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Have guests coming over and need to impress without resorting to the old standby recipes? Spicy Lobster Pasta with Sungold Tomato Sauce is the kind of dish that says, “I went all out for you”—because, let’s be real, lobster isn’t exactly a budget-friendly ingredient. But when company’s coming, it’s time to pull out the stops. This pasta is decadent, rich, and bursting with fresh summer flavors, thanks to sweet Sungold tomatoes and a luxurious mascarpone-laden sauce. It’s a little spicy, a lot indulgent, and just the thing to make your guests feel like they’re dining at a five-star restaurant—without anyone realizing you’re secretly glad to have an excuse to splurge.
It’s rich, flavorful, and just the right amount of spicy. Plus, there’s a Sungold tomato sauce so smooth it’s like silk wrapped around every strand of pasta. Forget reservations—this is dinner with a serious wow factor, and you didn’t even have to leave your house.
The History of Lobster Pasta
Lobster pasta is far from a new concept. It’s a love letter from coastal Italy, where seafood and pasta are daily companions. Traditionally, lobster pasta (think: Lobster Fra Diavolo) has been heavy on tomatoes, garlic, and fiery chili flakes. I’ve been seeing lobster pastas all over social media lately from fancy Italian-American restaurants with impossible-to-get reservations. So, I thought why not bring this recipe home instead of waiting to have it at a restaurant you’ll never get into?
The dish embodies everything that’s great about Italian cuisine: simplicity, fresh ingredients, and flavors that punch you right in the taste buds. This version stays true to that classic spirit but gets a modern facelift with buttery Sungold tomatoes, creamy mascarpone, and a hit of homemade spicy breadcrumbs to bring in some crunch. The result? A dish that’s as much about texture as it is about flavor.
What’s Traditionally in Lobster Pasta?
Classic lobster pasta often includes a straightforward tomato sauce—typically made with San Marzano tomatoes—garlic, white wine, and a pinch of heat (usually from chili flakes). It’s all about balance, letting the lobster shine while the sauce supports it with a rich, flavorful backdrop. And don’t forget the fresh herbs, usually parsley or tarragon, adding brightness to the otherwise luxurious, savory flavors.
But we’re not exactly making a “traditional” lobster pasta here, are we? Sungold cherry tomatoes bring a natural sweetness that plays off the subtle brininess of the lobster, and the mascarpone adds a creaminess you won’t find in your nonna’s pasta bowl. It’s a little different but in the best way possible.
How to Make Spicy Lobster Pasta with Sungold Tomato Sauce
Now that we’ve gotten the history lesson out of the way, let’s talk technique. This recipe has a few moving parts, but nothing too overwhelming. Just keep an eye on that lobster—you don’t want to overcook those sweet, tender chunks!
1. The Spicy Breadcrumbs
First, you’re going to make some spicy breadcrumbs that’ll sit on top of the pasta like the world’s most flavorful confetti and add some much-needed texture. Chili oil, garlic, and lemon zest are key players here, giving you crunch with a kick. My pro tip? Don’t skip the anchovy in the breadcrumb mix—it’s barely noticeable but gives the whole dish a savory depth that’s worth the extra effort.
2. The Sungold Tomato Sauce
This sauce is the crown jewel. Sungolds are the tomato of the gods, so their natural sweetness works perfectly with the rich lobster. You’ll puree them with garlic and cream to make a sauce that’s like velvet. Strain it because the little bits of tomato skin really take away from the luxurious texture, and simmer it down with whole cherry tomatoes until they burst like juicy flavor bombs in the pan.
3. Marrying Pasta and Sauce
Once your pasta is cooked (don’t forget to save some pasta water!), it’s all about tossing it together with that gorgeous sauce and a good dose of mascarpone, butter, and Parm. Don’t rush this part—you want the sauce to be glossy and thick, clinging to every noodle. Add in your lobster chunks last so that they don’t overcook, and finish with a sprinkle of those spicy breadcrumbs. Seriously, that’s the moment you’ll want to take a picture.
4. Specialty Ingredients
I used a couple very special ingredients—Calabrian chili oil and Calabrian chili flakes, and lobster bouillon. I used Frankies 457 Spicy Calabrian Chili Oil, which was surprisingly spicy (in a good way!). So often, things labeled spicy are barely hot, but this one lived up to its name. You can also find high-quality chili oils from Brightland and Enzo. I also used Michele Ferrante controne pepper flakes, which I recently had sprinkled on fried squash blossoms at Monteverde in Chicago and immediately bought when I got home. The lobster bouillon helps amp up the flavor, especially because we’re not using lobster shells or stock to add more flavor. You, of course, don’t need these products, but if you’re into trying new specialty ingredients, these are worth buying.
Equipment Needed
- Chef’s knife
- Plastic cutting board
- Immersion blender
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Glass mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measuring cups
- Microplane
- 12-inch stainless-steel skillet with lid
- 6 quart rondeau pot with lid
- Wooden spoon
- 8-cup food processor
- Colander
- 12-inch stainless-steel tongs
Tips & Tricks for the Best Lobster Pasta
- Use fresh lobster if you can. It’s worth it. Frozen works too, but fresh lobster adds that extra bit of sweetness and tenderness.
- Toast the breadcrumbs until they’re golden and crispy. You want them to have a real crunch factor to contrast with the creamy sauce.
- Sungold tomatoes are ideal for their sweetness, but you can use regular cherry tomatoes if needed. The sauce will still be delicious, but it won’t have that natural sweetness that Sungolds bring.
- Don’t rush the sauce. Let it reduce and thicken slowly for the best depth of flavor.
- Save some pasta water. This is your magic sauce-finishing ingredient. It helps make the sauce clingy and glossy without being too thick.
What’s better than a creamy, buttery sauce that’s just the right amount of sweet and spicy? Not much. Imagine that first bite—tender lobster that melts in your mouth, paired with pasta that’s been slicked with a sauce so rich you want to bathe in it. Then, a surprise: the crunch of those spicy breadcrumbs, giving the dish just the right amount of textural contrast. The bright, sweet tomatoes burst in your mouth, and there’s a subtle hint of heat that lingers on your tongue just long enough to make you reach for another bite. And the smell? A heavenly mix of garlic, butter, and lobster—basically, all the best things in life.
Spicy Lobster Pasta with Sungold Tomato Sauce is that perfect intersection of comfort food and fancy night out—all in your own kitchen. It’s rich but balanced, spicy but not overpowering, and just fancy enough to impress anyone you serve it to. Trust me, you’ll be dreaming about this dish long after the plates are cleared.
Happy cooking!
Spicy Lobster Pasta with Sungold Tomato Sauce
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Impress your guests with this decadent Spicy Lobster Pasta, featuring sweet Sungold tomatoes, a rich mascarpone sauce, and crispy, spicy breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
SPICY BREADCRUMBS:
- 2 tablespoons chili oil (substitute with extra-virgin olive oil if needed and add more chili flakes, if desired), plus more for finishing the dish
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 finely minced anchovy, optional
- Pinch of chili flakes
- 1 small garlic clove, grated on a microplane
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
LOBSTER PASTA:
- 16 ounces Sungold cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon lobster bouillon, optional
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 sprigs tarragon
- 8 ounces red cherry tomatoes (or more Sungolds, if desired)
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, ground in a food processor, plus more for serving if desired
- Splash of white wine vinegar, to taste
- 1 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-sized chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces long pasta, such as fettuccine, linguine, riccia, fusilli con buco, etc.
- 1–2 Fresno chiles, very thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
- Add the chili oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the breadcrumbs, minced anchovy, chili flakes, and grated garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5–7 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the lemon zest, chives, and tarragon. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside and wipe out the skillet.
- Put a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
- To make the Sungold tomato sauce: Using an immersion blender (or blender), combine the Sungolds, garlic cloves, and heavy cream; puree until as smooth as possible. Strain the mixture into a small mixing bowl.
- Heat the large skillet over medium heat; once hot, add the olive oil, shallot, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the chili flakes and lobster bouillon, if using. Cook for about 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the wine has almost completely reduced. Add the tomato puree and whole tarragon sprigs, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture has begun to reduce. Stir in the whole cherry tomatoes. Cook for an additional 12–16 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thick and the cherry tomatoes have started to soften and burst.
- In the meantime, cook the pasta in salted water to al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
- Once the sauce is thickened, remove the tarragon sprigs. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the mascarpone and butter. Once mixed, gradually add the Parmesan, stirring until fully melted. Season to taste with a splash of white wine vinegar, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Raise the heat to medium-low and stir in the lobster chunks to warm through. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Cook for an additional 1–2 minutes to marry the sauce and pasta, adding pasta water as needed to adjust the consistency to keep it glossy and saucy enough to coat the noodles. To serve, top the pasta with the spicy breadcrumbs and Fresno chilies, if using. Optionally, drizzle with a little chili oil when serving.
Equipment
12-inch stainless-steel skillet with lid
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- Category: Fish & Seafood, Italian-Inspired, Pasta & Noodles, Fancy Food