Published February 12, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
These baked lobster tails are an elegant garlic butter-drenched lobster dish cooked just until done for an all-time epic home meal. I’m always in awe at how simple this recipe is to prepare and cook, and once you try it, you’ll agree.
Lobster has to be one of my all-time favorite things to eat, especially when it’s on sale. It’s an occasional treat for me, and every time I have the opportunity to eat it, it always delivers. If you love it as much as I do, try this technique in my surf and turf recipe or Maine lobster roll. Both of these dishes will blow you away.
Baked Lobster Tails
Baked lobster tails are a quick-to-prepare elegant dish of any sized lobster baked on its shell. It’s commonly cooked with regular butter that can sometimes hint at garlic, depending on who is making it.
Lobster and butter have always been a traditional pairing that can never go wrong. Since lobster is so lean, the butter does a good job of flavoring the meat to make it more succulent. Feel free to splurge when serving it with a generous amount of butter, making it even tastier.
Usually found in an upscale fine dining restaurant, this dish can easily be made at home within a few minutes. I highly recommend making this dish if you can find a good deal on some fresh or frozen tails. You won’t regret it. Try finishing it with my famous truffle butter recipe to escape the norm.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lobster – The two main types of lobster we can purchase at the store come from cold or warm water. They vary in price, but I find the cold-water lobster tails sweeter and more delicious. The warm water tails can be up to 40% cheaper and still have fantastic quality and taste. You can be sure that any tail of any size will work for this recipe.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking, so I’m responsible for the salt content, not the butter company. However, you could use my herb and garlic compound butter for more flavor.
- Garlic – A few garlic cloves in the butter complement the lobster to perfection and quickly make this meal one of my favorites.
- Herbs – I usually only finish this dish with chopped parsley or fresh chives. It adds a hint of green and mild flavors that pair amazingly well with the lobster tails.
- Lemon – You can either add some lemon juice to the garlic butter or finish the tail at the end by squeezing some on. The clean acid it will provide will go well with the tails.
- Seasonings – I only used coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper as I believe you don’t want to mask the flavor of the lobster but rather enhance it.
How to Make Baked Lobster Tails
Loosen the Shells: I start by squeezing together the lobster tails at the bottom part of the shell. You will hear it crack, which will help remove the meat easily.
Cut the Shells: You can open the shell with kitchen shears. Start at the opening of the tail on top and cut your way back just until you reach the tail. I prefer to use a knife and gently slice down through the shell, starting from the tail and working forward.
Open the Shell: Next, I pull out the meat and set it right on top of the shell. This is mostly just for looks.
Prepare the Lobster: I like to rinse the meat under cold water to eliminate anything unwanted. Pat it dry well with a paper towel to ensure the butter sticks. Then, place it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper a few inches apart from one another.
Make the Butter: I add 4 to 5 finely minced garlic cloves to a pot and a stick of unsalted butter over low to medium heat. The goal is to cook the garlic to remove the bite slightly.
Butter the Lobster: Add 2 tablespoons or so of butter to each tail. It’s good to get garlic on the meat as well. Then, gently season the lobster with salt and pepper.
Bake it: I then add it to a middle rack in the oven that is preheated to 400° on and cook it for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the size. The flesh will turn bright white and firm up. When the tails hit 135° internally, I remove them.
Rest the Tails: I remove the lobster from the oven and let it rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Serve the Lobster: I often serve the tails on the sheet tray with a garnish of chives or parsley and leftover garlic butter.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving these baked lobster tails as an appetizer, if they’re on the smaller side, and as the main entrée. The thing about lobsters is that they are jam-packed with protein and will fill you up.
They go excellent with heavy starch sides, like my mashed potatoes, or something lighter, like my rice pilaf, if you’re not as hungry.
Chef Tip + Notes
To stand out in the flavor department, baked lobster tails need a good amount of fat and enough seasoning. Since they are so lean, the butter I serve and bake them with will make it taste better. In addition, you could take a step further and use a heavier compound butter for a deeper flavor profile.
- Be careful when seasoning: Lobster is from the ocean, so it naturally has some saltiness. I keep that in mind when I add coarse salt to it, so a gentle season is usually in store. You can optionally add pepper.
- Add lemon juice: When making garlic butter, I sometimes add it directly instead of finishing with it. Doing this will get that clean acid a little earlier to make it more delicious.
- Cook according to size: When using large lobster tails 10 to 14 ounces, I usually cook them for an additional 2 to 4 minutes.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness, lobster is best served as soon as it is done cooking. It can become tough and chewy if it sits or cooks too long.
How to Store: You can cover the lobster and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Unfortunately, these will not freeze well.
How to Reheat: I never recommend reheating lobster as it can make it overly tough. However, if you must, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted melted butter onto the meat of each tail and bake in the oven covered with foil or a lid at 350° for 6 to 8 minutes or until it reaches back to 135° internally.
More Lobster Recipes
Baked Lobster Tails
Ingredients
- 3 4-6- ounce cold or warm-water lobster tails
- 5 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- lemon wedges
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- melted unsalted butter for serving
- optional minced fresh parsley or chives for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Squeeze together the lobster tails at the bottom part of the shell. You will hear it crack, and this will help the meat to remove more easily.
- Using kitchen shears open up the shell. Start at the opening of the tail on top and cut your way back just until you reach the tail. You can also use a knife and gently slice down through the shell, starting from the tail and working forward.
- Pull out the meat and set it right on top of the shell. This is mostly just for looks. Then, place it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper a few inches apart from one another.
- Add the finely minced cloves of garlic to a pot along with a stick of unsalted butter and heat it over low to medium heat. The goal is to slightly cook the garlic to remove the bite.
- Using a spoon or brush, add 2 tablespoons or so of butter to each of the tails, and it’s good to get the garlic on the meat as well.
- Gently season the lobster with salt and pepper.
- Place it on a middle rack in the oven that is preheated to 400° on and cook it for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the size. The flesh will turn bright white and firm up. When the tails hit 135° internally, I remove them.
- Remove the lobster from the oven and let it rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
- Serve the tails on the sheet tray with a garnish of chives or parsley and leftover garlic butter.
Baked Lobster Tails