Get ready to seriously impress your guests with this incredibly Easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip! This recipe takes the classic cheesy baked crab dip concept and elevates it with chunks of tender lobster meat, creating a rich, decadent, and utterly delicious appetizer. It features a creamy base of cream cheese, sour cream, white cheddar, and Parmesan, flavored with sautéed shallots, garlic, sherry, oregano, and Dijon. I absolutely adore making this Baked Lobster Dip for special occasions or when I want an appetizer that feels truly luxurious but is surprisingly simple to prepare. It’s perfect for kicking off a weekend gathering (hello Friday evening!) or adding a touch of elegance to any party spread, especially lovely during the spring season!
Why You’ll Love This Baked Lobster Dip
- Luxurious Yet Easy: Uses lobster for an elegant feel, but the process is straightforward.
- Incredibly Rich and Creamy: The combination of cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, and Parmesan is pure decadence.
- Flavor Packed: Savory lobster, sharp cheddar, tangy Dijon, aromatic shallots and garlic, and a splash of sherry create complex flavor.
- Perfect for Entertaining: A guaranteed crowd-pleaser that looks impressive served warm and bubbly.
- Great Alternative: A delicious twist if you love baked crab dip!
Ingredients for Easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip
Here’s what you’ll need to create this decadent baked dip. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Seafood & Aromatics
- Lobster tails (Seafood)
- Olive oil (Oil)
- Garlic, minced (Aromatic)
- Chopped shallots (Aromatic)
- Dry sherry (Alcohol/Flavoring)
Creamy Base & Cheese
- Freshly grated white cheddar cheese, divided (Dairy)
- Cream cheese, softened (Dairy)
- Sour cream (Dairy)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (Dairy)
Seasoning & Flavor
- Chopped fresh oregano (+ extra for garnish) (Herb)
- Dijon mustard (Condiment)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Pepper (Spice)
For Serving
- Baguette slices, crackers, or veggies
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the specific blend of flavors in this Baked Lobster Dip, but feel free to adapt:
- Use Crab or Shrimp: Substitute an equal amount of cooked lump crab meat or chopped cooked shrimp for the lobster.
- Different Cheese: Swap the white cheddar for Gruyere, sharp yellow cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Fontina cheese.
- Add Spinach or Artichoke: Fold in some chopped cooked spinach (well-drained) or chopped artichoke hearts for a different twist.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the cream cheese mixture.
- Different Herbs: Use fresh thyme or chives instead of or in addition to oregano and parsley (for garnish).
- No Sherry? Substitute dry white wine or extra chicken/vegetable broth if you don’t have sherry.
How to Make Easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip
Let me show you how to make this incredibly delicious Baked Lobster Dip:
Prep Lobster and Oven
- First, I preheat my oven to 375°F (190°C).
- I bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, I carefully add the lobster tails and boil them for 5 minutes, just until cooked through and opaque.
- I immediately drain the lobster tails and let them cool down enough to handle.
- Once cool, I remove the meat from the tails. My favorite easy way is to use kitchen scissors to cut down the back (top shell), then gently pull the shell apart and remove the meat. I chop the lobster meat into small, bite-sized pieces.
Sauté Aromatics
- In a medium skillet, I heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- I add the chopped shallots and minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, just until they soften and become fragrant.
- Carefully, I add the dry sherry to the skillet and cook for another 1-2 minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom, until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
- I season this mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Mix the Dip
- In a medium bowl, I combine the chopped cooked lobster meat, the sautéed shallot/garlic mixture, half of the shredded white cheddar cheese, the softened cream cheese, sour cream, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh oregano, and Dijon mustard.
- I mix everything together until well combined.
Bake
- I spread this delicious lobster mixture evenly into an oven-safe 10-12 inch skillet (cast iron looks great!) or a similar-sized baking dish. I smooth the top with the back of my spatula.
- I sprinkle the remaining other half of the shredded white cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- I bake the Baked Lobster Dip for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted, bubbly, and starting to turn golden brown around the edges.
Garnish and Serve
- Garnish with oregano
- Serve immediately!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Lobster Dip
Here are my secrets for making this Baked Lobster Dip truly exceptional:
- Don’t Overcook Lobster: Boil the lobster tails just until cooked through (usually about 1 minute per ounce). Overcooked lobster becomes tough.
- Use Freshly Grated Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents and doesn’t melt as smoothly or taste as good as freshly grated block cheese.
- Room Temperature Cream Cheese: Ensure your cream cheese is well softened for easy mixing and a smooth dip consistency.
- Good Quality Sherry: Use a dry sherry you would enjoy drinking for the best flavor addition.
- Serve Warm & Bubbly: This dip is at its absolute best served hot and bubbly straight from the oven.
How to Serve
This Easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip is perfect served warm and bubbly! Offer plenty of options for dipping:
- Crusty Bread: Sliced and lightly toasted baguette is perfect.
- Crackers: Sturdy crackers like water crackers, pita crackers, or crostini.
- Vegetables: Celery sticks, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, or endive spears for a lower-carb option.
- Pita Bread: Warm pita bread cut into wedges.
Garnish with extra chopped fresh oregano or parsley just before serving.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: You can fully assemble the dip (without baking) up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Bake as directed, adding 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time since it will be starting cold.
- Storage: Store leftover baked dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through and bubbly again. Microwaving can sometimes make cheesy dips oily, so the oven is preferred.
FAQs about Easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip
- Can I use pre-cooked lobster meat?
- Yes! If you have leftover cooked lobster meat or purchase pre-cooked lobster claw/knuckle meat, you can skip the boiling step. You’ll need about 6-8 ounces of chopped cooked meat.
- Can I substitute crab or shrimp?
- Absolutely! Cooked lump crab meat or chopped cooked shrimp would be delicious substitutes for the lobster in this Baked Lobster Dip.
- What if I don’t have sherry?
- You can substitute dry white wine or even a splash of chicken or vegetable broth for deglazing the pan after cooking the shallots and garlic.
Enjoy this decadent, creamy, flavorful, and surprisingly easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip! It’s a perfect appetizer for making any occasion feel special.
Print
Easy Baked Creamy Lobster Dip
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Dip
- Cuisine: American
Description
This baked lobster dip is SO easy, delicious, and perfect for entertaining! Tender lobster meat is folded into a creamy, cheesy mixture with shallots, garlic, and herbs, then baked until bubbly. My take on the classic cheesy baked crab dip.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (3-4 ounce) lobster tails
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons dry sherry (or dry white wine)
- 8 ounces white cheddar cheese, freshly grated, divided
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, plus extra for garnish
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Sliced baguette, crackers, or fresh vegetables, for dipping
Instructions
- Cook Lobster: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobster tails and boil for 5 minutes, or until cooked through and opaque. Drain immediately and rinse briefly under cold water or place in an ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Prep Lobster Meat: Once the lobster tails are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells. (Using kitchen shears to cut down the back of the shell can make this easier). Chop the lobster meat into small, bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an oven-safe 10-12 inch skillet or a similar sized baking dish.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallots and minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and the shallots begin to soften.
- Deglaze with Sherry: Pour in the dry sherry. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the liquid has mostly evaporated. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
- Combine Dip Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped cooked lobster meat, the cooked shallot/garlic mixture, half of the grated white cheddar cheese, the softened cream cheese, sour cream, grated parmesan cheese, chopped fresh oregano, and dijon mustard. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Assemble and Top: Spread the lobster mixture evenly into the prepared oven-safe skillet or baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining half of the grated white cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dip is hot, bubbly, and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with extra chopped fresh oregano, if desired. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve warm with sliced baguette, crackers, or vegetables for dipping.
Notes
- Lobster: Use small lobster tails. Fresh or frozen (thawed) work. Be careful not to overcook when boiling. You can substitute pre-cooked lobster meat or even cooked shrimp or crab meat.
- Sherry: Dry sherry adds a nice flavor. Dry white wine or chicken broth can be substituted if needed.
- Cheeses: Freshly grating the cheddar and Parmesan yields the best melting results. White cheddar is recommended, but sharp yellow cheddar or Gruyère could also work. Ensure cream cheese is well softened.
- Make-Ahead: You can assemble the dip (up to step 7) a few hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.