Instant Pot Lobster Mac & Cheese (Rolls)

When I once again partnered with my beloved Better Than Bouillon, I knew I had to do something special to feature their incredible lobster base. I already have an insane Lobster Bisque and this time I felt like taking a classic mac & cheese and doing it up lobstah-style for the perfect lobster mac & cheese!

The best part is, you can also serve this as a lobster mac & cheese roll! So easy, so perfect, so luxurious!

This post was sponsored by Better Than Bouillon/Summit Hill Foods.

Lobster Mac & Cheese
Losbter tails
Begin with some freshly thawed lobster tails.
Cutting lobster tails
Use shears to cut down the center of the underside of the vertebrae (careful – the shell may be sharp)…
Removing lobster meat
…remove the meat…
Slicing lobster meat
…and slice into small chunks.
Lobster meat in bowl.
When done, place the sliced lobster meat in a bowl and set aside.
Lobster Better Than Bouillon
Now for our secret ingredient, Lobster Better Than Bouillon!
Scooping base out of jar
Scoop some out of the jar…
Combining water with base
…combine with water…
Stirred into broth
…and stir. Like magic, you’ll have the most wonderful (and affordable) lobster broth!
Adding butter to pot
Now let’s get cookin’! Add some butter to the Instant Pot and give it some heat.
Melted butter
Once melted…
…add in the LOBSTAH meat!
Sautéing lobster meat
Sauté the meat for a moment…
Adding white wine to pot
…and then add in a dry white wine.
Deglazing pot
In addition to adding flavor, since the meat may be prone to wanting to stick to the bottom, the wine will help deglaze the bottom of the pot to keep it smooth.
Removing cooked lobster meat
Once the lobster meat is mostly opaque (it’s okay if just a little is still slightly pink as we don’t want to overcook it), remove it and place in a bowl to rest.
Adding lobster broth to pot
Pour in the lobster broth…
Adding pasta to Instant Pot
…as well as your pasta of choice (I use medium shells for this because of the seafood theme – but you can totally use any short-form pasta like macaroni, cavatappi, penne, or gemelli).
Once added to the pot, give it a stir with the broth.
Add a few pats of butter on top of the pasta, secure the lid and cook at high pressure.
Cooked pasta
When done, the pasta will have cooked perfectly. Give it a stir.
Adding shredded cheese to pot
Now it’s time to get cheesy. Add in some shredded cheese of your choice (I use a mixed cheddar)…
…as well as some grated Parmesan.
Adding Dijon to pot
Optionally, you can really enhance the flavor by adding a little Dijon mustard…
Adding hot sauce to pot
…and some hot sauce.
Stirring pot
Give it all a grand ‘ole stir!
Adding back lobster meat
Now add back the lobster meat.
Stir until all the cheese is melted and and as that happens, the heat of the pot will continue cooking the lobster meat.
Adding cream to pot
I also add in some cream (or milk) to ensure smooth creaminess. The more you add, the creamier the mac & cheese.
Plate it up and feel free to drizzle with some truffle oil.
Finished food
And now, it’s time to try this lobstah lovin’ dish out!
Man showing food
Oh, how I love this part. The taste test.
Look at the lobstah meat covered in mac & cheese!
Want a way to send it home, while being over-the-top? Grab a hot dog bun (top-sliced preferred)…
…and enjoy every second of bliss coming your way!
Instant Pot Lobster Mac & Cheese (Rolls)
Yield: 6

Instant Pot Lobster Mac & Cheese (Rolls)

Instant Pot Lobster Mac & Cheese (Rolls)

When I once again partnered with my beloved Better Than Bouillon, I knew I had to do something special to feature their incredible lobster base. I already have an insane lobster bisque and this time I felt like taking a classic mac & cheese and doing it up lobstah-style! Also goes great in a hot dog bun for a lobster mac & cheese roll 😉

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 - 2 pounds lobster tails (any kind and I usually use 2 tails), thawed (see Jeffrey's Tips about subbing langostino meat for the lobster)
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup dry white white (like a Sauvignon Blanc, see Jeff's Tips)
  • 4 cups lobster broth (4 teaspoons Lobster Better Than Bouillon + 4 cups water)
  • 1 pound medium shells (but you can also use any short-form pasta such as macaroni, gemelli, cavatappi or penne)
  • 4 cups shredded cheese of your choice (I use a Cheddar blend)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Optional Touches

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup cream, half & half or milk (see Jeff's Tips)
  • Truffle oil (white or black), for drizzling 
  • Top-sliced hot dog buns, for lobster mac rolls 

Instructions

  1. Using shears, cut the vertebrae down the center on the underside of the lobster tails and split it in half. Carefully remove the lobster meat (try not to prick your fingers on any of the shell) and dice it up into small pieces.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the Instant Pot. Hit Sauté and Adjust so its on the More or High setting. Once the butter's melted, add the lobster (or langostino) meat and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until the meat begins to turn opaque.
  3. Add the wine (see Jeff's Tips) and deglaze the bottom of the pot as the meat may want to stick to it. Allow the meat to sauté and simmer in the wine for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the meat, place in a bowl and let rest. (NOTE: Just be mindful that cut-up lobster meat does cook quickly and we don't want it to overcook and become rubbery. So even if there's still some pink visible on the meat, that will be okay because it will be fully cooked once added back in Step 5).
  4. Pour in the broth and add the pasta and stir (it’s fine to stir in this case since it’s just the pasta and broth in the pot). Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter dispersed in pats. Secure the lid, hit Cancel and then hit Manual or Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 6 minutes. Quick release when done.
  5. Give the pot a stir and then add in the cheeses, Dijon (if using), hot sauce (if using), and cream (if using). Once all is melded into the pasta and it becomes creamy add back the lobster meat and stir for another 2-3 minutes to make sure it's fully cooked.
  6. Serve topped with a drizzle of some truffle oil or in a hot dog bun for the ultimate lobster mac & cheese roll experience! Goes great with my Lobster Bisque.

Jeffrey's Tips

If you don't feel like spending on lobster tails (or cutting them to get the meat out), a perfect substitution is langostino meat. It's usually sold in most seafood stores already cut up for you (Costco does it) and tastes VERY similar to lobster, even though it's technically in the crab family.

If not using wine, just sub with 1/4 cup more broth in Step 3.

How much cream you add is totally up to you. The more cream you add, the smoother it will be. I start with 1/4 cup and work my way up, if necessary. If reheating any leftovers, add some more cream to smooth it out.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pam J

    Jeffrey, can I prepare this dish with the cooked pasta and prepared sauce, but freeze until I’m ready to bake it?

  2. Linda Hanselpacker

    I just made this except I had leftover, cooked lobster in the freezer. I defrosted it under the cold water tap, chopped it up and tossed it in after the pasta was cooked. I added boursin and laughing cow in addition to the rest of the cheese. Jeffrey, your recipes are inspiring and oh so good.

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