Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls

By Kay Chun

Updated Aug. 12, 2024

Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(58)
Comments
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Connecticut-style lobster rolls celebrate the pure flavor of lobster, simply warming the cooked meat in melted butter to bring out its inherent sweetness and preserve its plump texture. (Maine-style typically serve chilled lobster meat tossed with mayonnaise.) The approach is simple: Toast your buns in butter until golden, then heat the cooked lobster in the same skillet just until warmed. The use of salted butter seasons the meat, so no extra salt is required (though seasoning to taste is never discouraged). Although the optional celery seed is not traditional, its herbal brightness nicely highlights the seafood flavor. Serve these lobster rolls with potato chips and tangy coleslaw for a classic summer meal.

Featured in: In the Fierce Lobster Roll Rivalry, There Are Only Winners

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Ingredients

Yield:2 lobster rolls
  • 4tablespoons salted butter
  • 2top-split hot dog buns
  • 6 to 8ounces cooked lobster meat (see Boiled Lobster recipe), coarsely chopped
  • Chopped chives, for garnish
  • A few pinches of celery seeds (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

405 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 820 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium. Add buns and toast the two outer sides until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. (Watch carefully, as the second side will toast faster than the first.) Transfer buns to two individual plates. Rinse skillet under cold water to cool off the pan.

  2. Step 2

    Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet and melt over low. Add lobster meat and gently warm it, tilting the skillet as needed to frequently baste the lobster until just warmed through, about 2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Divide lobster between the toasted buns and drizzle on the butter sauce. Garnish with chives and celery seeds, if using. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
58 user ratings
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Comments

JG

As a born and raised in CT these are the only real lobster rolls. I just wish the others would be called what they are “lobster salad on a hot dog bun.”

Golem

The idea that there is only one kind of "pure" lobster roll is absurd. I've had lobster rolls in Maine, Connecticut, Washington, DC, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. I never met a lobster roll I didn't like. One of the great joys of eating in America is the way different folks in different regions prepare the same dish.

Charley M.

The hot lobster roll was introduced in the 1930s in Milford, CT, at a Post Road seafood place called Harry's. It was immediately a hit and spread up and down the coast. Harry Perry got the idea from a salesman who came through every once in a while and put in a special order for warmed up lobster meat and melted butter on a roll. Perry soon put it on his menu. That's why it's called a Connecticut Lobster Roll. Claims to the contrary, especially from Massachusetts, can comfortably be ignored.

Painter33

Lobster rolls with anything but lobster (celery, etc.) is lobster “salad” rolls. Ewwww…what a waste!

KB

Does anyone know what was in the lobster rolls Nathan's Famous used to make? I'd love to make those for an elderly New Yorker who misses them.

WoahVaughn

Lobster Landing in Clinton, CT adds a bit of lemon which I would recommend, just a touch so as not to be overpowering.

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Credits

Recipes by Kay Chun

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