18 Herbs and Spices That Season Lobster to Perfection

With its delicate and sweet taste, fresh lobster can almost stand on its own. However, you can enhance its natural flavour profile significantly using certain herbs and spices.

Many lobster recipes, ranging from Thermidor to langouste a la vanille to lobster rolls, rely on these seasonings to achieve their distinctive and popular flavours. In this article, we will examine 18 of these tried and true herbs and spices.

If you’re looking to create a classic and mouth-watering lobster recipe, or a creative and enticing lobster-based product, contact the seafood processing and ingredients supplier experts at Hela Spice.

18 Herbs and Spices to Use With Lobster

1. Bay leaves

Bay leaves possess a floral, albeit slightly bitter, taste and aroma that is akin to thyme or oregano. They’re more bitter and pungent while fresh, whereas dried leaves taste more herbal. Its flavour combines beautifully with the natural sweetness of lobster.

2. Basil

Basil is a sweet and savoury herb with notes of mint, anise, and pepper. It’s a pungent and aromatic ingredient, yet still flexible enough to combine with other flavours easily. Consequently, it won’t overwhelm the lobster’s original flavour, instead maintaining a delicate (and delectable balance).

3. Caraway seeds

Although small in size, caraway seeds pack a flavourful punch. They’re full of natural oils, resulting in an explosion of unique flavours in dishes. The flavour is nutty, sharp, and bittersweet, with hints of anise and citrus. A little goes a long way.

4. Chives

Chives have a delicate and mildly onion-like flavour that adds a delicious zing to lobster marinades. They can also be added to cream sauces, like a simple butter sauce. They’re a great alternative to leeks and red or yellow onions.

5. Cayenne pepper

If you want to add a little heat to your lobster recipe, then look no further than cayenne pepper. Cayenne has a slightly sweet and fruity flavour profile that’s less smoky than other dried ground chiles. It pairs perfectly with the lobster’s sweetness, resulting in a plate full of flavour.

6. Celery

Celery is an essential ingredient in the mayonnaise-based filling of lobster rolls. Not only does it add a fantastic crunch to the creamy filling, but it also delivers a tasty umami element with its savoury grassiness.

7. Dill

Dill is lemony, sweet, and bright with a subtle grassy undertone. Its flavour falls somewhere between parsley, anise, and celery. The sweetness of dill is the perfect match for the sweetness of the lobster. Combine for a delicately tasty dish.

8. Lemongrass

Bursting with citrus tones and a hint of ginger, lemongrass is an ideal addition for lobster sauces. It possesses notes of mint and ginger, and is wonderfully tangy without any bitterness. If your dish has Asian influences, then lemongrass is an easy choice.

9. Mint

Mint cuts through the rich tastes typical of many lobster sauces, creating a dynamic and delectable flavour profile. It has a slight tang, sharpness, and sweetness. However, using too much can overpower the lobster.

10. Mustard

No lobster Thermidor is complete without mustard. It’s also a key ingredient in the mayonnaise of lobster rolls. Moreover, you can season grilled lobster tails with whole mustard seeds. The tanginess and mild heat of mustard enhance the mildness of lobster and balance out the richness of creamy sauces.

11. Parsley

Parsley has the power to brighten lobster dishes, bringing balance to the savoury flavours with its mildly bitter and earthy qualities. Its taste is clean, peppery, and just a little earthy. Plus, its vibrant green colour is a beautiful addition to your lobster.

12. Paprika

Paprika is a versatile spice with a subtle earthiness and sweet, peppery taste. Most paprika have a very mild heat, although some varieties are more fiery (or smoky). Milder paprika is an easy choice for adding excitement and just a little bit of spice without worrying about making the dish too hot.

13. Tarragon

Tarragon is one of the main herbs used in French cooking and is a popular ingredient for seafood dishes. Its flavour is lightly licorice, slightly minty, and bittersweet with notes of eucalyptus. The taste is comparable to anise. Aromatic and delicate, it’s often used to balance the heavy creaminess of Thermidor and bisque recipes.

14. Thyme

Like tarragon, thyme commonly appears in French dishes and seafood recipes. It’s famously used in lobster bisque, as well as in butter sauces served with grilled lobster. Thyme is subtle, dry, peppery, and slightly minty with a clove-like sensation.

15. Rosemary

Rosemary is an essential herb when seasoning lobster. Its distinctive taste and aroma perfectly complement classic lobster dishes. It possesses an earthy and woody flavour profile with notes of lemon, pepper, and mint. Plus, it blends beautifully with other herbs, like thyme and oregano.

16. Sage

Sage is another classic choice for lobster dishes. It adds a touch of warmth to mild lobster or, conversely, transforms butter-based sauces into something truly irresistible. Sage has a pungent herbal flavour profile that is full of earthy, pine, and woody tones. It’s also slightly peppery with notes of lemon, mint, and eucalyptus.

17. Shallots

Shallots belong to the same family as onions and garlic, so their flavour profile contains elements of both of these ingredients. As a result, it makes for an excellent addition to lobster recipes. With its delicate flavour, it won’t overpower the lobster.

18. Vanilla

Vanilla may be an uncommon ingredient in savoury seafood recipes; however, it can be the perfect choice if you’re looking to create a unique and enticing dish. The national dish of the Comoros Islands is langouste a la vanille, which features a vanilla sauce with lobster. The vanilla brings a fragrant sweetness to the rich cream and wine sauce.

Hela Spice: North America’s Top Seafood Processing and Ingredients Supplier

Hela Spice combines outstanding flavours and fresh catch to create best-selling seafood products. We specialize in the formulation and product development of a wide range of seafood-based culinary creations. Contact us today to learn how to pack the fine flavours of lobster into canned, finely plated, sauce, broth, and spread offerings.

To learn more about our services as a seafood processing and ingredients supplier, visit us at www.helaspice.com or contact us here.