon mustard.

The result is a wonderfully rich, decadent and hearty eating experience made all the better as the various tastes and textures practically dancing around each other in your mouth.

Veggie Fries

French fries (or chips to the English) are a classic side dish option for a variety of different seafood and meat dishes. However, instead of making them from regular potatoes why not try something different and use other veggies to make your fries?

Some interesting ideas for veggie fries include zucchini, carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes each of which adds their own unique rustic spin to this class side dish option. Additionally, when are a mix of them are used they will add a variety of colours and tastes to your meal

To make them simply slice your veggies of choice into fries. Following which they can be drizzled in olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and then baked until crispy.

Macaroni Cheese

In a similar vein to something like potato salad, mac and cheese will add a wonderful layer of creaminess to complement lobster. However, here it will be accompanied by the tastes of cheese and the wonderful texture of baked pasta.

Both dishes can be wonderful alone and are certainly rich enough to act as the main attraction of a dish. However, the pairing of lobster tails and macaroni cheese truly elevate both dishes to something more than the sum of their parts.

When it comes to making the macaroni and cheese though don’t skimp out with cheep cheese since the type you choose can really make or break the dish. Instead, try to use options that more perfectly complement lobster tails such as gouda, mozzarella, colby, swiss, and monterey jack.

You can also experiment with the type of pasta you use as well since. Whether it’s fusilli or rotini, or indeed something else there is truly a wide range of options that you can explore with this.

Pasta Salad

Are you debating whether to have a heavy or relatively light side dish alongside your lobster tails? Then why not go for something which sits comfortably in the middle of the scale with a delicious pasta salad.

Pasta salad as the name would imply is a type of salad and pasta fusion that originated in Italy. Essentially, the idea is that you take delicious ingredients that you would use in a salad but instead of a bed of lettuce you instead mix them in with some pasta.

Farfalle (or bowtie pasta as it’s colloquially known) is commonly used in this dish. However, like with mac and cheese, experimenting with different pasta shapes is definitely doable.

Aside from the pasta common ingredients often include artichokes, scallions, bell peppers, tomatoes and an Italian dressing. Additionally, you may wish to add other ingredients such as mozzarella cheese, edamame or spinach.

Fresh Salad

Lobster tails are incredibly rich and flavourful. Additionally, they can be quite heavy, even on their own. As such, if you want to enjoy them as part of a lighter and more healthy meal then a light and fresh green salad is a wonderful way in which to do so.

The wonderfully crunchy and juicy flavours of your favourite salad veggies will contrast wonderfully with the lobster tail. Additionally, the fresh tastes and feel of the salad will somewhat help to balance out the heaviness of your lobster tails. With the inclusion of a light zesty dressing and maybe some nuts this will be even more true.

Caesar Salad

If you want something slightly more substantial than a fresh salad that is still quite light then a caesar salad is a wonderful choice.

Now the salad itself is quite light with it mainly consisting of romaine lettuce and croutons. However, caesar salad dressing is renowned for its creamy and rich taste which makes this salad option not all that healthy but very delicious.

This delicious dressing is made from olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. As a result, it is incredibly flavourful and pairs wonderfully when poured over a caesar salad containing lobster tails.

Another option you can do for this though is to prepare a grilled caesar salad. Now, anyone who has watched Kitchen Nightmares will know that chef Gordon Ramsey didn’t exactly approve of this spin on the caesar salad. However, many people have found that the process of grilling the lettuce of a caesar salad adds extra crispiness along with some smokey and caramelised flavours.

Corn On The Cob

Corn and lobster are an iconic combination of foods. Both bring a wonderfully sweet taste to the table but with contrasting textures which adds some variety.

Whether you boil, grill or bake it in foil, corn on the cob (or indeed off it) will be an excellent supplement to your lobster tails. This is especially true when you slather both in plenty of wonderfully creamy melted butter.

If you want to take this to the next level though, coat your corn in a generous amount of melted garlic butter, along with some salt and pepper. Following which it is time to cover it in foil and roast until ready.

Following this, it should of course be drizzled with even more melted butter. After all, you can never have too much butter with either lobster tails or corn on the cobb.

Lobster Bisque

What’s better than one type of lobster dish? Two of course. Especially so if the two in question are lobster tails and lobster bisque.

In this case, more is definitely more as the taste of lobster will truly dominate the meal via both the bisque and the tails. However, this option is certainly not one note since although lobster rightfully takes centre stage, tomato paste, shallots, white wine and of course coconut milk all play a vital role.

Additionally, the differences in texture between your lobster tails and lobster bisque will also be incredibly distinct. Truly the combination of the spongy and meaty tail with the creamy bisque is a match made in lobster heaven.

Clam Chowder

For a true seafood treat with a diverse array of ocean tastes and textures, lobster tails and clam chowder are a near enough unparalleled tag team. However, it’s not just seafood tastes that are on offer with this option.

No, the flavours and textures of bacon, potatoes, garlic and heavy cream can all be found alongside the delicious clams. Naturally, all of these ingredients fit perfectly with lobster tails as well, with potatoes and pairing of something creamy being obvious choices mentioned prior.

However, the crispiness provided by bacon, the extra fishiness provided by the clams and the saltiness of both combines wonderfully with the sweet and spongy crab meat.

Steamed Mussels And Clams

In the theme of the prior two options, you’ll probably notice the trend that lobster tails tend to go delicious with other types of seafood. With steamed mussels, this is also very true.

Steamed mussels and clams are brilliantly sweet in a subtle way which allows them to perfectly complement the taste of lobster tails well. Additionally, though they also add a little bit of extra saltiness to the mix which plays wonderfully off the sweeter flavours.

Preparing a pot of steamed mussels and clams is also surprisingly simple. To do so, in a mix of water, white wine, shallots a bay leaf and some herbs, steam the shellfish for roughly five or six minutes.

French Baguettes

Lobster meat of all kinds pairs beautifully with bread and lobster tails are no exception to this rule. In particular, French baguettes make for an excellent pairing with lobster tails.

The reason for this is that whilst bread is always delicious, the combination of textures found in a baguette really set it apart from most other types of loaf. This is because the crispy exterior and springy interior of the baguette contrasts amazingly with the spongy yet delicate texture of the lobster tails.

In particular, these will once again be brilliant when dripping with melted butter as it adds an extra layer of buttery goodness to the experience. Additionally, you could make this garlic butter for even more extra flavouring

Drinks

Of course, a drink isn’t a side dish. However, what you choose to drink with any meal can make a great difference to the overall dining experience as it adds extra flavours.

A simple cool beer for example will pair excellently with the flavour of lobster tails. This is especially true if said beer is citrus-infused as this will add some zestiness to the meal.

If you’re not a beer lover though then something more fruity or floral is also an excellent idea such as fruity cider, gin or rum. In particular, a light but crisp white wine or some champagne will also pair perfectly with lobster tails.

Desserts

After a meal where lobster tails where the main focus a sweet and refreshing dessert can be just what you need. Naturally, if you’ve eaten a heavy side with your main dish then you may want to skip this option. However, if you’ve still got some room then why not have a sweet treat?

With the tastes of the lobster tail still fresh on the palette matches and somewhat complements them is important for making the most of your dessert. Naturally, something sweet like a chocolate moose will go down well.

That said, something light or creamy with a bit of citrus zest can also be an excellent call. For example, creme brulee, lemon cheesecake or a simple bowl of fresh fruit with vanilla ice cream or yoghurt will be great options.

What To Serve with Lobster Tails?

When deciding what to serve lobster tails, there are a variety of dishes to choose from depending on what you are looking for. If for example, you want a rich and decadent lobster dinner then serving it with potato salad or macaroni and cheese are good choices. Meanwhile, if you want something lighter than a green or caesar salad is ideal.

Naturally, there will be the matters of drinks and desserts as well. In both contexts, something fruity, floral or citrusy that is refreshing such as white wine or lemon cheesecake will be brilliant choices.

Ultimately though, the choices for how you serve your lobster tails along with what accompanies them are down to your own preferences. As such, whilst the above information is a useful reference, don’t be afraid to use it as a guide for experimenting with other similar dish options.