Air Fryer Lobster Tail.
Lobster tails stuffed with panko crumbs that have been tossed in butter and white wine, then air fried and sprinkled with chives, lemon zest, parsley and sea salt.
The buttery crispy panko crumbs are a perfect match with the tender and sweet lobster meat, the lemon zest adds a nice citrusy acidity and the chives and parsley add freshness to this beautiful lobster recipe.
These air fried lobster tails are sweet, tender, juicy and delicious. And guess what? These lobster tails can be ready in less than 15 minutes!
INGREDIENTS:
Here’s what you’ll need to make these air fried lobster tails:
- Maine or New England lobster tails (cold water lobster)
- butter
- dry white wine
- panko crumbs
- chives
- lemon
- parsley (optional)
- sea salt
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat air fryer.
- Melt butter with white wine, salt and pepper.
- Reserve half the butter. Add the panko crumbs to the saucepan with the remaining butter mixture.
- Cut down the center of the top shell of the lobster tails to split the shell in half. You are basically butterflying the lobster. Don’t cut through to the bottom shell.
- Gently separate the two sides, allowing more access to the lobster meat and allow room to add the panko stuffing later. Remove the long thin vein in the center of the tail, if it’s there. Brush the lobster with some of the reserved butter using a culinary brush (don’t put the brush back into the dish once you’ve touched the raw lobster, just do a swipe of butter on each tail).
- Place the lobster tails in an oiled air fryer basket for 3 minutes. Open the basket and carefully spoon the panko mixture into the butterflied lobster. Cook 3-4 more minutes, until the lobster is cooked through. Sprinkle with sea salt, lemon zest, chives and parsley. Serve with reserved melted butter and lemon wedges.
RECIPE FAQS:
Where can you get lobster tails?
Many supermarkets will carry them in the seafood section of the frozen food department. Some will have them at the fresh seafood counter. You can also order them online – we purchased these from Luke’s Lobster based out of Maine (arguably the best lobsters come from Maine), but there are tons of online retailers that sell high quality flash frozen lobster tails.
Is lobster good-for-you?
Yes! Lobster provides a great source of protein, is low in saturated fat and is rich in vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin B12, copper, zinc, selenium and iodine. Lobster even contains a small, but not negligible, amount of heart and brain health promoting omega-3 fatty acids.
How do you thaw frozen lobster tails?
The best way to thaw frozen lobster tails is by putting them in the fridge overnight. Once you’re ready to use them, rinse them in cold water to remove any ice crystals, then dry them. Thawing them this way (refrigerator method) will ensure the best texture and quality of your lobster tails. If you absolutely must, you can thaw them under cool running water for 15-30 minutes, but the texture will suffer from this quick thaw method. Never thaw seafood (or anything) on the counter at room temperature – as food reaches the danger zone (40-140 degrees F) where bacteria will multiply on the surface quickly, making the food unsafe to eat.
Do you need an air fryer to make these?
No, you could bake/broil them instead at 350 degrees F in your oven. Brush the butterflied lobster tail meat with butter then bake for about 10 minutes, remove from oven and add the panko, then bake another 5-10 minutes, broiling for the last minute or so. Time will vary, depending on the size of the lobster tails. Check the internal temperature, it should be about 140 degrees F in the center of the tail meat and the meat should be white and opaque.
How do you know the lobster is cooked through?
Your lobster tails are cooked through when the meat fully turns from transluent to an opaque white. The internal temperature of the tail meat should be between 135 and 140 degrees, as measured with an instant read thermometer in the center of the thickest part of the tail. Keep in mind, the temperature will continue to rise a few more degrees once removed from heat.
Can you reheat these lobster tails?
You could, but I don’t recommend it. Lobster is best the day you cook it. When you reheat it, it can get tough. And who ever has leftover lobster anyway? If you do end up with leftover lobster, I recommend removing it from the shell and pan frying it in butter in a skillet over medium heat, just until warmed through.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH LOBSTER TAILS:
You’ve got the most important part of the meal under control, what about about sides? Here’s what we like to serve our lobster tails with (aside from the melted butter and lemon wedges):
- Any roasted vegetable – especially asparagus and broccoli
- Corn-on-the-cob, if in season
- Roasted potatoes
- A big green salad or spinach salad
- Warm crusty bread or rolls
LOOKING FOR MORE LOBSTER RECIPES?
Air Fryer Lobster Tail
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 5-6 ounce Maine (or New England) lobster tails if frozen, thawed (cold water lobsters)
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon white wine dry, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup plain panko crumbs
- 1 tablespoon sliced chives
- 1 lemon zest of, and cut into wedges
- Sea salt for garnish
- Parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the white wine, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and pour half the butter into a small serving bowl – reserve this for serving the lobster. Add the panko crumbs to the saucepan with the remaining butter mixture. Stir to combine.
- Using kitchen shears, cut down the center of the top shell of the lobster tails (between the meat and the shell) to split the shell in half. Stop cutting once you get to the tail fin. Naturally you will cut through some of the lobster meat while cutting through the shell, this is fine. If there is a long, thin vein running down the center of the tail, remove that with your fingers or a paring knife. Using your hands, gently separate the two sides, allowing more access to the lobster meat (the bottom shell will crack a bit when you are doing this). You don’t want to completely split the shell apart, you just to make room for the panko stuffing that you'll add later. Using a culinary brush and the reserved butter, brush the lobster tails with melted butter (don't double dip the brush, one dip is sufficient - you don't want to contaminate the raw lobster juices into the butter that you'll use for the cooked lobster).
- Spray or wipe the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Add the lobster tails to the basket (cut side up) and set the timer for 4 minutes. Open the basket and carefully (air fryer and lobster are hot!) spoon the panko mixture into the butterflied lobster. Close the basket and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the lobster is cooked through. Lobster is fully cooked when it is white and opaque throughout (not transparent) and the shell turns bright red. For these lobster tails, the easiest way to tell they are done is by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tail. It should read 135-140 degrees F. Cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer and the size of your lobster tails.
- Remove lobster tails from air fryer. Sprinkle with sea salt, lemon zest, chives and parsley (optional). Serve with reserved melted butter and lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
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