Maine Lobster Ravioli Pink Sauce Recipe

The weather is getting warmer here in New England and you know what we love in the summer months for date night? Seafood! Especially Maine lobster. There is no shortage of lobster rolls anywhere you go in New England and I’ve certainly had my fair share, but do you know what’s even better? Lobster ravioli with creamy pink sauce. 

Pink lobster ravioli sauce pairs PERFECTLY with this seafood dish. The delicious blend of fresh herbs, creamy textures, and a pop of tang from the tomato and wine make this meal so amazing, you’ll need seconds! It’s not only the flavor and taste of this sauce, but the texture that makes it perfect. Fresh ravioli is a thick meal that needs a creamy sauce when it comes to texture, and this lobster ravioli sauce recipe does just the trick.

What is “pink lobster ravioli sauce”?

This creamy lobster ravioli sauce is pink in color and made of heavy cream, butter, fresh herbs and seasonings, garlic, shallots, tomato, white wine, and a dash of something that gives an extra bite. I went with lemon juice for my recipe as it gives the sauce a bright taste, but I’ve seen other cooks use a shot of a strong liquor instead. I must say, this is the BEST sauce when it comes to lobster dishes. The taste is similar to vodka sauce, but is less tomato based with a lobster flavor.

My recipe uses lobster in the sauce and NOT the ravioli which is great since lobster ravioli can be hard to find. Use regular ravioli with lobster meat in the sauce or use lobster ravioli without the lobster in the sauce if you’re short on time. Lobster tails are also a time saver in comparison to a whole lobster so keep that in mind too. Both variations will be excellent.

One thing I couldn’t help but notice is that many lobster ravioli sauce recipes use a lemon garlic butter sauce. That is an excellent way to enjoy this meal, too! But if you’re looking for a thicker and robust sauce that influences the taste of the dish, go with the pink lobster sauce. Lobster meat and ravioli are somewhat mild tasting naturally. Pink sauce allows for a flood of flavor to really bring out the beauty in this seafood dish.

The difference between my pink lobster sauce and other pink sauces out there is that it actually has an entire lobster in it. Yes, I cut up a whole lobster and put the succulent, shredded lobster meat right into the sauce. This means that technically you can use regular ravioli if you’d like, and it would still be lobster ravioli.

What are the differences between lobster types?

Two points I want to cover here; taste differences between lobster species and differences between the lobster parts. What lobster you choose may affect the flavor or texture of this dish. There are 75 types of lobster in the world, but in North America, we mainly eat Maine Lobster, Canadian Lobster, Florida Spiny Lobster, and California Spiny Lobster.

Maine Lobster – the most eaten type of lobster in the United States, also called American Lobster. 80% of lobsters eaten in the US are from Maine. The meat is sweet and claws are large.

Canadian Lobster – larger than the Maine lobster, this lobster offers more meat within its shell. Although they offer more meat with larger claws, the texture is a bit more firm and less sweet than Maine lobster. They are also less expensive due to these reasons – perfect if you’re having a large cookout.

Florida Spiny Lobster – Any warm water lobster is going to have smaller claws. This is a downside because I find the claws to have the best meat! What people do like about this lobster is the tail meat although it is not as sweet as Maine lobster. It goes well in soups and gumbos.

California Spiny Lobster – many mixed reviews on this one. They also have no claws, so if you’re a big claw meat fan, this may not be your favorite. There is a blend of both chewy and “creamy” meat within the shell that has nutty flavor. Since Chinese prefer the flavor of this lobster over Maine, most of these are exported to China rather than eaten in the US.

Now, let’s discuss the flavor and texture differences between lobster parts. The most commonly seen part of lobster to be eaten is the tail. Purchasing the tails are much more convenient that using the whole lobster. A whole fresh lobster holds the risk of being packed with eggs (which are edible and even tasty, by the way), and has many crevices that can make it difficult to get to the meat. For tails, all you need is one cut into the tail and the meat is out in the open.

I personally prefer the whole fresh lobster because although it takes more time to remove all of the meat, you will get a better blend of all flavors and textures. This is what makes recipes unique – slightly different elements in every bite! The boiling of the shell also makes an excellent stock to get more bang for your buck.

How to Store Leftover Lobster Ravioli Pink Sauce

Since seafood is involved, it is best to eat leftovers within 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It holds up VERY well in the freezer and will last for up to 6 months. Honestly, it is so good that you likely won’t be able to keep your hands off of it for that long!

How to Reheat Lobster Ravioli

I always prefer to reheat this meal on the stovetop over medium heat that way it heats evenly. You can also reheat it in the microwave if you’re eating it at work or are short on time – just stir it halfway through.

Where to Buy Lobster Ravioli

The most popular place to get store-bought lobster ravioli is Trader Joe’s. The Trader Joe brand has lobster meat as the first ingredient which is great (especially if you’re paranoid about what goes into food like me)! There will be no chunks though as it is finely shredded.

Other grocery stores such as Walmart sell Giovanni Rana Maine lobster ravioli and Target sells their own brand, but both are pretty mediocre. The lobster taste didn’t shine through too much with these brands in my experience. However – if you use my recipe that will not matter as there is lobster meat in the sauce!

I wanted to provide the option of using lobster ravioli as an alternative to not having to cook lobster to put in the sauce, but I prefer it cooked into the sauce. It gives it a more “delectable seafood” flavor if that makes sense.

Ingredients

• 1 Maine Lobster – enough to give you 1 full cup of meat. Make sure it’s fully cooked
• ½ cup heavy cream – to thicken the sauce
• ½ cup whole milk – to still add to the creaminess but lighten the load of heavy cream
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese – shredded or grated
• 3 tbsp tomato paste – Cento brand is my favorite. This can be swapped out with tomato sauce if you use twice the amount.
• 2 shallots – peeled and finely minced
• 5 cloves garlic – peeled and minced or pushed through a garlic press
• ¼ cup dry white wine – Sauvignon Blanc is what I used but a dry Pinot Grigio works great too
• ½ lemon – for fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tbsp butter – kerrygold as always!
• 4 leaves fresh basil – fresh basil will give more of an aroma
• 1 tsp thyme – dry or fresh
• 1 tsp parsley – dry or fresh
• Salt and crushed red pepper flakes– to taste preference

How to Make Lobster Ravioli Pink Sauce

Step one – lobster. I used a 1 ¼ pound lobster and boiled it in a large pot of salted water for 10 minutes. This is my favorite cooker for lobster if you’re into cool blue colors! It turned out great. Save the water for making a lobster stock if you’d like! Set the cooked lobster to the side until cooled.