Connecticut Lobster Roll Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Warm, buttery, lemony, and simply perfect, our Connecticut lobster roll recipe is a best-in-class take on a dreamy summer classic.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Fish + Shellfish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: connecticut lobster roll recipe

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Spread the sides of the buns with two tablespoons of the butter.
Warm a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Place the buttered buns on the skillet and toast until the undersides are crisped and golden-brown. Flip once and toast the other side. Place buns on serving plates.
In a medium frying pan, melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter over low heat.
Pour in the lemon juice and stir to combine.
Add the lobster meat and cook, tossing with tongs almost constantly, until just warmed through, two minutes or so.
Divide lobster meat evenly among buns.
Sprinkle with chives and spoon over a bit of the pan sauce.
Serve with remaining sauce in small ramekins on the side.

Please refer to the Sourcing Lobster section of the post above for more information on choosing meat for lobster rolls.
One pound of lobster meat makes four standard-sized rolls. If you'd like to go jumbo, use two pounds and also double the butter, lemon juice, and chives.
If you’d like to make your own top-split buns, here’s my favorite recipe.
Snipped chives provide a delicate, savory freshness and a little pop of color. You can use the green tops of scallions instead if that's what you've got, or mix things up with other soft spring herbs. I especially love mixing in a little bit of fresh tarragon (at about a 1:3 ratio with chives) when I have some on hand.
You can cook and pick the lobster meat up to a few days in advance (and make the buns, if you're starting from scratch). Heat and assemble the rolls right before serving.
Leftover elements can be stored separately — buns at room temperature or in the freezer, and lobster mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat according to the same directions used for cooking.