Spicy Calabrian Chile Lobster Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

This spicy Calabrian chile lobster pasta is summer in a bowl. Tender lobster tails tossed with pasta, bursting cherry tomatoes, and fiery Calabrian chiles come together in one pan. Every bite is sweet, briny, and just the right amount of heat.

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Recipe

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Spicy Calabrian Chile Lobster Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta, seafood

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

• 4 lobster tails 5-6 ounces each
• 12 ounces long pasta such as bucatini, linguini, or spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter divided
• 2 medium shallots finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• salt and pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped Calabrian chiles
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup fresh basil
• zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

• Bring a deep saute pan of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the lobster tails and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shells are bright red and the meat is opaque. Use tongs to transfer the tails to a cutting board. Reserve the pot of water for the pasta.
• Return the water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
• While the pasta cooks, use kitchen shears to cut down the center of each lobster tail shell. Pull the meat out and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• In the same pan, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Continue to ccok until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chopped Calabrian chiles and wine. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 5 minutes, gently pressing down on the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to lightly smash.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to melt. Toss in the drained pasta and lobster meat. Add ⅓ cup reserved pasta water and toss until the pasta is well coated. Add extra pasta water if the sauce is too dry, adding a couple of tablespoons at a time. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Remove from heat. Sprinkle lemon zest and basil on top. Finish with grated parmesan, if desired, and serve immediately.

Notes

Cold-water lobster tails (from Maine, Canada, or North Atlantic) have sweeter, firmer meat than warm-water varieties. Look for tails in the 5 to 6 oz range. If buying frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in a sealed bag submerged in cold water for 30 minutes.

Adjust the amount of Calabrian chilies according to your spice preference.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cook lobster

Here's the trick that keeps this dish under 45 minutes. You cook the lobster tails and the pasta in the same pot of water. Start by bringing a deep saute pan of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.

Drop in your lobster tails and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shells turn bright red and the meat is just opaque. Pull them out with tongs and set them on a cutting board to cool slightly.

Then, use the same water to cook the pasta. Bring it right back to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions, pulling it about one minute before it's al dente.

Before you drain the pasta, scoop out about a cup of that starchy cooking water. You'll need it later to bring the sauce together.

While the pasta is cooking, use kitchen shears to snip down the center of each lobster tail shell and pull the meat out. Then, chop it into bite-sized pieces.

The lobster doesn't need to be perfectly cool to handle. Just give it a minute or two, so you're not burning your fingers.

Step 2: Prepare sauce

Now for the sauce. Heat olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add your diced shallot and sliced garlic and cook for about a minute until it starts to soften.

Next, add the cherry tomatoes. Spread them out in a single layer and let them soften.

Stir in the chopped Calabrian chiles, and if you like extra heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes here too. Although at 2 tablespoons, I found it plenty spicy already.

At the same time, pour in the white wine and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, helping the tomatoes soften further.

Once the tomatoes start to pop and the skins are blistered, press down gently on a few with the back of a wooden spoon to burst them open. The sauce should look jammy and loose at this point, with some tomatoes still holding their shape and others completely broken down.

Step 3: Toss with pasta

Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it around until it melts into the sauce. Then, add the drained pasta and the chopped lobster meat.

Toss everything together, adding the reserved pasta water. Keep tossing until the sauce clings to every strand and looks glossy.

As always, season with salt and pepper to taste. Take the pan off the heat and finish with lemon zest and fresh basil. I know Italians don't usually finish seafood pastas with parmesan, but I like to give it a little sprinkle for an extra boost of umami.

This spicy Calabrian chile lobster pasta is the kind of dish I want to eat all summer long. The cherry tomatoes burst into this sweet, jammy sauce that wraps around each strand of pasta. Meanwhile, the Calabrian chilies bring a slow, smoky heat that builds with every bite. And the lobster stays tender and buttery, exactly the way it should be.

It's an elegant dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes, and honestly, you deserve it on any night of the week.

For another fantastic summer pasta, check out this summer zucchini pasta with tomato pesto and Mediterranean shrimp pasta salad!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: The sauce can be made up to a day ahead. The lobster tails can also be cooked the day before and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The lobster will firm up, and the pasta will soften, so this dish is best enjoyed fresh.

More summer recipes

Looking for more summer dishes? Try these: