Description
Lobster roll, but make it a salad! There are few dishes more quintessentially summer than a delicious lobster roll. This Lobster Roll Salad takes all of the elements of a classic roll & reimagines them into light & hearty salad: delicate lobster meat is tossed in a creamy Old Bay buttermilk dressing & served on fresh greens with crunchy veggies & toasted brioche croutons.
As is the case with any lobster dish, using the best lobster available to you is super important for this recipe. For quickness & ease, I suggest buying cooked fresh lobster from your trusted seafood market, but you can also steam the lobster yourself or use frozen lobster meat. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance!
With the lobster already cooked, the only things you need to prepare are an Old Bay buttermilk dressing (inspired by creamy Maine-style lobster rolls) & brioche croutons (which toast up in just 5 minutes). From there, simply layer it all on a serving platter & enjoy!
This lobster roll salad is a beautiful centerpiece for al fresco dinner parties & backyard entertaining, but it’s also just a great easy meal for any hot evening. It’s seriously fun, totally stunning, & everyone who tries it loves it – a new go-to summer recipe! ♡ Happy cooking!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-sized pieces (see Recipe Notes)
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces (approx. 6 cups)
- 4 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered (approx. 1 cup)
- 1 avocado, diced or finely sliced
- ½ English cucumber, finely diced (approx. 2 cups)
- toasted brioche croutons, below
- Old Bay buttermilk dressing, below
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the toasted brioche croutons:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 slices brioche bread, crusts removed & torn into fine, bite-sized pieces
- kosher salt or Old Bay, to season
for the Old Bay buttermilk dressing:
- ½ cup buttermilk (see Recipe Notes)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ lemon, juiced (approx. 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- optional: dash Tabasco sauce, to taste
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Toast the brioche breadcrumbs: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the brioche. Stir to combine well, coating all of the bread in butter. Lightly season with kosher salt or Old Bay seasoning as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted & golden, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat & transfer to a bowl for serving.
- Prepare the Old Bay buttermilk dressing: Combine all listed ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to combine well. Taste and season with additional kosher salt or ground black pepper as desired. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Lobster salad assembly: Place the lettuce in a large bowl or on a serving platter. Drizzle some of the Old Bay dressing over top. Toss to coat well. Top with the lobster meat, cherry tomatoes, avocado, English cucumber, & toasted brioche. Serve immediately, with additional dressing as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient Notes:
- Lobster: As the star ingredient of lobster salad, it’s best to use the best quality lobster that is available to you. A few options:
- Fresh lobster: Head to your trusted local seafood market, which often carry already-cooked fresh lobster during the summer months, or grab 1 ½ pounds of fresh lobster tails & cook them yourself. For this recipe, I suggest steaming the lobster. Simply fill a large pot fitted with a steaming rack with a few inches of water, bring it to a simmer, then add the lobster tails, cover, & steam until they’re bright red – about 1 minute per ounce. Transfer the cooked lobster tails into an ice bath in a medium bowl, shocking them to a chill, then remove the meat from the shells.
- Frozen lobster: Here in Minnesota, fresh lobster can be hard to come by – I often use Luke’s Maine Lobster Meat, which is great, highly accessible frozen lobster.
- Buttermilk substitutes: If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute for the lobster salad dressing by adding ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a scant ½ cup of low-fat milk. Stir to combine & let the mixture sit for a minute to thicken slightly.
- Lobster: As the star ingredient of lobster salad, it’s best to use the best quality lobster that is available to you. A few options:
- Storage: This lobster salad is best enjoyed fresh, the day it’s prepared, though the buttermilk dressing, brioche croutons, & vegetables can be prepared 2-3 days in advance & stored separately in the refrigerator.