What to Serve with Lobster Tails: 13 DUO-licious Sides

We love our lobster. We’ll stand beside it through thick and thin and defend it against all attackers.

And for good reason. Lobster tail’s tender, mildly sweet meat is such a decadent indulgence.

Dunked in warm butter or lightly spiced and grilled, there are few American foods that feel like as much of a pure delicacy as lobster tails do.

And if you’re looking for a full meal of this luscious delicacy without all the effort of breaking into the more finicky claw and leg shells, the tail is your best friend.

It’s sweet and mild like claw meat, but with a firmer toothsome quality that we just love.

And it’s versatile too. Whether you’re presenting it as a fancy butterflied tail or an ultra-simple boiled or steamed red shell on a plate, your lobster tail won’t let you down.

What to serve with lobster tails doesn’t need to be difficult. The best lobster side dishes can be simple without being bland, hearty without being overbearing – perfect without being fussy.

And we’re here to help.

Brush that tail meat with herbed butter during baking, broil it up with paprika, or grill it for a lovely charred flavor.

Side Dishes for Lobsters – Our Tasty List

Whichever way you like to indulge, we have you covered for ideas for lobster companions. Let’s get down to some side dishes.

1. LOBSTER BISQUE

To paraphrase Mark Twain, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good lobster is barely enough.”

And this lobster bisque is loaded with sweet lobster flavor that’s only enhanced by coconut milk, tomato paste, and shallots.

Then it’s kissed with dry white wine.

Oh, happy smooching!

Serve this alongside a grilled surf n’ turf or as a favorite lobster appetizer during your next barbecue, and watch your guests sit up in their chairs with their eyes alight with pure joy.

Pure. Joy.

Check Lacey’s amazing recipe out over at A Sweet Peach Chef: asweetpeachef.com

2. MACARONI AND CHEESE

Wow, oh, wow, oh, wow.

The combination of gruyere and cheddar melted in a hearty bechamel cream sauce is something that will make your plated lobster swoon.

Sharp.

Creamy.

Buttery.

It’s everything that you want on a dinner plate, and more. It’s lobster and mac and cheese heaven.

Go nuts and buy the best cheese you can find, because that will only make this side dish even more delectable.

And who doesn’t want things that are “more delectable?”

Amanda has a scrumptious recipe over at The Chunky Chef. Check it out here: thechunkychef.com

3. GRILLED CAESAR SALAD

Years ago, we remember watching a certain British celebrity chef who’s notoriously prickly mock a cook who grilled romaine for a Caesar salad.

And we were befuddled.

Grilled romaine looked good. We mean, really, really, really, good.

And how great would it be sitting alongside a lobster tail with drawn butter?

To quote Gus from the television show Psych, “Come on, Son.”

Get your grilled greens on with this recipe and indulge in some charred delightfulness.

Check out Mary’s deliciously smoky recipe over at Vindulge: vindulge.com

4. BOILED CORN ON THE COB

When we think of sweet lobster cooked to perfection, we also have perfectly cooked corn in our fevered food dreams.

Lobster and summer corn.

Summer corn and lobster.

♪They go together like ‘dip da-dip da-dip, doo-wop da doo-bee doo’♪

There are a few different ways to cook nature’s perfect hand food, but boiling the corn really allows the freshness of the corn to shine.

And when it’s slathered in butter and seasoned perfectly with salt and pepper – well, let’s just say that really is something we daydream about when the wind howls in January.

Tonia from The Gunny Sack lays out the classic cooking technique – and throws in a few pointers about picking the ears of corn – right here: thegunnysack.com

5. BAKED POTATOES

Perfectly crisp on the outside, fluffy as a pillow on the inside. Baked potatoes are a contrast in textures, and they love butter nearly as much as a grilled lobster tail does.

So, wash ‘em, poke ‘em, wrap ‘em, bake ‘em, cut them, squeeze them, season them, and drop huge dollops of butter on them.

You, your plate, and your lobster will be happy you did.

Heck, you can even make a soup out of your potato, and you’ll have one terrific match.

Cooking with Len has a great baked potato recipe. Check it out below.

6. TANGY COLESLAW

Compare and contrast.

Rich, sweet, buttery, lobster and puckery cabbage and carrot coleslaw.

The white wine vinegar gives it the tang, and the celery seed gives it a little umami. Add in some jalapeno for spice, or almonds for a little crunch.

Plate the lobster and coleslaw together and stand back and amaze yourself with their luxurious beauty.

Why yes, that plate really is as pretty as a picture.

Grab Paula’s simple and flavorful recipe here: callmepmc.com

7. BOW TIE PASTA SALAD

With just a few ingredients, you have the perfect side dish for lobster. Seriously. Just a few ingredients, and all this can be yours.

Hello, artichokes! Why don’t you hang out with some scallions, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and Italian dressing?

You all love, love, love, pasta.

So, why not roll around in a chilled bowl of it for an amazing salad. Also, if you’re feeling adventurous – throw in some edamame and spinach for extra color and texture.

The world is your proverbial oyster with this lobster side dish.

Grab the link from Debra at Bowl Me Over here: bowl-me-over.com

8. HERB BISCUITS

Herby.

Decadent.

Elegant.

Filled with rosemary and butter.

Yes, indeed. You want these on the plate next to your lobster.

Picture a picnic table filled with plates of grilled lobster, salads, drawn butter, and these biscuits in a checkered napkin-lined basket.

It’s pretty much the perfect vision of summer, isn’t it?

Gentle breezes off a lake or river, laughing voices, maybe a cold beer or two.

Yes. These biscuits will go very well indeed with this beautiful vision; a splendid idea for what to serve with lobster tails tonight.

Brandy’s recipe is here at Nutmeg Nanny: nutmegnanny.com

9. CREAMY POTATO SALAD

Sweet lobster loves a little elegant attention. Lobster also loves silky mayonnaise and hearty potatoes.

So this potato salad is one of our favorite things to serve with lobster tails.

It cuddles lobster. It whispers sweet compliments to it.

It adores it.

It’s rich, it’s creamy, it has a bit of bite from the radishes.

We love potato salad dressing that combines mayo, mustard, and sour cream. It just works with the lobster beautifully.

So, when we stumbled on this recipe, we stood up and gave it a golf clap.

Grab the link from Natasha here: natashaskitchen.com

10. CLAM CHOWDER

Let’s have lobster get its “chowdah” on!

Clam chowder is perfection in a bowl next to a poached lobster with some lemon.

Total. Perfection.

Bacon, clam juice, red potatoes, heavy cream, and garlic all climb into a pot together and bounce off one another in pure joy.

Then they jump into a bowl and get garnished with fresh parsley.

And the lobster tail pats the table, and says, “Come sit next to me.”

Lisa over at Wine and Glue has a fantastic recipe for the chowder. Grab it here: wineandglue.com

11. VEGGIE FRIES

We know that lobster loves potatoes. But, it’s not a snob when it comes to other vegetables either.

Lobster will metaphorically pull a chair up next to sweet potatoes, parsnips, and multi-hued carrots any day of the week. And twice on Sunday.

Oh, hello!

And baking the thinly sliced veggies means that there’s no pesky fat to detract from the poached lobster tail.

Let that lobster shine!

Grab the veggie fry recipe here from Emilie: theclevercarrot.com

12. EASY FRENCH BAGUETTES

*Sniffs air*

What’s that that we’re smelling? Is it easy-peasy baguettes that come together in less than two hours?

Why, yes.

Yes, it is.

Think how fantastically these will taste with poached lobster tails.

Dipped in butter. Oh, my goodness.

Be prepared to fall in love with the smells and the sights coming out of the kitchen.

And revel in the fact that these loaves of bread were nearly hands off – but you can still proudly say you made them.

Find Jessica’s recipe over at A Kitchen Addiction here: a-kitchen-addiction.com

13. SUMMER CHOPPED SALAD

Here’s something colorful enough to make lobster sit up and take notice.

A chopped salad that’s loaded with corn and beans, and then tossed in a sprightly white balsamic vinaigrette.

Bouncy!

Tangy!

Cheerful!

That’s the way we love our chopped salads.

And this has a fun little twist – it’s loaded with chickpeas too.

What the what? How delicious is that?

Picture this sitting next to grilled lobster tails on a plate, and you’ll know why we’re so enthusiastic about it.

Follow the link to Marie’s recipe here: prouditaliancook.com

What to Serve with Lobster Tails – More to “Tail”

Sometimes what to eat with lobster isn’t just about side dishes, it’s about expanding the main dish itself. Read on to see what we’re talking about.

WHEN THE LOBSTER MEETS THE LAND

So, there’s one classic combination that we just have to get off our chests. It’s one of the most decadent meals around.

That’s right, we’re talking about the classic ‘surf and turf’ combination of lobster tail and steak, from rib-eyes to beef tenderloins.

Steak is a pretty assertive protein on the plate, but don’t worry, your lobster tail can hold its own and then some.

If you’ve decided to go down this decadent route, there are a couple of different directions you can go for the perfect side dishes.

If you’re grilling both proteins, it’s always nice to contrast those smoky notes with fresh and bright flavors – check out our favorite seasoning ideas for lobster.

A simple salad of greens and an acid-forward vinaigrette can be king here.

That said, leaning into classic steak sides like crispy shoestring fries can be incredibly satisfying as well.

But a small mountain of grilled broccoli or asparagus finished with grated parmesan and a squeeze of lemon might just be perfection.

If you are pairing with a steak, check out additional steak toppings to complete an extra special meal.

BUTTER, BUTTER, BUTTER

Another classic that will never lead your lobster tail astray is luscious drawn butter. Drawn butter and lobster is the type of combination that gets us waxing utterly rhapsodic.

The term drawn butter is actually a bit confusing, because it can mean a few different things. The term is often used interchangeably for simple melted butter or clarified butter, which requires a little more work.

There’s no shame in keeping it simple, though. Super-easy melted butter is richer because of the butter solids, so some prefer it with lobster.

Others enjoy the lighter taste of clarified butter, which is made by slowly melting the butter and removing the solids and water, leaving only the pure, lovely butterfat behind.

Whichever is your favorite, set that little ramekin of beauty beside your lobster tail and swoon.

SAUCES, SAUCES, SAUCES

But don’t forget there is a whole world of other possible sauces that you’ll love to serve with your lobster tails.

Just for starters don’t hesitate to tweak that drawn butter a little by adding some lemon, white wine, or fresh herbs.

Or all the above!

Brown butter is also to-die-for with lobster tail meat. You can even try playing off the nutty brown butter flavor with a sweeter citrus, like a squeeze or zest of an orange.

And while you’re at it, grate a little fresh ginger in there. Mouthwatering.

But, butter sauce variations aside, lobster tail also loves the sweetly acidic loveliness of tomato too.

A light creamy tomato sauce with fresh herbs is a great option, with or without pasta.

Along those same lines, you could go with some traditional Italian flavors and a touch of heat, ala lobster fra diavolo.

Speaking of a little spice, with a touch of restraint, some Asian flavors can also work quite well. Think variations on dipping sauces or stir fry sauces.

Ginger, scallions, herbs, with a little umami from soy or fish sauce, and a touch of acid from lime or rice vinegar can be an enlightening sauce for sweet lobster tail meat.

So, there you have it! A world of lobster at your fingertips. What are your plans going to be for what to serve with lobster tails?

Related Meals, More Great Sides

Check out these side dishes for your other favorite, similar meals.

• Crab Cakes sides: Another seafood favorite for when you aren’t splurging for lobster tails. Whip up your favorite sauce too!
• Coconut Shrimp sides: Anyone who loves crab cakes probably loves fried shrimp right?