My Mom’s 3-Ingredient Lobster Pie Is the Holiday Recipe I’ll Never Stop Making

We all have those holiday dishes that become a must-have staple on the dinner table. They’re made only for special occasions, spark nostalgia, and get the taste buds revved and ready for a delicious holiday meal. My mom’s three-ingredient Lobster Pie is a Christmas dish that we look forward to all year long. It’s absolutely mouth watering, can be assembled ahead of time, which is a bonus if you’re busy preparing to host, and is just as delicious the next day with a plate of leftovers.

A Non-Negotiable Tradition

The name “Lobster Pie” may sound fancy or complicated, but my mom’s recipe is incredibly simple to prepare. All you need is steamed lobster meat, Ritz crackers, and a whole lot of butter. There is no fancy pie crust preparation or breaking down of lobsters here. My mom saves a great deal of work and time by ordering sweet, plump lobster meat that has already been cooked and extracted. The crackers serve as the “crust,” and provide a fun opportunity for getting kids involved in the cooking process. They are placed in a large bowl or resealable bag, and then roughly crushed by hand before being tossed with the lobster meat. Melted butter brings it all together before baking until bubbly, and then gathering around the table to devour.

How To Make Mom’s Lobster Pie

Ingredients

• 2 pounds cooked and extracted lobster meat (see tips above)
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers or butter crackers, hand crushed
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted and divided

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Place the lobster meat in a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Place the crushed crackers and all but two tablespoons of the butter in a large bowl. Combine by hand until a buttery, crunchy mixture forms. Top the lobster meat with the mixture. Mix some of the cracker mixture into the dish, but leave the majority on top.
3. Bake tented with foil for 20 minutes, gently stirring halfway throughout, until the corners are bubbling. Uncover and drizzle with remaining butter. Bake uncovered for 5 more minutes. Serve warm directly from the baking dish.

Tips For Perfecting This Recipe

• Lobster meat matters. My mom uses meaty lobster claws, knuckles, and tails for this recipe. These parts are juicy, flavorful, and tender, and the sweetness combines beautifully with the nutty, buttery, and salty flavors of the crackers and butter. For the most delicious results, stick to these three parts of the lobster.
• Make sure the lobster meat is dry. Whether you wash your lobster meat or not, lobster meat tends to be wet. In order for the cracker mixture to become crunchy and golden while baking, the lobster meat must be dry. Take a couple of minutes to pat down the meat with paper towels before assembling this dish.
• Unsalted butter is fine, too. My mom uses salted butter for this recipe, and no one ever finds it overly salty. However, if you’re concerned about how salty your final result will be, use unsalted butter instead. If desired, you can taste as you go and add kosher salt to the dish before baking, but this will give you more control over your cooking process.