Lobster Linguini with Vodka Cream Sauce
This recipe for Lobster Linguine with Vodka Cream Sauce is one I’ve been thinking about for a while now. Creamy vodka sauce works so well with pasta, and I’ve had it many times with penne pasta and chicken or as a sauce over raviolis. In my mind, this dish brings together the best of all variations of the dish. The linguini noodle is substantial but somewhat light and the addition of lobster takes it over the top. Lobster always reminds me of the perfect summer ingredient! Using the combination of the vodka, tomatoes, and cream makes for a beautifully silky-smooth sauce and adds luxury to the dish.
This sauce is so delicious, it’s creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet. Cooking off the vodka before adding the other ingredients ensures it won’t taste like alcohol or bitterness. I love this dish because it’s not overly complicated or time-intensive, but it is an incredibly elevated dish that you will love. If you love the sauce and you want to use this recipe and try it with shrimp, or chicken, that will work as well. Try it over different pasta shapes to find the one you like best. It’s a super creamy, delicate dish that screams flavor!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Course
Main
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
4 Servings
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. butter (plus 2 more to sous vide lobster)
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced (plus 2 more cloves to sous vide lobster)
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
¼ tsp. red chile flakes
½ cup vodka
1 28 oz. can San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed or diced
½ cup water
½ Tbsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, julienned and divided (sauce and garnish)
1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
2 lobster tails – approx. 1 lb. total weight
1 lb. linguini pasta
½ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped for garnish
Instructions
In a large deep sauté pan, add equal amounts of extra virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat.
Add diced shallot and stir to cook for 3-4 mins. Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, and red chile flakes, cook for 1 more min.
Turn off heat and add vodka, turn heat back on to high and stand back in case it flares up as the alcohol burns off. Cook for about 4 mins.
Heat the sous vide to 135F.
To the sauce, add crushed tomatoes, water, sugar, bay leaves, fresh basil, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30. mins. to develop flavor.
Using kitchen shears, cut the lobster tails down the back, exposing the meat and removing it from the shells, de-vein. Place the lobster tails, butter, and garlic into an airtight bag and sous vide for 30 mins. at 135 F. When the lobster is done, remove it and chop it into ½” chunks, reserve the juices from the sous vide bags.
Remove the bay leaves from the sauce, add the juices and garlic from the sous vide bags directly into the sauce and blend, return to the same pan. Add about ½ cup water to the blender to get all of the sauce out to add to the pan. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed, simmer on low.
Meanwhile, start the pot of water for the pasta. Bring to a boil and add salt. Cook pasta to package directions.
To the simmering sauce, add in heavy cream and stir to combine. When the pasta is done, add it directly into the sauce, add the reserved chopped lobster meat. Add one ladle of pasta water. Coat all of the pasta in the sauce with the lobster.
Serve and garnish with fresh chopped basil & chives.
Notes
If you don’t have a sous vide circulator, you can give the lobster tails a quick sauté and chop, adding it back in at the end. Or you can cut it into ½” cubes and add it in and cook it along with the sauce during the last 6-8 mins. until just cooked through.