Lobsteries – Lobster Appetizers in Pastry

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Lobster appetizers are easy, yet elegant appetizers for any occasion! They have a mixture of lobster, cheese, spinach, and mushroom, in a puffed pastry or phyllo crust!

Lobster Appetizers on oval white platePin
Quick Look at This Recipe

🍽️ Recipe Name: Lobsteries (Lobster Pastries)
Ready In: 1 hour 15 minutes
Prep Time: 1 hour
🔥 Cook Time: 15 minutes
👥 Serves: 8
🥕 Main Ingredients: Lobster, puff pastry, Gruyère cheese, sharp cheddar, spinach, mushrooms, bacon, onion, garlic, herbs, mayonnaise.
🍳 Special Equipment: Large skillet, baking sheet, mixing bowls, rolling pin, pastry brush, cookie cutter or knife.
Why You’ll Love It: Buttery puff pastry filled with tender lobster, melty cheese, and a savory spinach mushroom duxelles. Perfect as an appetizer or paired with a salad for dinner.

👇 Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.

Sometimes, the old adage is right: necessity breeds invention. I came up with the idea for these delicious appetizers when cleaning out the freezer and refrigerator one day. They became an instant big hit, so since then, we make them a couple of times per year.

They feature lobster, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese wrapped in flaky phyllo or puffed pastry crust. They are unique, so when we bring them to parties, they are some of the first foods gobbled up.

open lobster pastry with filling showingPin

As I mentioned, this was a conglomeration of leftovers. Although not difficult by any means, it may be easier to make the spinach mushroom filling ahead and then add the rest of the ingredients the next day to finish them off.

If you need an easy appetizer that will impress the masses and taste like you slaved all day long to prepare them, this is the appetizer for you.

Four lobster wrapped in puffed pastry appetizers on a small plate.Pin

What You Need

  • Lobster meat – use tail or claw meat leftover from a previous dinner, or purchase good-quality canned lobster meat.
  • Gruyere cheese, grated
  • Sharp cheddar cheese
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Two packages of puff pastry sheets
  • Water
  • Egg

For the Filling

  • Bacon: Cook 8-10 pieces of bacon until nice and crispy. We prefer to use pancetta
  • Onion, finely chopped. Use a white or yellow onion.
  • Garlic: Fresh, grated, or minced finely, or substitute one teaspoon garlic powder.
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Fresh parsley, chopped: If you’d like to substitute dried parsley, use half of the indicated amount in the recipe below.
  • Thyme, minced: If you’d like to substitute dried thyme leaves, use half of the indicated amount in the recipe below.
  • Mushrooms: Use any mushrooms you have on hand. Button mushrooms, Chanterelles, Shitake, anything really.
  • Spinach – Use fresh spinach for the best flavor.

How to Make Lobster Appetizers in Pastry

Prepare the Spinach-Mushroom Filling

Sliced mushrooms in a skillet.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Sauté the onion and garlic in butter and olive oil until tender. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-low heat until lightly browned.

Pancetta added to the pan with the browned mushrooms.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Add pancetta. (You can substitute finely chopped bacon, but crisp that up first.)

Spinach added to the mushroom pan.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Add the spinach.

Finished filling with wilted spinach.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Cook and stir just until wilted. Remove from the heat.

The spinach and mushroom mixture can be made 3 or 4 days in advance and refrigerated.

Prepare the Lobster Filling

Spinach filling and lobster meat in a bowl.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Prepare the spinach mushroom filling. (See recipe above.) Chop lobster into bite-sized pieces. Add to a bowl.

Grated cheese on a board.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Grate cheeses.

Cheese and mayo added to the lobster bowl.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Add the cheese and mayonnaise to the bowl.

Filling mixed up.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Mix the filling well.

Prepare phyllo dough or puff pastry according to package directions.

Phyllo sheets prepared and cut into large squares.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Cut into squares. Brush with egg/water mixture for phyllo.

Lobster filling added to the center of the phyllo squares.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Add the filling to the center of the square.

Appetizers folded into triangles filled with lobster filling.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Fold diagonally and brush tops with egg mixture. Bake 15-20 minutes at 375°F until golden and bubbly.

Tools That Make This Recipe Work

If you don’t already have these, this is where most people struggle.

  • Baking Sheet – Gives the pastries room to bake evenly and develop a crisp, golden crust. A crowded or unsuitable pan can lead to uneven baking and soggy bottoms.
  • Rolling Pin – Helps you roll the dough to an even thickness so every pastry bakes at the same rate. Uneven dough can leave some pastries underbaked while others overbrown.
  • Cast Iron Pan – Cooks the lobster filling evenly and retains heat well, helping excess moisture cook off before it goes into the pastry. Too much liquid in the filling can leave the pastries soft instead of flaky.
  • Mixing Bowl – Makes it easy to combine the filling thoroughly without making a mess. Mixing in a bowl that’s too small often leads to unevenly distributed ingredients and inconsistent flavor in each pastry.
cut lobster appetizer so filling is visiblePin

Pro Tips for Your Success

  • Keep the filling chilled. A cold lobster filling is easier to work with and helps prevent the pastry from becoming soft before it bakes.
  • Don’t overfill the pastries. It’s tempting to add more filling, but too much can leak out during baking and make the edges difficult to seal.
  • Seal the edges well. Press the edges firmly with a fork or your fingers to keep the filling inside and help the pastries hold their shape.
  • Bake until deeply golden. Don’t pull them out too early. A rich golden-brown crust is the best sign the pastry is crisp and fully baked.
  • Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. The filling stays extremely hot after baking. Giving the pastries a short rest also helps the filling set so it doesn’t spill out with the first bite.

Can You Freeze These Lobster Appetizers?

Both the mushroom spinach filling and the completed lobster filling will freeze well in a freezer bag for a couple of months. When you are ready to make the appetizers, just thaw the pastry sheets and filling in the refrigerator overnight and proceed with step number 4.

golden brown lobster appetizers on white platePin

You could substitute shrimp or even salmon for the lobster in this recipe, and it would be excellent. To make these lobster pastries even better, make your own rough puff pastry, you’ll never buy store-bought again.

There you go. Make these delicious Lobster in Pastry Appetizers for your next get-together, and watch them disappear!

More Recipes with Lobster

golden brown lobster appetizers on white platePin

Other Delicious Appetizer Recipes on Bcc

golden brown pastries on white platePin

FAQs

Can I use frozen lobster?
Yes. Thaw it completely and pat it dry before making the filling. Removing excess moisture helps keep the pastries crisp instead of soggy.

Can I use puff pastry instead of pie dough?
Yes. Puff pastry creates a lighter, flakier texture, while pie dough gives the pastries a sturdier, more traditional crust. Both work well. Just follow the baking instructions on the package if needed.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store leftover lobster pastries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 350°F oven or air fryer until warmed through and crisp. Avoid the microwave if possible because it can make the pastry soft.

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lobster pastries triangle on white plate.Pin

Lobsteries – Lobster Pastries

Delicious appetizer or serve for dinner with a salad!
See Step by Step Photos Above!Most of our recipes have step by step photos and videos! Also helpful tips so that you can make it perfectly the first time and every time! Scroll up to see them!
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Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 586kcal
Author: Beth Neels
Cost: $8

Ingredients

For Lobsteries

  • 2/3 c chunk lobster
  • 1/3 c gruyere , grated
  • 1/3 c sharp cheddar
  • 1/4 c mayonnaise
  • 2 package puff pastry sheets
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 egg

For Spinach Mushroom Duxelles

  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1/2 c Onion
  • 2 tsp garlic
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 3 c mushrooms
  • 6 c spinach
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For Spinach Mushroom Duxelles

  • NOTE: This recipe makes a large batch. Easily freezes for another recipe, or cut down
  • quantities accordingly.
  • Slice 8 pieces of bacon fine.
  • In a large, heavy bottom skillet, cook bacon on medium, breaking up pieces occasionally until lightly browned. Remove browned bacon with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towel.
  • While bacon is cooking, finely dice onion and garlic. After removing bacon from pan, drain all the bacon grease from pan except approximately 1 Tablespoon.
  • Add the butter to bacon grease and let melt. Then add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add garlic and saute a few more minutes.
  • While the onions and garlic are cooking, rough chop the mushrooms. Strip thyme leaves.
  • Chop parsley and thyme.
  • When onions are just starting to brown, add mushrooms. After 7 to 10 minutes, mushrooms will start to lose their juice.
  • Turn heat up on burner to speed up evaporation of liquid. Once most of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, add parsley and thyme.
  • Cook along for a few more minutes. Add Spinach all at once. Turn over and stir just until spinach is slightly wilted. Immediately remove from heat.

For Lobsteries

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove Lobster from shells. Rough chop lobster.
  • Grate Cheeses. NOTE I have tried this recipe with Swiss cheese rather than Gruyere and it holds no comparison. It is just not as good.
  • Chop chives and thyme.
  • Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl with the mayonnaise, and the Duxelles.
  • Roll out puff pastry dough on a lightly floured board to approximately a 9″ x 12″ rectangle. Cut into desired shape. Use a 3-4″ round cookie cutter for circles or half moons. Cut 3″ squares for ‘puffs’ or turnover. **See notes for phyllo sheets
  • Fill with lobster filling, pinch edges with finger or a fork to seal edges.
  • Mix 1 tablespoon water and 1 whisked egg together and brush on top of pastries.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your Lobsteries, until golden brown.
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Notes

** If using phyllo dough sheets, use 6-8 sheets with butter or cooking spray between each layer.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Reheat in microwave or, covered, in 350°F oven for about 25 minutes, until hot.
Do not freeze

Nutrition

Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 527mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2455IU | Vitamin C: 10.7mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2.8mg
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Originally Published October 13, 2014. Updated May 16, 2024.

8 Comments

  1. Can I prep and assemble, then freeze them completely assembled, until I want to bake them off for a dinner party?

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