Chef John's Lobster Thermidor
Lobster Thermidor pairs tender lobster with a light, creamy sauce enriched with shallots, mushrooms, cognac, tarragon, and a touch of cayenne. A breadcrumb and Parmigiano-Reggiano topping adds a savory finish as it bakes, making this an elegant choice for entertaining and convenient to prepare ahead before guests arrive.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook30 mins
- Serves2
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Lobster Thermidor, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 54 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 10 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 34
- Heart Health
- 65
- Metabolic
- 52
- Digestive
- 27
- Inflammatory
- 60
- Performance
- 54
- General Wellness
- 1
Cut the bottom shell of the lobster tails with kitchen shears along each side where it meets the top shell; do not remove the shell at this point.
- 2
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the lobster tails cut side down in the butter. Cook, covered, for about 3 minutes. Turn the lobster tails over; because they are curved, they will lean to one side. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Lean them to the other side, cover, and cook for 1 minute more.
- 3
Remove from the heat. Transfer the lobster tails to a bowl. Remove any shell pieces from the skillet.
- 4
Place butter in the skillet over medium heat; add shallots. Cook and stir until the pan starts to deglaze and the shallots soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook and stir until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the flour; stir until the mushrooms are coated, then cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the cognac; use a kitchen torch to flame it and burn off the alcohol. This will take just a few seconds. Add the milk; cook and stir until the pan is completely deglazed and the milk begins to thicken and bubble, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the crème fraîche. Let cool.
- 5
Remove the lobster meat from the shell, leaving the top shell intact. Remove any bits of bottom shell from the meat.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking pan with crinkled foil. Make 4 channel-like indentations in the foil to hold and stabilize the lobster tails as they bake.
- 7
Slice the lobster meat down the middle and check for and remove any dark veins. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer the meat to a mixing bowl. Add the cooled sauce, tarragon, and cayenne pepper. Stir gently until well blended.
- 8
Divide the mixture among the lobster tail shells and place them in the prepared foil-lined pan. Sprinkle each lobster tail with bread crumbs and grated cheese. Drizzle melted butter over the stuffed shells.
- 9
Bake in the preheated oven until nicely browned and heated through, about 10 minutes. If desired, turn on the broiler and broil for 1 minute, until the tops are golden and crispy.
- Calories 721.66 kcal High 36%
- Protein 54.48 g Good Source 109%
- Carbohydrate 35.14 g 13%
- Total Fat 37.91 g High 49%
- Saturated Fat 21.45 g High 107%
- Trans Fat 0.05 g High --
- Cholesterol 252.77 mg High 84%
- Sodium 524.72 mg High 23%
- Dietary Fiber 7.44 g Good Source 27%
- Total Sugars 7.93 g --
- Added Sugars 2.44 g Low Source 5%
- Calcium 305.56 mg Good Source 24%
- Iron 10.32 mg Good Source 57%
- Potassium 1507.78 mg Good Source 32%
- Vitamin A 47.36 mcg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin C 3.42 mg Low Source 4%
- Vitamin D 1.09 mcg Low Source 5%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Shellfish 🦐
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Onions 🧅
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Chef John's Lobster Thermidor is made with 14 ingredients and serves 2. It takes about 50 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Bread Crumbs, Butter, and Cayenne Pepper. Each serving provides about 721.66 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Lobster Thermidor made of?
- The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Bread Crumbs, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Cognac. The full list of 14 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Lobster Thermidor?
- About 50 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 721.66 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Lobster Thermidor easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 14 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Chef John's Lobster Thermidor healthy?
- Chef John's Lobster Thermidor has an easyChef Pro health score of 50/100. Per serving, it provides 721.66 calories and 54.48 g of protein, or 109% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron and potassium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 524.72 mg (23% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 21.45 g (107% of the Daily Value). It contains Shellfish, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
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