If there were a king of sandwiches, it would be a Maine Lobster Roll, and our lobster roll recipe makes the best I’ve ever had! Sweet, succulent lobster meat, mixed in a light mayonnaise-based dressing, makes a sandwich that borders on legendary. If you’re a lobster lover, this is not a sandwich that you’ll want to miss!
One of the great joys in life is a lobster roll, but don’t use just any lobster roll recipe. I’ve sampled this decadent sandwich from Massachusetts up through New Brunswick, Canada, and finding a good recipe is key.
Our lobster roll recipe isn’t difficult to make and requires only a handful of ingredients. It’s a sandwich that can be served at a fancy dinner party or a relaxed date night at home. You can’t go wrong with my easy lobster roll recipe, I promise, they will be a hit every time!
If you love seafood sandwiches, make sure to check out my Maryland Crab Rolls because they are amazing!
Ingredients to Make the Best Lobster Roll Recipe
Gather the ingredients to prepare the Best Lobster Roll recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Made with simple ingredients
- Lobster meat – body, claw, and knuckle meat
- Split-top hot dog buns
- Celery
- Mayonnaise
- Fresh lemon juice
- Old Bay seasoning
- Italian parsley
- Table salt
- Black pepper
Lobster meat: When it comes to lobster rolls, no matter if they’re Maine lobster rolls, New England Lobster rolls, or Connecticut lobster rolls, the one thing they all agree on is that they should be made with body, knuckle, and claw meat. Not only are lobster tails too expensive, they’re actually too tough for this iconic seafood sandwich. If you do have tails, you can use them in my amazing stuffed lobster tail recipe.
Cooks originally made them with the remains of whole live lobsters after removing and cooking the tails.. And that was actually a good thing. The body, knuckle, and claw meat are sweet and tender and make the best lobster rolls. Lobster tail meat will toughen up after they’re cooked and don’t have the same sweet flavor as the body meat.
You can find cooked lobster meat frozen in 8-ounce and sometimes one-pound containers at many grocery stores. Look in the seafood department or ask the seafood manager.
Lobster Roll Buns: For an authentic lobster roll recipe, you’ll want to find New England-style hot dog buns. Bakers split these buns down the top, giving the sides an inside-like texture. They brush the sides with melted butter and grill them until golden brown. Then, they fill the buttery, toasted bun with cold lobster salad to create a classic lobster roll.
Those rolls are hard to find outside of New England. You can use regular hot dog buns or the new split-top buns (Pepperidge Farms) that many grocery stores now carry. And although a buttery grilled bun does add flavor to the lobster roll, you can forgo that part of the recipe and still enjoy the delicious lobster rolls.
How to Make our Lobster Roll Recipe
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make our lobster roll recipe in your home kitchen.
- Thaw the lobster overnight in the refrigerator. Then, place it in a colander and lightly press down to squeeze the excess water from the lobster meat.
- Place the lobster meat in a large bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and old bay seasoning to a medium bowl.
- Whisk to combine the dressing ingredients.
- Add the chopped celery and chopped Italian parsley to the bowl with the lobster meat.
- Mix the ingredients together to combine.
- Add the dressing to the lobster mixture.
- Mix until well combined. Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the salad to chill and the flavors to build.
Serve the lobster salad on top of the split hot dog-style buns with a side of lemon wedges. Our easy lobster roll recipe makes the best sandwiches! Serve them with potato chips, macaroni salad recipe, coleslaw, or your favorite side dish and enjoy!
But whatever you serve them with, I promise these will be the best cold lobster rolls you’ve ever had. It’s one of my favorite seafood recipes.
Recipe FAQ’s
There are two types of this classic New England dish. The Maine style uses a mayonnaise-based dressing, while the Connecticut-style lobster roll comes warm and topped with melted butter. Both are delicious!
It’s best to assemble the sandwiches right before serving to avoid the buns from becoming soggy. However, you can prepare the filling a few hours ahead of time. Don’t make it too far in advance, as the dressing will begin to break down.
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Best Lobster Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lobster meat body and claws
- 4 tablespoon mayonnaise less if you're not a mayonnaise fan
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup celery stalks finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning more or less to taste
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 New England style top split hot dog rolls
Instructions
- Thaw the lobster overnight in the refrigerator. Then place in a colander and lightly press down to squeeze the excess water from the lobster meat.
- Place the lobster in a large bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and old bay seasoning to a medium bowl.
- Whisk to combine the dressing ingredients.
- Add the chopped celery, and chopped Italian parsley to the bowl with the lobster meat.
- Mix the ingredients together to combine.
- Add the dressing to the lobster mixture.Mix until well combined.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the flavors of the lobster salad to combine and build in flavor.
- Serve the lobster salad on split top hot dog buns and serve with potato chips, macaroni salad or coleslaw.
Catherine says
This looks wonderful and going to make this during the week! Thank you so much!
Michele says
We’re vegetarian and the guys had a vegetarian (maybe vegan 🤷🏻♀️) at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. I’m mandatory low sodium and been wanting to try it. I followed the recipe to what I’m able to have and what I had on hand. They came out amazi g and Hub said they came out so much better!
Here’s what was different. Made #PantryMama sour dough discard hot dog rolls (without salt) in the #KingArthur hot dog pan, lightly toasted then. I used a standard can of hearts of palm (could use more HOP), rinsed & soaked in water twice and rinsed again to help remove as much salt as possible. Clump of cilantro and 2 celery ribs & leaves chopped. I eyed the Hellman’s mayo approx 5T. Sprinkle a small amount of Old Bay and added more on top of my husband’s. My guess on Sodium is around 500mg. Made 4 rolls and had plenty for a 5th one. This was delicious and can’t wait to my them again when our son is home to try it!! Thank you Chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for letting me know how you adapted the recipe, and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the results!
Maureen Locke says
Hi there Chef Dennis,
Just found your page and lobster roll recipe today and even though I haven’t made it yet, I hope to soon. I live in Nova Scotia and work in a lobster plant. The typical way to make lobster rolls here is lobster, a bit of mayo, salt and pepper on a buttered warm New England hot dog bun. Plain and simple so the lobster stands out. When I go back to work next month I am going to try your recipe though. I love trying lobster different ways. Believe it or not, a person can get tired of eating lobster the same old ways and even though I have many recipes I use, we still get tired of it eventually. I’ll comment again after I’ve tried your recipe. Looking forward to seeing all the wonderful recipes here. I love new recipes. Thank you so much.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’ve never been to Nova Scotia, but have visited New Brunswick and had my fill of lobster and oysters on that trip. I hope you enjoy my version of lobster roll.
Dennis says
Lobster was on sale so we bought an extra didn’t know what to do with it but as always ask Chef Dennis! I didn’t measure the ingredients with the exception I weighed the lobster to get an idea. A friend gave us some fresh parsley, didn’t have a roll. But this was excellent! And even better only took a couple of minutes to prepare.
Pamela Mancini says
So very delicious. I was pleasantly surprised.The biggest effort was shelling the lobster claws. Thanks, Chef Dennis! I have also made your Tiramisu recipe a few weeks ago–absolutely great. Your directions are so clear.
Jay says
How do I prepare the lobster if all I can find is raw
Chef Dennis Littley says
Jay if you’re talking about lobster tails, that meat is not the best for lobster rolls, you want claw and body meat. If you do want to use lobster tails, you have to cook them first, either in the broiler or saute, but I wouldn’t advise using that meat for the sandwich.
Marina says
Served with sliced fruit or coleslaw – these New England lobster rolls are a classic taste of New England!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Happy to hear you enjoyed the lobster rolls Marina!
Jill@MadAboutMacarons says
I’m ashamed to say I only had my very first lobster roll in NYC this summer – and it was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe, Dennis, as would love to try making this at home. My kids would love it, too.
Chef Dennis Littley says
it is a keeper Jill, and couldn’t be easier to make. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Christine at Cook the Story says
This sandwich is just shouting “eat me!”
Chef Dennis Littley says
I love when my food says that to me!!
Betty Ann Quirino @Mango_Queen says
This is a summer favorite which I order when we eat out. Nice to know I can make it at home with your recipe. Thanks for the tip on what lobster part to use and for sharing a great recipe. Happy Labor Day weekend, Chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re very welcome Betty Ann, Hope all is well in Philly. I’ll finally be back up at the end of Sept for the Big Pot Luck.
Happy Labor Day!
Larry says
That is a great looking and sounding lobster roll. We went to ME in 2011 and I couldn’t wait to try a famous lobster roll which we did at the Portland Lobster Co. It was basically cooked lobster on a roll with melted butter and likely perfect for the purist, but your concoction with more flavors sounds way more to my liking. I’ll look for the claw and body meat.
Chef Dennis Littley says
There are two ways to make a lobster roll Larry one with just butter as you mentioned, My wife prefers the other salad style so thats what I make. I think the butter might be good but also a little over kill.
Kath says
Lobster is pretty rare in these parts, but your sandwich looks so fantastic! I may have to try a Northwest Dungeness Crab Roll.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I think it would work nicely with Dungeness Crab Kath, let me know if you try it.
Robyn @ simply fresh dinners says
These look fantastic, Chef Dennis! I have been craving lobster rolls all summer and for some reason haven’t gotten around to having one. You’ve given me the inspiration. Lucky you in Florida! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
Lobster rolls is one of those things you see and then wonder why you haven’t had one lately, thanks for stopping by Robyn!
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
Chef Dennis, this sounds wonderful! I’d even go to the trouble of making a batch of my homemade sandwich rolls for this!
Chef Dennis Littley says
The one that would improve this dish is your homemade rolls Jean!
anne says
I love this kind of sandwich and it sure looks very appetizing , Chef D ! I haven’t tried making it from scratch yet since the price of lobster in this side of the world is just ridiculous *sigh*
Chef Dennis Littley says
I undertand that Anne, if King Crab or Dungeness is around it might make a good substitute.