Salad: United States – Maine – Maine Lobster Salad

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr

Additional 20 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

- 1 1/4 lb (570 g) cooked Maine lobster meat, picked from shells and chopped (about 2 medium lobsters)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) mayonnaise (preferably a high-quality or homemade mayo)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated
- 1/2 cup (50 g) celery, finely diced (about 1 medium stalk)
- 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh chives, snipped or finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 cups (120 g) mixed baby greens or bibb lettuce, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Optional for alternate serving: 4 large Boston bibb or romaine leaves, for lettuce-cup serving
- Optional for alternate serving: 4 split-top hot dog rolls, buttered and toasted, for a lobster-roll style serving

Instructions

Short Description:
A simple, cold lobster salad made with sweet Maine lobster meat gently tossed in a light lemon-mayonnaise dressing with celery and chives, served on a bed of greens or in lettuce cups. The dressing is kept delicate so the lobster flavor remains the star.

Regional Notes:
This is the classic Maine preparation emphasizing fresh hard-shell Maine lobster and a restrained, mayo-based dressing with bright lemon and fresh chives or celery. Unlike richer or heavily seasoned coastal variants, the Maine version uses minimal seasoning to showcase the natural sweetness and firm texture of locally caught lobster.

1. If using live lobsters, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add lobsters headfirst, cover, and cook 8–12 minutes for 1 to 1 1/4 lb lobsters, until shells are bright red and meat is opaque. Remove and plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. When cool, pick meat from claws, knuckles, and tails and chop coarsely. (If using pre-cooked lobster, ensure it is well chilled and chop coarsely.)
2. Pat the chopped lobster meat dry on paper towels to remove excess moisture; place in a large bowl and chill briefly if still warm.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon (if using), and lemon zest until smooth. Taste and adjust lemon or mustard to balance acidity.
4. Add the diced celery, chopped chives, salt, and black pepper to the dressing and stir to combine.
5. Gently fold the dressing into the lobster meat, using a light hand to keep large, attractive pieces of lobster intact. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
6. Cover and refrigerate the lobster salad for at least 20–30 minutes to let flavors meld, but do not exceed 2 hours for best texture.
7. To serve as a salad: arrange mixed baby greens or bibb leaves on plates and spoon lobster salad over the greens. Garnish with extra chives and lemon wedges.
8. To serve in lettuce cups or rolls (optional): spoon lobster salad into chilled bibb leaves for a light course, or into buttered, toasted split-top rolls for a lobster-roll style serving (note: serving in rolls moves the dish toward a sandwich but is a common local option).
9. Serve chilled or just off-chill. Leftover lobster salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.