Gordon Ramsay’s lobster wellington recipe wraps butter-poached lobster tails in sautéed spinach and mushroom duxelles, then seals everything inside puff pastry and bakes at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 25 minutes. It is the most impressive wellington you can make, and it costs about a third of what restaurants charge for the same dish.
Gordon treats this as a special occasion recipe, and I agree because lobster tails are not cheap. But the technique is actually easier than the beef wellington because the lobster cooks in minutes and you do not have to worry about hitting an exact internal temperature.
Try More Wellington Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Beef Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Salmon Wellington
- Beef Wellington: The Complete Guide
How Is This Different From Beef Wellington?
Beef wellington uses raw fillet that cooks inside the pastry, but lobster tails are butter-poached first so they are already cooked when you wrap them. This means the oven time is only about getting the pastry golden, not cooking the protein.
The filling is also lighter: spinach and lemon zest instead of the heavy mushroom duxelles and mustard in the beef version. It feels more like a celebration dish than a hearty winter dinner.
Lobster Wellington Ingredients
- 225g (8 oz) lobster tails (2 to 3 tails), shelled
- 85g (3 oz) unsalted butter, divided
- 280g (10 oz) fresh spinach, wilted and squeezed dry
- 115g (4 oz) chestnut mushrooms (cremini), finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Plain flour (all-purpose flour) for dusting
- Lemon wedges for serving
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Lobster Wellington
- Poach the lobster: Melt half the butter in a pan over medium heat and gently poach the lobster tails for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Cook the spinach: In the same pan, wilt the spinach with garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Squeeze out all excess liquid through a sieve or clean tea towel.
- Cook the mushrooms: Melt the remaining butter, add the chopped mushrooms and thyme, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until completely dry.
- Layer the filling: Roll one sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface, spread the mushrooms in a strip down the centre, add the spinach on top, then place the lobster tails in a row.
- Seal: Brush the pastry edges with egg wash, fold over to enclose the filling, trim excess, and press to seal. Score the top lightly with a knife.
- Chill: Place seam-side down on a lined tray, wrap in cling film (plastic wrap), and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Bake: Brush with egg wash and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and puffed.
- Serve: Rest for 5 minutes, slice with a sharp knife, and serve with lemon wedges.
What Sauce Goes With Lobster Wellington?
A lemon butter sauce is the simplest and best option: melt butter, add lemon juice and a pinch of chives, and spoon it onto the plate. The hollandaise sauce is the richer alternative if you want something more indulgent.
I tried the red wine jus once and it was too heavy for the lobster. Stick with something citrus-based that lets the seafood flavour come through.
What To Serve Alongside
Keep it light: a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette, steamed asparagus with butter, or the cucumber salad because the acidity balances the rich pastry.
Avoid heavy sides like mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables. The lobster and pastry together are already rich enough, and adding more weight makes the plate feel like a beef wellington dinner rather than a seafood one.
Can I Prepare This Ahead?
Yes. Assemble the wellington up to 6 hours ahead and keep it wrapped in cling film in the fridge until you are ready to bake. I would not go longer than that because the pastry starts to absorb moisture from the filling.
Leftovers keep for 1 day in the fridge but the pastry goes soft quickly. Reheat at 180°C (350°F) for 8 to 10 minutes on a wire rack.
FAQs
- What is lobster wellington? It is a wellington made with lobster tails instead of beef fillet, wrapped in spinach, mushrooms, and puff pastry. Think of it as the seafood version of Gordon Ramsay’s signature dish.
- How much does lobster wellington cost at a restaurant? Most upscale restaurants charge £40 to £60 ($50 to $75) per serving. Making it at home costs roughly £15 to £20 for two servings depending on lobster prices.
- Can I use frozen lobster tails? Yes. Thaw them fully in the fridge overnight and pat very dry before poaching. Fresh is better but frozen works fine.
More Seafood Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Chicken Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Turkey Wellington Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Wellington Bites Recipe
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Total Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Protein: 26g
- Total Carbohydrate: 30g
Gordon Ramsay Lobster Wellington Recipe
4
servings25
minutes25
minutes1
hour10
minutesGordon Ramsay’s lobster wellington recipe wraps butter-poached lobster tails in sautéed spinach and mushroom duxelles, then seals everything inside puff pastry and bakes at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 25 minutes. It is the most impressive wellington you can make, and it costs about a third of what restaurants charge for the same dish.
Gordon treats this as a special occasion recipe, and I agree because lobster tails are not cheap. But the technique is actually easier than the beef wellington because the lobster cooks in minutes and you do not have to worry about hitting an exact internal temperature.
Ingredients
225g (8 oz) lobster tails (2 to 3 tails), shelled
85g (3 oz) unsalted butter, divided
280g (10 oz) fresh spinach, wilted and squeezed dry
115g (4 oz) chestnut mushrooms (cremini), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of ½ lemon
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (all-purpose flour) for dusting
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
- Poach the lobster: Melt half the butter in a pan over medium heat and gently poach the lobster tails for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Cook the spinach: In the same pan, wilt the spinach with garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Squeeze out all excess liquid through a sieve or clean tea towel.
- Cook the mushrooms: Melt the remaining butter, add the chopped mushrooms and thyme, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until completely dry.
- Layer the filling: Roll one sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface, spread the mushrooms in a strip down the centre, add the spinach on top, then place the lobster tails in a row.
- Seal: Brush the pastry edges with egg wash, fold over to enclose the filling, trim excess, and press to seal. Score the top lightly with a knife.
- Chill: Place seam-side down on a lined tray, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Bake: Brush with egg wash and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and puffed.
- Serve: Rest for 5 minutes, slice with a sharp knife, and serve with lemon wedges.
