If you love creamy Thai-inspired flavours and perfectly cooked whole lobsters, this Coconut Curry Lobster is a must-try! Tender PEI lobster is gently warmed in a silky coconut-red curry sauce, served over fragrant coconut rice, and paired with sautéed vegetables for a restaurant-worthy meal at home. It's elegant, fresh, and easier to make than it looks.
There is something special about cooking with ingredients that carry a story. Prince Edward Island lobster arrives with the spirit of the Island in every bite. It is wild caught by local fishers who carry on generations of tradition, built on respect for the water and the community it sustains. Their care is the reason this lobster is so tender, sweet, and full of flavour.
For this recipe, we wanted every part of the dish to shine. Warm coconut rice nestled into the lobster shell, crisp sautéed vegetables for colour and texture, and a fragrant coconut curry that gently reheats the lobster meat until it is silky and succulent. It is a dish that feels celebratory but also approachable for a weeknight dinner at home.
PEI lobster is available no matter where you are with overnight shipping straight to your door, you can bring a taste of Prince Edward Island, Canada's Food Island anywhere you are. Pair that with PEI's rich food culture and you can create a beautiful Island inspired meal from your own kitchen.
Prince Edward Island is Canada's Food Island for a reason. The land and sea work together in harmony, creating world class ingredients shaped by iron rich soil, clean coastal waters, and salt filled air. From the fishers hauling traps at sunrise to the chefs who bring these ingredients to the plate, the Island's food story is built on community, craftsmanship, and pride in every harvest.
This recipe was created in collaboration with Lobster PEI and Food Island Partnership Canada's Food Island, to celebrate what their people grow, catch, and create. When you cook with ingredients from the Island, you are not just making dinner. You are connecting with a place where food is a way of life and where sharing it brings people together.
Explore the taste of the Island and share it with the world.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Restaurant quality at home: Impress guests with a fine-dining dish that's surprisingly approachable.
- Bright and balanced: Creamy coconut, zesty lime, and warm curry paste create the perfect balance of flavours.
- Fresh from the source: PEI lobster is available no matter where you are with overnight shipping straight to your door, you can bring a taste of Prince Edward Island, Canada's Food Island anywhere you are.
- Meal prep friendly: Make the sauce and rice ahead, then assemble before serving.
- Easy to scale: Double the recipe for entertaining or make half for an intimate dinner.
About PEI Lobster
Last year, we had the pleasure of visiting Prince Edward Island – Canada's Food Island and witnessing firsthand how the land and sea work in harmony to create some of the world's best food. Meeting the local fishers and seeing their deep respect for the ocean gave us an even greater appreciation for PEI lobster. Caught by dedicated fishers who uphold generations of tradition, PEI lobster is known for its tender, sweet meat and rich flavour. It's more than an ingredient; it's a reflection of the Island's care, craftsmanship and community. You can read more about our experience in PEI in our 3-part blog post.
Ingredients
Lobster
- Whole PEI lobsters, live or cooked
- Sea salt (if cooking live)
Coconut Rice
- Jasmine rice
- Coconut milk
- Water
- Sea salt
- Lime zest
Coconut-Curry Sauce
- Avocado oil (Neutral oil)
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Red curry paste
- Coconut milk
- Vegetable stock or water
- Fish sauce
- Brown sugar
- Lime
Sautéed Vegetables
- Neutral oil
- Bok choy
- Red bell pepper
- Zucchini
- Snap peas
- Green onion
- Red chili
- Sea salt
To Finish
- Fresh cilantro or microgreens
- Lime wedges
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the Lobsters
If using live PEI lobster, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook for 8 minutes until bright red and just cooked through. Transfer to a tray to cool slightly.
Halve the lobsters lengthwise with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Remove the tomalley (green-brown substance), rinse, and pat the shells dry for plating. Optional: remove claw meat for presentation.
If using pre-cooked lobster, halve and clean as above.
Prepare the Coconut-Curry Sauce
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and ginger; sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
Whisk in coconut milk and stock, then simmer gently for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Make the Coconut Rice
Combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 12-14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and stir in lime zest. Keep warm.
Sauté the Vegetables
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bok choy, bell pepper, and zucchini; sauté for 2 minutes. Add snap peas, green onion, and chili (if using). Season lightly with salt and cook for another minute. Vegetables should remain crisp and colourful.
Warm the Lobster
Add lobster meat to the warm curry sauce and heat gently for 2-3 minutes. Avoid boiling. Remove and keep warm while plating.
Plate and Serve
Place two lobster halves on each plate. Spoon coconut rice into one of the body cavities, top with sautéed vegetables, and drizzle curry sauce around the lobster, letting some run over the tail and claws. Garnish with cilantro or microgreens and serve with lime wedges.
Plating Option 2 – Lobster Out of the Shell: For easier serving, remove the lobster meat from the shells. Slice the tail into medallions and arrange over a bed of coconut rice. Spoon sautéed vegetables around the lobster and drizzle with curry sauce. Garnish with cilantro or microgreens and a lime wedge.
How to Crack Open a Lobster
| Twist Off the Claws: Hold the body with one hand and twist off each claw at the joint. Separate the smaller claw (the pincer) from the larger section. |
| Crack the Claws: Use a lobster cracker or the back of a knife to crack the larger part of the claw gently. Pull the shell apart and extract the meat in one piece if possible. |
| Remove the Lobster Tail: Grab the tail with one hand and the body with the other, then twist to separate. Press down on the top of the tail to crack it slightly, then gently pull the shell apart to release the tail meat. |
| Extract the Tail Meat: Once the tail is free, use a fork to push out the meat from the wide end. Remove and discard the dark vein that runs along the top. |
| Remove the Legs and Body Meat: Twist off the smaller legs and use a rolling pin to roll out the meat. If you’re feeling adventurous, crack open the body to find pockets of sweet meat. |
Tips & Substitutions
- Use pre-cooked lobster: Save time by ordering pre-cooked PEI lobster-just warm it gently in the sauce.
- Curry control: Start with 1 tablespoon of curry paste, then add more to reach your preferred heat level.
- Rice alternative: Try brown jasmine rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a lighter option.
Love this Lobster Curry? Try these recipes next:
- Lobster and Eggs
- Grilled Lobster with a Mango-Jalapeño Salsa
- Risotto with Lobster
- Grilled Lobster Mac and Cheese
📖 Recipe
Coconut Curry Lobster with Sautéed Vegetables and Coconut Rice
Ingredients
Lobster
- 2 whole PEI lobsters 1.25 lb each, live or cooked
- Sea salt for boiling water (if cooking live)
Coconut Rice
- 1 cup jasmine rice rinsed
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Zest of ½ lime
Coconut-Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or neutral oil
- 1 small shallot finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
- 1 – 2 tablespoons red curry paste to taste
- 1½ cups coconut milk
- ½ cup vegetable stock or water
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Juice of ½ lime
Sautéed Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 4 mini bok choy sliced lengthwise
- ½ red bell pepper thinly sliced
- ½ small zucchini thinly sliced into half-moons
- ½ cup snap peas trimmed
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 small red chili finely chopped (optional)
- Sea salt to taste
To Finish
- Fresh cilantro or microgreens
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Prepare the Lobsters
- If using live PEI lobsters, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cook for 8 minutes until bright red and just cooked through. Transfer to a tray to cool slightly.
- Halve the lobsters lengthwise with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Remove the tomalley (green-brown substance), rinse, and pat the shells dry for plating. Optional: remove claw meat for presentation.
- If using pre-cooked lobsters, halve and clean as above.
Prepare the Coconut-Curry Sauce
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic, and ginger; sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in coconut milk and stock, then simmer gently for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Make the Coconut Rice
- Combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 12-14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and stir in lime zest. Keep warm.
Sauté the Vegetables
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bok choy, bell pepper, and zucchini; sauté for 2 minutes. Add snap peas, green onion, and chili (if using). Season lightly with salt and cook for another minute. Vegetables should remain crisp and colourful
Warm the Lobster
- Add lobster meat to the warm curry sauce and heat gently for 2-3 minutes. Avoid boiling. Remove and keep warm while plating.
Plate and Serve
- Plating Option 1:Place two lobster halves on each plate. Spoon coconut rice into the body cavity, top with sautéed vegetables, and drizzle curry sauce around the lobster, letting some run over the tail and claws.Plating Option 2: Lobster Out of the ShellFor easier serving, remove the lobster meat from the shells. Slice the tail into medallions and arrange over a bed of coconut rice. Spoon sautéed vegetables around the lobster and drizzle with curry sauce. Garnish with cilantro or microgreens and a lime wedge.
- Garnish with cilantro or microgreens and serve with lime wedges.
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