Classic Lobster Newburg

A restaurant classic you can make at home, Classic Lobster Newburg is tender chunks of lobster meat bathed in a cognac spiked cream sauce and served with puff pastry or toast points. Easy to make and supremely elegant.

Whether you’re planning a date night at home or a larger dinner party, easy and impressive meals are a necessity to have in your cooking arsenal.

Dishes like Filet Mignon and Lobster Bisque are my go-to because they’re super simple to prepare but always impressive for guests. But this Lobster Newburg recipe is my all-time favorite.

It’s super easy to make, especially if you’re using frozen lobster meat, and looks so fancy when piled on top of a puff pastry shell.

Lobster Newburg

There’s nothing more impressive than a lobster dinner but take a few extra minutes and you can make it that much more special. Lobster Newburg is definitely the way to go.

If you’ve never had it before, it’s made of tender lobster meat that’s cooked in a creamy, cognac spiked buttery sauce that’s rich with egg yolk.

It can be served with toast points but I love to buy the frozen puff pastry shells and fill them with the lobster. It just adds to the wow factor.

Lobster Newburg was created by a sea captain by the name of Ben Wenberg.. He shared the dish at Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York City to the manager, Charles Delmonico, in 1876. 

It eventually made it to the menu in an adapted form but I’ve come across it at so many restaurants it’s always the thing I order because it’s simply amazing.

How to Make It

Lobster Newburg is incredibly simple to make. If you take the time to boil your own lobsters, you will save a bit of money making it.

If you’re using frozen lobster meat you’ll be able to have this on the table in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Cook and chop the lobster meat if you’re steaming it yourself. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet.

Whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown.

Stir in the half and half, cooking until slightly thickened.

Temper the eggs by stirring in a small amount of the cream.

Stir the tempered eggs into the cream over low heat.

Add the lobster, cognac, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice.

Serve in puff pastry shells or with toast points.

Now, this may not be the original way of cooking Lobster Newburg but it’s substantially easier to make this way. I love a good kitchen shortcut!

Lobster Newburg is VERY similar to this recipe for Lobster Thermidor!

Pro Tips

Lobster Meat – Fresh is best but frozen lobster works in a pinch. Be sure to dry the lobster to remove excess moisture before adding to the sauce.

Eggs – Don’t skip the step of tempering the egg yolks or the mixture will scramble once it hits the hot cream. Also, do not stop stirring so the eggs on the bottom of the pan do not begin to scramble. This will ensure your sauce is smooth without egg lumps.

Cognac – I like to use cognac for this recipe but any brandy, sherry or marsala will work, too.

What To Serve It With

Lobster Newburg is a rich, decadent meal so I like to keep things lighter on the side. We love to serve it alongside a simple Green Beans Almondine with a wedge salad when entertaining.

You can also serve it with this easy asparagus recipe to keep things even simpler and then round it out with Chocolate Pot de Creme for dessert.

More Easy Seafood Recipes

If you like this Lobster Newburg, you should also try these easy Lobster Rolls for a more casual meal or this Lobster Pasta Salad.

This easy Lobster Mac and Cheese is also equally simple to make and better than some restaurant versions I’ve tried.

Or try this simple Lobster Corn Chowder….it’s hearty and so comforting!

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