The Best Lobster Pot Pie Recipe (2024)

This lobster pot pie is decadent, creamy, and luxurious! The filling is rich and flavorful, with a buttery puff pastry topping. This recipe takes the classic pot pie up a few notches and it will impress anyone you serve this to!

What could be more luxurious and decadent than a lobster pot pie? This recipe will satisfy and impress guests by taking the classic pot pie and giving it an upscale, old-school feel.

The creamy filling consists of fresh lobster meat, potatoes, cream, and spiced with fresh tarragon. This is such a great recipe, you'll want to save and share this lobster pot pie for years to come!

For a vegetarian & vegan dish that feels just like pot pie, check out my Creamy Vegetable Soup!

📖Recipe Origins:

The origins of lobster pot pie can be traced a few different ways.

Pot pie itself actually dates back to Ancient Greece, where it was called artocreas. These were obviously very different from the modern day pot pies, but still consisted of protein and vegetables cooked in an open pastry shell.

The pot pie grew in popularity in Britain, where it is still common to find such "meat pies." Now common in both Ireland and the UK, pot pies often consist of chicken, beef, lamb, fish, and various other meats.

Of course, I can't talk about the history of a lobster pot pie without mentioning French influences. Lobster pot pie is very similar to homard en croûte, which translates to "lobster in crust" or "crusted lobster." And, of course, the classic puff pastry is attributable to the French as well.

🎥 Watch the video of this recipe:

🦞 Why you're going to love my lobster pot pie

• It uses real ingredients. No boxed ingredients or pre-made dried seasonings. Aside from the puff pastry (because that is hard to make!), we are doing this all from scratch. And, trust me, it will be well worth it once you see the look on your guests faces!
• It's decadent and rich. And how could it not be? Lobster is decadent on its own. Add cream, butter, puff pastry, a roux, and more. This is a meal that will make you feel like you belong on a throne (because you do).
• It is perfect for the holiday season. What better time to serve a rich and rather expensive meal than for celebrating the holidays? I can picture it now – serving this lobster pot pie at the dining table for your family and friends on a cold wintery night with a fireplace roaring. Perfection.

🥘What you need for this recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Lobster - You have a few options for lobster. If you can find lobster meat already removed from the shell and cooked, thats great, use that. If not, you can buy a few lobster tails and cook them, then remove the meat. Additionally, you can buy a whole lobster and break it down yourself. This is what I did, and it was rather time consuming, but it yields some of the freshest meat. The choice is yours, so long as you have enough meat in the end.
• Shallots - I used 2 shallots in my mirepoix instead of regular yellow onion. If necessary, ½ a yellow onion can be substituted.
• Garlic - Fresh garlic, minced. Please avoid using the jarred minced garlic.
• Carrots & Celery - Fresh is best here. Be sure to peel the carrots and chop them into small pieces.
• Yukon Potatoes - Diced yukon potatoes. If necessary, red potatoes could work too.
• Sherry Wine - Be sure to use sherry cooking wine, not sherry vinegar!
• Salted Butter - Unsalted is fine, too. Use a high quality butter.
• Broth - I recommend using fish stock if you can find it. I used a homemade vegetable stock for this recipe and it was fine as well. Chicken stock can work if all other alternatives fail.
• Flour - I don't recommend substituting this. Necessary for building the roux.
• Heavy Cream - I also don't recommend substituting this, as the thickness of the cream is necessary.
• Fresh Tarragon - I highly recommend using fresh tarragon, minced. Dry can be used only if absolutely necessary.
• Puff Pastry - I recommend using pre-made frozen puff pastry. If possible, opt for a French brand that uses good quality butter.
• Egg - For brushing the pastry. Melted butter can be used as a substitute, though egg works best.

Tools & Equipment:

• Sharp Knife
• Whisk - For combing the flour with the broth in the roux. (optional)
• Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon
• Pastry Brush - For brushing the egg wash onto the pastry. A basting brush can work as well.
• Large Oval Baking Dish - Anything between 9-12 inches long should work. I recommend nonstick if possible.

📋 How to make Lobster Pot Pie

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Pre-heat your oven to 400º Fahrenheit.

If necessary, begin by breaking down the lobster and retrieving all of the meat necessary. Read this guide for How to Break Down a Lobster.

Allow the puff pastry to thaw if you have not already.

Roughly dice 2 small shallots.

Peel and dice 2 yukon gold potatoes.

Take 1 large celery stalk and slice in in half longways.

Then, slice into small chunks.

Peel the skin off of 2 small carrots, then slice into half-moons. (Leave the skinny ends whole-moon to encourage even cooking).

Mince garlic and tarragon.

Step 2: Prepare the filling

In a medium-large pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.

Add the shallots, carrots, and onions to the pot and stir.

Add potatoes and continue to cook until shallot become soft and translucent.

Next, add garlic and cook until it become fragrant and soft, just slightly browned.

Add the sherry cooking wine and stir to deglaze the pot.

Cook until wine is nearly evaporated entirely.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter into the vegetable mixture.

Once melted, add the flour and immediately begin stirring to combine.

Cook for 1-2 minutes, until flour is slightly darker in color.

Whisk in broth until there are no remaining flour clumps.

Fold in fresh chopped tarragon and whisk in the cream.

Simmer until the filling has reduced and become thick (about 10 minutes).

Once thickened to your liking, turn off the heat and mix in the lobster meat.

Step 3: Bake the Pie

Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg together with a splash of water (water optional).

Pour the filling into an oval-shaped baking dish of 9 to 12 inches long.

Be sure to spread it flat with a rubber spatula and make sure it isn't too high that the puff pastry will stick to it.

Gently place a sheet of puff pastry over the top.

With your fingers, press the puff pastry to seal around the edges of the dish. Then, use a butter knife to cut off the excess pastry.

Take a paring knife and cut a small X shape in the center to vent.

Gently brush the egg wash over the top of the push pastry, being sure to cover all of it.

Bake at 400º F for 25-30 minutes, or until the puff pastry is evenly browned and "puffed" entirely.

Remove from oven and cool.

Serve warm and enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips & Tricks:

• If you can find lobster meat already removed from the shell and cooked, thats great, use that. If not, you can buy a few lobster tails and cook them, then remove the meat. Additionally, you can buy a whole lobster and break it down yourself. This is what I did, and it was rather time consuming, but it yields some of the freshest meat. The choice is yours, so long as you have enough meat in the end.
• I recommend using fish stock if you can find it. I used a homemade vegetable stock for this recipe and it was fine as well. Chicken stock can work if all other alternatives fail.
• If working with a whole lobster, read this guide for How to Break Down a Lobster.

Recipe FAQs

Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Don't forget to tag me onInstagram,Pinterest, andFacebook when you try one of my recipes!

📖 Recipe