A luxurious seafood chowder that can be stewed and on the table in under an hour. This delicious and creamy Maine Lobster Chowder Recipe will become your signature stew all year round!
My childhood seafood chowder memories centered on clam chowder. I grew up far from the ocean, so lobster chowder lived only on the pages of coastal magazines and cookbooks.
As an adult, I travel often up the East coast of the US, where lobsters are plentiful and shockingly inexpensive. So I’ve been on a journey to create a go-to lobster chowder.
My first efforts focused on a traditional Maine lobster stew, which is a simple concoction of cream and lobster meat, steeped for hours together and served with buttered toast points. While it’s a lovely, rich and simple stew, I missed the savory mix of vegetables and potatoes reminiscent of my early clam chowder memories. And so the recipe for this hybrid lobster chowder was born!
Savory with rich lobster base and vegetables, rich from half and half and sherry, and garnished with fresh chives and a lobster claw, this chowder is the perfect lobster-boil-in-a-bowl to serve all summer long, and the ideal cozy lobster chowder for those long, cold winter months.
Serve it with a crusty bread, oyster crackers or garlic baguette. But for goodness sakes, SERVE IT SOON.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious lobster stew recipe:
Lobster: I made this stew while visiting dear friends outside Portland, Maine. So we were lucky to be able to use fresh, whole Maine lobsters for this chowder (thanks, Allen’s Seafood!) If you don’t have access to whole fresh lobsters, or if you’re not comfortable cooking and shelling lobster, grab a bag of frozen lobster meat at your local grocery store or fish market. I do prefer claw and body meat in chowder, as they remain tender longer than the more finicky lobster tail meat. But use what you have!
Butter: one stick of butter is divided between sautéing our veggies, and poaching our lobster claws to top each bowl of this easy lobster stew. If you’re looking for a substitute, you can use a smaller amount of olive oil for cooking down the vegetables, but be aware it will alter the flavor of the stew.
Potatoes: red potatoes are the classic choice for seafood stew, but use whatever you have on hand.
Onion: yellow onion is the go-to for chowder, but leeks would be another delicious choice.
Celery: seafood chowder and celery are a match made in pescatarian heaven. If you’re cooking for people who don’t love celery, feel free to add a smaller amount, pulverize it in your food processor before cooking, or leave it out and substitute fresh diced fennel, leeks or carrots. Just don’t tell me about it!
Garlic: a handful of diced garlic cloves add a lovely flavor boost to this chowder. Substitute shallots for a lighter flavor.
Corn: if you’re in corn season, grab fresh corn on the cob for this easy recipe. If you’re making this chowder as a starter for your Thanksgiving dinner (aka, not corn season), grab a bag of young sweet frozen corn and let it thaw before adding to the chowder.
Tomato paste: just a tablespoon of rich, sweet tomato paste adds depth of flavor and a beautiful color to the stew. If you don’t have any tomato paste, skip it or add a 1/2 teaspoon of paprika for color.
Flour: we use a quarter cup of flour to thicken the chowder – just enough to bring all the flavors and textures together without making the chowder gloppy. Which is my least favorite characteristic of a chowder. But adjust according to your preferences.
Dry sherry: if you’ve ever made a classic lobster bisque recipe, than you’re already familiar with the lovely marriage of lobster stock and sherry. It adds a depth of flavor and a touch of sweetness to this very good lobster stew. Just a quarter cup of the sherry will add the flavor you’re looking for to our seafood stock. Substitute dry white wine, if needed.
Lobster base: traditional Maine lobster stew and lobster bisque recipes spend HOURS building a flavorful lobster stock using lobster shells and lobster bodies. Our lobster chowder takes a tasty shortcut by using a quality lobster base, available at many specialty stores and online. It’s worth the effort to track down the lobster base, as it adds authentic flavor to the chowder. Substitute homemade lobster stock, seafood stock or chicken stock, if cooking for non-pescatarians.
Thyme + bay leaf + chives: our trifecta of herbs are classics – fresh thyme, chives for garnish, and bay leaves (fresh or dried).
Half and half: I love using half and half in this seafood chowder – it’s the perfect balance of lightness and richness with the lobster stock. For a very rich broth, substitute 1 cup of heavy cream for the half and half, or make your own at home using 3/4 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup heavy cream for each cup of half and half.
Salt and pepper: as usual, we season a bit as we cook, building layers of flavor into the chowder. The last step of adding the lobster meat and any accumulated juices will increase the salt level in the chowder. So I recommend salting gently until the lobster has infused flavor into the stew, then add a final seasoning before serving.
Lemon: serve your warm bowls of lobster chowder with lemon wedges. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds the perfect touch of citrus to this rich and savory lobster stew recipe.
Full ingredients and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions:
If using whole lobsters, break down steamed lobsters, removing all meat and reserving the juices. Cut lobster tails and body meat into bite-sized chunks. Leave claw meat whole. Store lobster meat in the refrigerator while preparing the chowder. If using a package of lobster meat, ensure it is cut into bite-sized pieces and keep cool until using in the chowder.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, garlic and diced potatoes to the pot, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and toss to coat the vegetables. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Next, sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the mixture, tossing and stirring the vegetables for another minute. Then, add sherry (carefully, if working over an open flame). Scrape the bottom of the pan, using the sherry to deglaze the tasty bits stuck there.
Add 3 3/4 cups of water, along with lobster base, bay leaf and thyme. Bring the pot up to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and let the chowder cook gently for about 20 minutes.
Finally, add corn kernels, half and half and lobster pieces (including any lobster juices). Stir gently to combine and allow the lobster to warm through. This infuses that lucious lobster flavor into the chowder for the final 8-10 minutes of cook time. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Right before serving, in a small skillet, melt the final 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add lobster claw meat and poach gently until heated through.
To serve, ladle lobster stew into bowls and top each with a lobster claw, diced chives and a crack of black pepper. Serve with fresh lemon wedges and warm baguette.
FAQ’s and Serving Suggestions for Lobster Stew Recipe:
I prefer claw and body meat in chowder, as they remain tender longer than the more finicky lobster tail meat. But I have made chowder using all parts of the lobster and never heard a complaint. So use what you have!
You always want to offer some kind of carby goodness to help soak up the creamy broth, so oyster crackers, crusty bread or Garlic Baguette would all be delicious. The veggies, potatoes and lobster can be a one-pot meal, but if you’re looking for a green side, serve a simple green salad or a Mediterranean Tossed Salad.
My preference for adding spice to lobster chowder is to serve the stew along with a bottle of hot sauce. This way everyone can add their preferred level of heat to each serving. Adding hot sauce to an entire pot of creamy chowder presents a curdling risk, so I would avoid that possibility altogether. Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the chowder pot would add heat without risking a funky texture.
To store leftovers, transfer lobster chowder to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, warm gently in wide heavy-bottomed pot or pan just until heated through.
Check out some of our other delicious seafood recipes:
Print
Delicious Creamy Maine Lobster Chowder Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
10–12 ounces lobster meat
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 1/2 cups red potatoes, diced
1 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1 1/4 cup celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 3/4 cups water
2 1/2 tablespoons lobster base
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 ears of fresh corn, cut off cob (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups half and half
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chives, diced, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Instructions
If using whole lobsters, break down steamed lobsters, removing all meat and reserving the juices. Cut lobster tails and body meat into bite-sized chunks. Leave claw meat whole. Store lobster meat in the refrigerator while preparing the chowder. If using a package of lobster meat, ensure it is cut into consistently sized pieces and keep cool until using in the chowder.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and diced potatoes to the pot, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and toss to coat the vegetables. Cook for 2 more minutes. Next, sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the mixture, tossing and stirring the vegetables for another minute. Next, add sherry (carefully, if working over an open flame). Scrape the bottom of the pan, using the sherry to deglaze the tasty bits stuck there. Add 3 3/4 cups of water, along with lobster base, bay leaf and thyme. Bring the pot up to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and let the chowder cook gently for about 20 minutes.
Finally, add corn, half and half and lobster pieces (including any lobster juice from the packaging or shells). Stir gently to combine and allow the lobster to warm through and infuse flavor into the chowder for the last 8-10 minutes of cook time. Taste and adjust seasoning. Right before serving, in a small skillet, melt final 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add lobster claw meat and poach gently until heated through.
To serve, ladle lobster stew into bowls and top each with a lobster claw, diced chives and a crack of black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Lobster Chowder, Lobster Soup, Seafood Soup, Lobster Stew
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