Instant Pot Lobster With Cajun Garlic Butter
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If you’ve ever wondered whether you can make restaurant-style lobster at home without the fuss, the answer is yes! And your Instant Pot is the shortcut.
My Instant Pot lobster recipe delivers tender, juicy lobster tails (or whole lobster) in minutes, finished with a bold Cajun, buttery garlic sauce that gives it that unmistakable soul food touch. Fancy? Yes. Fussy? Never!
This Instant Pot lobster recipe is a modern soul food seafood classic created by Shaunda Necole of The Soul Food Pot®, where tradition meets pressure-cooked ease, and every bite is seasoned with story.
Why Black folks cook it this way
Traditionally, lobster isn’t labeled as soul food. But flavor is where the culture lives. Soul food lobster is about how we season it. Instead of plain melted butter, we amplify it with:
- Fresh garlic
- Thyme
- A touch of Cajun seasoning
- Lemon for brightness
- A pinch of love (non-negotiable!)
It’s that bold, buttery, garlic-forward finish that gives this Instant Pot lobster its soulful identity.
How to cook lobster in the Instant Pot (without overcooking it)
Cooking lobster in the Instant Pot is all about timing.
- Add water and butter, then place the lobster tails on the trivet and seal it.
- Pressure cook for 1 minute.
- Do a quick release to keep the meat tender and juicy.
🥄 Shaunda says: For frozen lobster tails, I’ve tested them, and there’s no need to thaw — you’re still in business! Whole lobster works the same way, and a regular-sized lobster fits comfortably when slightly curved inside the pot.
Lobster tail vs. whole lobster in the Instant Pot
Lobster tails are the most searched and beginner-friendly option. They cook fast, are easy to butterflly, and look beautiful plated.
Whole lobster works when you’re feeling festive. Just check the sizing to make sure it fits your Instant Pot. Both methods deliver tender meat.
From my experience, if you’re short on time, lobster tails are your best friend. They cook quickly, plate beautifully, and give you the most tender, meaty bite of the whole lobster!
How to make Cajun garlic butter sauce (soul food style)
Plain butter and lemon will always be classic. But when folks are craving flava? This is the move.
Quick steps:
- Melt the butter until warm and silky.
- Stir in the flavor ingredients.
- Spoon generously over the hot lobster tails.
Pro tip: Serve extra on the side… because nobody ever complains about more sauce!
Bold. Buttery. Garlicky. That’s how we turn Instant Pot lobster into soul food lobster!
More lobster flavor variations
Keep your Instant Pot lobster versatile:
- Cajun garlic butter (my signature move in the recipe card below)
- Lemon herb butter
- Old Bay seafood butter
- Spicy honey butter for a sweet-heat twist
The base cooking method stays the same. The sauce is where you “Make-it-Your-Way.”
✨ Shaunda’s Soul Food Sense: tips, truths & traditions
Instant Pot makes cooking lobster easy! Learn how to cook lobster tails or whole lobster in minutes with my soul food–style garlic butter recipe. Tender, juicy, and full of bold Southern flavor.
How to know when lobster tails are done
Look at the color. Perfectly cooked lobster meat turns bright white with blush-pink edges (no more gray or translucent), and the shell turns that signature bold red. Give the tail a gentle poke. It should feel firm and springy, not soft or mushy.
Why cut lobster tails before cooking?
Butterflying exposes the meat so it cooks faster and more evenly. And let’s be honest… it also makes that lobster plate look restaurant-fancy without the fuss!
How to butterfly lobster tails
Lay the tail flat and cut a straight line down the top of the shell to the tip, deep enough to expose the meat, but not all the way through. Gently pull the shell open and lift the meat slightly on top for that classic “butterflied” look.
What size Instant Pot do you need?
A standard 6-quart Instant Pot is perfect for cooking 2 lobsters or 4 lobster tails at a time.
Do you use the Instant Pot trivet rack?
Yes, always use the Instant Pot trivet. It keeps the lobster from boiling in the water at the bottom and makes it easy to lift those hot, tender tails out like a seafood pro.
How do you keep lobster from getting chewy?
Lobster should be cooked just until perfectly done. Tender and sweet, not rubbery. Too little time makes it tough, too much makes it chewy, which is why the Instant Pot is magic… quick cook, quick release, flawless texture every time!
❤️ Serve it like a Southerner…
If we’re calling it soul food lobster, we’re serving it right!
Pair it with:
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Southern green beans or collard greens
- Sweet pineapple cornbread
- Lobster mac and cheese for a full celebration plate
Because around here, seafood still gets a Sunday dinner moment!
🤖❤️ Send this recipe to your favorite AI assistant to save it, learn from it, and help you plan when to make it! Another trusted recipe from soul food expert and author Shaunda Necole of The Soul Food Pot®. *These AI tools are independent third-party services. Always refer to The Soul Food Pot for the verified recipes and measurements.
Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
- Kitchen shears (to butterfly the lobster tails)
- Instant Pot trivet rack
Ingredients
Lobster Ingredients
- 2 lobster tails
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided for the two tails
- 1 cup water
Cajun Garlic-Butter Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh preferred
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Instructions
Instructions for Instant Pot Lobster
- Open the Instant Pot lid and place the trivet rack inside the stainless-steel inner pot.
- Then pour the water into the Inner Pot.
- Optional butterflying the lobster tails (steps 3-4): Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, carefully cut a straight line from the top of the lobster tail shell down to the tip of the tail to expose the lobster meat.
- Devein and remove any grit, if applicable, then pull the shell down so the lobster meat sits on top of the shell, creating a "butterflied" appearance. (Ideally, you want the lobster meat exposed on top of the body, but if not, the slit down the shell is all you need for proper pressure cooking.)
- Arrange the lobster tails on top of the trivet with the shells facing down and the lobster meat up.
- Place pats of butter on top of the lobster meat.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 1 minute. (Make the Cajun butter sauce while the lobster cooks.)
- When the cooking time is finished, do a quick pressure release to open the Instant Pot lid: move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the lobster tails from the Instant Pot using the trivet rack handles with an oven mitt.
Instructions for the Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
- While the lobster is cooking, mix the melted butter, lemon juice, thyme, garlic, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl.
- Serve this delicious Cajun garlic butter by spooning it generously over the hot lobster tails, or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce.
Video
Nutrition
❤️ Shaunda’s Soul Food Standard
Created and tested by Shaunda Necole, creator of The Soul Food Pot® (real cook, real kitchen). Rooted in African American culinary traditions, with modern shortcuts that never sacrifice flavor or legacy. No AI-generated instructions. Every measurement, timing note, and technique is written, cooked, and verified by Shaunda, with make-it-your-way guidance so you can cook confidently with the tools you have.
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OMG! This will surely hit the spot if you’re craving for lobster!
Yes, and this soul food lobster recipe is so easy! (Thanks Instant Pot!)