Seafood Lasagna Roll Ups with Lobster Bisque Sauce
This elegant seafood dish reimagines traditional lasagna as sophisticated, individual roll ups. You are going to love how the creamy filling, a blend of succulent minced shrimp, sweet lobster meat, and silky ricotta, melds perfectly with the bright notes of lemon zest and fresh basil! By simmering these rolls in a rich lobster bisque base rather than a standard marinara, you create a decadent meal that feels like high-end restaurant fare but is surprisingly manageable at home.
Ingredients
Lasagna Roll-Up Noodles
- 8 dry lasagna noodles "riccia" wavy-edged sheets
Shrimp & Lobster Filling
- 6 oz raw shrimp, Argentinian shrimp 170 g peeled, deveined, pat dried and very finely minced
- 3 oz cooked lobster tail meat 85 g finely chopped and well dried
- 5 oz whole milk ricotta 150 g very well drained
- 1 tablespoon mascarpone
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil very finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove microplaned
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- White pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoon finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano + extra for finishing
Lobster Bisque Base
- 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot very finely minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup dry white wine or dry rosé 60 ml
- 1 cup lobster stock or seafood stock 240 ml
- ¾ cup 35% heavy cream 180 ml
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Fine salt to taste
- Optional - ½ teaspoon lobster stock concentrate
Instructions
Boil the Lobster Tails, if they are not Already Cooked
- If you don't have access to a fishmonger who will steam and crack them for you, here's how you can boil them:Bring a pot of well-salted water to a gentle simmer. Not a rolling boil. Add the lobster tails straight from frozen.Simmer gently until just cooked: Small tails 85 to 115 g each: 5 to 7 minutes, Medium tails115 to 170 g each: 7 to 9 minutesThe shells will turn bright red, and the meat will be opaque. Remove immediately and transfer to an ice bath for 2 minutes to stop cooking.
Chop and Dry Lobster Meat
- Remove meat from the shell. Chop finely with a knife. Spread on paper towel. Pat dry thoroughly. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, then pat again if needed. The meat should feel dry to the touch, not glossy or wet.
Prepare the Seafood Filling
- In a medium bowl, gently combine the minced shrimp, chopped lobster, drained ricotta, mascarpone, lemon zest, basil, garlic, salt, white pepper, and Parmigiano. Mix just until the ingredients are cohesive. Do not overwork the mixture. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble.
Boil the Pasta
- Bring 4 to 5 liters of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add salt to taste. Boil the lasagna sheets uncovered according to package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain the pasta and lay the sheets out on a sheet pan lightly brushed with olive oil to keep them separate.
Prepare the Lobster Bisque Base
- Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat in an 8-inch skillet. Add the shallot and cook gently until soft and translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns a deep brick-red. Deglaze the pan with wine and reduce until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Stir in the cream, stock, smoked paprika, and white pepper. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt. Set aside 4-6 tablespoons of the sauce and pour the rest into a small 2-quart saucepan.
Assemble the Roll-Ups
- Lay two pieces of pasta down, overlapping them by 1 inch in the middle to create one long strip. Repeat until you have 4 long rows. Divide the filling into four equal portions. Spread the filling in a thin, even layer along the length of each strip, but leave room at the ends. Grate extra Parmigiano Reggiano over the filling.
- Starting at one end, gently roll the pasta. Do not roll too tightly or the filling will squeeze out the sides. Turn the roll so the "pinwheel" side faces up and nestle it into the bisque in the saucepan. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spoon the reserved sauce over the tops of the rolls.
Bake
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Cover the saucepan with parchment paper, then seal with aluminum foil (or the saucepan lid). Bake for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the filling is set. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes to lightly crisp up the edges. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestion
- Serve each roll up on a warm au gratin dish or a shallow plate. Then spoon the lobster bisque base on each plate. Drizzle with high-quality olive oil and garnish with fresh lemon zest curls, extra basil, and cracked black pepper.
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Video
Notes
Tips & Substitutions
- Perfect Texture: Cooking these in a high-walled saucepan instead of a flat tray is our secret for keeping the seafood tender and the pasta perfectly moist! You might notice we used individual au gratin dishes in our video, but for the very best results, we recommend baking them all together in the saucepan first and then moving them to the au gratins to serve. If you decide to double the recipe, just make sure your pan isn’t too large; you want those rolls nestled closely together so they don’t dry out!
- The Pasta: We strongly recommend Lasagna Riccia (wavy noodles). They are more flexible for rolling and the ruffled edges look beautiful when standing upright.
- Substitutions: If lobster is unavailable, you can use all shrimp or substitute with lump crab meat. Ensure any pre-cooked meat is very well dried to prevent a watery filling.
- Pro Tip: Always drain your ricotta for at least 30 minutes in a fine-mesh sieve before mixing. This ensures the filling stays creamy rather than runny.
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