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Baked Lobster Tails sound fancy, but they’re one of the easiest seafood dishes to make at home. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have tender, buttery lobster tails that taste like they came straight from a high-end steakhouse.
Pair these with my Steakhouse Creamed Spinach as a side and you’re in for a real treat! For more great seafood check out these recipes:
Ingredients for baked lobster tails
- Lobster Tails – The star of the dish, cooked until juicy and tender. I highly recommend to use frozen lobster tails for baking lobster tails in the oven. Just thaw the lobster tails in the fridge on a plate uncovered overnight.
- Salt & Pepper – Enhances the natural sweetness of the lobster.
- Old Bay or Paprika – Adds a subtle kick of spice and color.
- Butter – The rich, buttery base that makes the lobster ultra-flavorful.
- Garlic – Infuses the butter with that bold, irresistible garlic flavor.
- Lemon Juice – Brightens the dish and cuts through the richness.
- Parsley – Adds a fresh, herby finish.
The full written recipe with measurements is below on the recipe card.
How to bake lobster tails
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the salt, pepper, old bay, butter, garlic, lemon and parsley in a small bowl.
Use kitchen shears to cut through the top of each lobster shell, then gently lift the meat on top while keeping it attached at the base. Do not cut through the bottom or fin! Remove the digestive tract in the middle. Rinse and pat dry.
Place the prepared lobster tails on a baking sheet and brush generously with the garlic butter mixture.
Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 1-2 minutes to get a golden finish. Be careful when broiling to not burn the lobster tails. Each oven is different and some broilers are more powerful than others. If this makes you skeptical, skip the broiling part and bake the lobster tails for a total of 20 minutes, not 15.
Serve immediately with clarified butter, fresh lemon, and your favorite sides.
Commonly Asked Questions
Lobster is fully cooked when the meat turns opaque white and reaches 140°F internally. If the shells are bright red and the meat is firm, you’re good to go!
Yes! Just make sure to thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
Cutting the shell helps the lobster cook evenly and makes it easier to eat. Plus, it looks beautiful on the plate!
Baked Lobster Tails
Ingredients
Lobster Tails
- 3 cloves Garlic , minced
- 3 tbsp Butter , unsalted, melted
- ½ tsp old bay , or paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried parsley, or fresh
- 4 6-8 oz Lobster tails
Clarified Butter (optional but recommended)
- 1/2 c unsalted butter, 1 stick
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix together garlic, butter, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley together in a small ramekin or bowl.
- With kitchen shears, cut the lobster tails down the middle.Only cut through the top shell and meat until you reach the end of the tail. Do not cut the bottom!
- Gently separate the lobster meat from the shell and place on top of the shell. Remove the digestive tract in the middle. Rinse and pat dry. There are step by step photos above and a video to help you.
- Place the lobster tails on a baking sheet and brush with the garlic butter mixture.
- Bake for 15 minutes and broil for 1-2 minutes. Be careful when broiling to not burn the lobster tails. Each oven is different and some broilers are more powerful than others. If this makes you skeptical, skip the broiling part and bake the lobster tails for a total of 20 minutes, not 15.
- While the lobster is baking make the clarified butter. In a small sauce pan melt 1 stick of butter over medium heat. Once melted you will see white solids form on top. Swirl the pan around.
- Continue melting until you see the color of the butter deepen. Brown bits may begin to form on the bottom, that means it is finished. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and strain the butter through a cheesecloth or a fine strainer. If you don't have either, you can use a spoon to carefully scrape off the top foamy white layer of the butter and discard.
- Serve with clarified butter, lemon and your favorite sides.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these for my niece and I. She’s a very picky eater (her dad is a chef). She said they were soooooooo good!!!! Very easy to make too!
Thank you! I’m so glad your niece enjoyed it =)