There are few combinations quite as delicious as fresh lobster and garlic butter. Rich, simple and full of flavour, garlic butter lobster makes an impressive dinner while being surprisingly easy to prepare at home.
Using fresh Welsh lobster as the centrepiece, this recipe is perfect for date nights, dinner parties, celebrations or whenever you want to make dinner feel a little more special.
Why Garlic Butter Works So Well with Lobster
Lobster has a delicate texture and naturally sweet flavour, so it doesn't need complicated ingredients.
Butter adds richness, while garlic, fresh lemon and herbs complement the lobster without overpowering it. The result is a simple dish that allows the lobster itself to remain the star.
Garlic Butter Lobster Ingredients
For 2 people, you'll need:
• 2 whole lobsters
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2–3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 fresh lemon
• Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges, to serve
You can also add a small pinch of chilli flakes if you'd like a little heat.
Preparing Your Lobster
If your lobster arrives live, store it correctly until you're ready to prepare it. Our How to Store Live Lobster Before Cooking guide explains what to do when your delivery arrives.
Before cooking, your lobster should be humanely stunned and killed using an appropriate method.
If you're new to preparing whole lobster, read our How to Cook a Whole Lobster at Home guide before getting started.
How to Make Garlic Butter
Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan over a low heat.
Add the minced garlic and cook gently for around 1–2 minutes. Don't allow the garlic to brown.
Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a little black pepper.
Taste before adding salt, as lobster naturally has a slightly salty flavour.
Keep some of the garlic butter aside for serving at the table.
How to Cook Garlic Butter Lobster
Preheat your oven to approximately 200°C / 180°C fan.
Once the lobster has been humanely prepared, split it lengthways and place the halves cut-side up on a baking tray.
Remove the stomach sac and intestinal tract where necessary.
Spoon the warm garlic butter generously over the exposed lobster meat, allowing some of the butter to settle into the shell.
Bake until the lobster meat is opaque and cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the size of your lobster, so avoid relying on time alone.
Spoon a little more garlic butter over the lobster before serving.
What to Serve with Garlic Butter Lobster
Keep the accompaniments simple.
Garlic butter lobster works beautifully with:
• Buttered new potatoes
• Roasted or grilled asparagus
• Fresh green salad
• Crusty bread
• Seasonal vegetables
• French fries
• Fresh lemon
The bread is particularly useful for soaking up the garlic butter left on the plate.
For more inspiration, see our What to Serve with Lobster: The Best Side Dishes & Pairings guide.
What Wine Goes with Garlic Butter Lobster?
A crisp white wine works particularly well with the richness of garlic butter.
Chardonnay, Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc are all worth considering, while Champagne makes an excellent choice when you're serving lobster for a celebration.
Choose something with enough freshness and acidity to balance the butter.
Make It a Dinner for Two
For an impressive dinner at home, The Coastal Duo contains 2 live Welsh lobsters, approximately 1.6kg total.
Add new potatoes, asparagus, crusty bread, garlic butter and a chilled bottle of wine or Champagne and you have the foundations of a memorable lobster dinner for two.
Cooking for More Guests?
If you're entertaining, our larger lobster boxes make it easy to plan around your number of guests.
The Tenby Signature contains 3 live Welsh lobsters, while The Pembrokeshire Luxe contains 4.
For larger gatherings and celebrations, The Pembrokeshire Grand contains 6 live Welsh lobsters.
Our How Much Lobster Do You Need Per Person? guide can help you choose the right quantity.
A Taste of Pembrokeshire at Home
Great lobster doesn't need to be complicated.
Fresh Welsh lobster, melted butter, garlic and lemon are enough to create something genuinely special — whether you're cooking for two or bringing friends and family together around the table.
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