This lobster salad is full of sweet, juicy lobster meat lightly dressed with mayo, lemon juice, and celery. It's served on a bed of lettuce leaves for an easy lobster salad that's great for the summer, holidays, or any occasion!

Lobster salad on top of lettuce next to lemons.

This lobster salad is piled high with sweet, buttery lobster meat lightly dressed in an easy mayo-based dressing that highlights the lobster! It's an elegant but easy salad to serve during the summertime in New England because it's served cold, and the summer is when lobsters are aplenty.

Of course, it also makes an excellent dish or appetizer all year round, especially during the holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Lobster salad with light dressing on top of lettuce.

What makes this the best lobster salad is how fast and easy it can be made. Specifically, it only requires six ingredients and is ready in just ten minutes. It's also incredibly versatile and can be as casual or as fancy as you'd like it to be.

For example, to make it fancy, serve as a cold lobster appetizer by making individual servings in lettuce cups, which work great for large parties. Or keep it casual by serving it family-style with sides of corn on the cob, chowder, and crusty bread.

Ingredients

Lobster meat - Claws, knuckles, or tail meat can be used for this salad, but reserve the claw meat for the top of the salad for the best presentation.
Lettuce - Use any mild lettuce that doesn't overpower the delicate lobster. Butter, Bibb, or Boston lettuce works best.
Mayo - Mayo adds creaminess and richness that complements the buttery flavor of lobster. Only a small amount is needed for a light dressing but feel free to add more to taste.
Celery - Celery adds a much-needed crunchy texture to the salad. A fine dice works best to add subtle flavor.
Lemon juice - This brightens up the salad by adding just the right amount of acidity to contrast this creamy, buttery salad. Freshly squeezed is best.

Steps

Wash and dry the lettuce leaves thoroughly to prevent the salad from getting soggy.
Next, add the mayonnaise, celery, chives, and lemon juice to a medium bowl and mix.
Add the lobster meat and gently toss until evenly coated with the dressing. Take care not to break apart the lobster. Then season with salt and pepper to taste, and chill in the fridge if not served immediately.
To assemble, fan the lettuce leaves out on a plate and pile the lobster salad on top. Place the claws on top for presentation. Finally, garnish with more chives and serve with lemon wedges.

Lobster salad with light dressing on a bed of lettuce.

Variations & Substitutions

Lobster salad without mayo: If you prefer to leave out the mayo, you can substitute it with an equal amount of yogurt or sour cream. For a vinaigrette dressing, use neutral vegetable oil and adjust the lemon, salt, and pepper to taste.
Lobster avocado salad: Avocado goes great in the lobster salad because its flavor is buttery and rich just like lobster. Add slices or cubes or avocado right before serving.
Lobster salad sandwich: Also known as lobster rolls, this salad can be added to toasted and buttered hot dog buns and served with chips, fries, or coleslaw.
Lobster pasta salad: Add any type of bite-sized pasta like macaroni, penne, or bowtie. Double or triple the dressing depending on the portion of pasta and add other ingredients like hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, or cucumbers.

Lobster salad with mayo dressing on top of lettuce.

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Recipe

Lobster Salad

5 from 172 votes

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Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Appetizer, lunch, Salad, Sides

Cuisine American, New England

Servings 6

☑ Ingredients

▢ 3 cups cooked lobster meat - chopped, about 16 oz
▢ 1 head lettuce - leaves washed and dried well

Mayo Dressing

▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise - or more
▢ ¼ cup finely diced celery
▢ 2 Tablespoons chopped chives
▢ 1⅓ Tablespoons lemon juice
▢ salt & pepper - to taste

Instructions

Make the dressing: Add the mayonnaise, celery, chives, and lemon juice to a medium bowl and mix. Next, add the lobster meat and gently toss until evenly coated with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the fridge if not serving immediately.
3 cups cooked lobster meat, ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup finely diced celery, 2 Tablespoons chopped chives, 1⅓ Tablespoons lemon juice, salt & pepper
Assemble: Lay the lettuce leaves on a plate with the leaves fanning out. Lastly, pile the lobster salad high on the lettuce, reserving the claw meat for the top for the best presentation. Serve immediately and enjoy!
1 head lettuce

✎ Recipe Notes

Makes 4 generous portions or 6 appetizer portions.

Note: If using a whole lobster, expect a yield of 20% to 25% of its weight for lobster meat. 1 cup measures approximately 5.3oz of lobster meat.

Recipe Tips & Variations:

Types of lettuce: Butter, Bibb, or Boston lettuce work best for their mild flavor but any type of lettuce works.
Add-ins: Avocado slices, pasta, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, or capers.

Nutrition

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*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.

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Lobster Salad

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