Lobster Roll Salad with creamy buttermilk dressing brings all the familiar lobster roll flavors to a crisp, refreshing salad. This easy recipe highlights cooked lobster, crisp romaine, and a tangy buttermilk-mayo dressing, and it comes together in about 25 minutes—perfect for quick summer meals or when you have leftover lobster meat.
If you enjoy the classic lobster roll, you’ll love this deconstructed version. Tender lobster meat is tossed with crunchy celery, cucumber, and creamy avocado, then finished with a bright buttermilk dressing and buttery brioche croutons for texture. It’s a lighter, low-carb alternative to the sandwich while keeping the signature flavors.
What is a Lobster Roll?
A lobster roll is a New England classic: chunks of cooked lobster tossed in a mayonnaise-based dressing with a touch of lemon and herbs, served in a buttered, toasted split-top bun. The contrast between sweet lobster and a warm, buttery roll is what makes it so iconic.
Lobster Roll Salad
This Lobster Roll Salad takes the same ingredients and flavors but serves them over romaine with brioche croutons instead of a bun. The dressing—made from buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon, and chives—keeps the salad creamy and flavorful without overwhelming the lobster.
The salad includes romaine for crunch, avocado for creaminess, cucumber and celery for freshness, and lobster for the star flavor. Toasted brioche cubes tossed in melted butter become crunchy, buttery croutons that echo the taste of a classic lobster roll bun. This dish works well as a light main course or an elegant starter.
Ingredients
- Bread: soft brioche or similar rolls, cut into cubes for croutons.
- Butter: unsalted, melted to coat the brioche cubes.
- Buttermilk: low-fat buttermilk adds a tangy base to the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: regular or light, to create a creamy dressing.
- Lemon: fresh lemon juice brightens the dressing; lemon wedges are optional for serving.
- Chives: fresh chives give a delicate onion note; green onions or tarragon are good substitutes.
- Seasonings: kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Optional Old Bay for a coastal spice.
- Lettuce: romaine hearts, sliced for crunch.
- Celery: thinly sliced for texture.
- Cucumber: peeled and diced for freshness.
- Avocado: peeled and diced for creaminess.
- Lobster: about 8 ounces (just under 1 pound) cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped. Cooked shrimp or lump crab can be substituted.
How to Cook Uncooked Lobster
To cook live lobsters, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (roughly 2 tablespoons salt per gallon). Submerge lobsters and boil about 10–12 minutes for a 1-pound lobster, adding 2–3 minutes per additional pound. When shells turn bright red, remove and cool in an ice bath or let rest briefly before cracking and removing the meat.
How to Make Lobster Roll Salad
This salad is quick to assemble and ideal for summer cookouts or an easy weeknight meal. Follow the steps below to make the brioche croutons, prepare the dressing, and combine everything into a bright, satisfying salad.
Step 1: Make Brioche Croutons
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Arrange brioche cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until they are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with melted butter; set aside to cool.
Step 2: Make the Buttermilk Dressing
In a bowl or mason jar, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chopped chives, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
Step 3: Prepare Lobster Roll Salad
In a large bowl, combine sliced romaine, celery, diced cucumber, avocado, and the chopped cooked lobster. Drizzle the buttermilk dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat without mashing the avocado. Divide among four bowls and finish with the toasted brioche croutons on top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Recipe Tips
- Use soft brioche or similar rolls to echo the texture of a traditional lobster roll bun.
- If lobster is unavailable, cooked diced shrimp or lump crab make excellent substitutes.
- The salad is best enjoyed immediately; the croutons will lose their crunch and the avocado may brown if stored too long.
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If you try this Lobster Roll Salad, please leave a rating in the recipe card below and share your feedback in the comments.
Lobster Roll Salad
Ingredients
- 4 slices brioche bread (cut into cubes)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons diced chives
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 hearts romaine lettuce, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
- 8 ounces cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place brioche cubes on a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with melted butter; set aside.
- In a medium bowl or mason jar, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, salt, and pepper until combined; set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, combine romaine, celery, cucumber, avocado, and lobster. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Divide the salad among four bowls and top with toasted brioche cubes. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Soft brioche rolls mimic the texture of a classic Maine lobster roll—use them if available.
- Substitute cooked diced shrimp or lump crab if lobster is not accessible.
- Best served immediately; leftovers will lose crouton crunch and avocado may brown.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 16 g
| Protein: 14 g
| Fat: 19 g
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