Lobster substitutes
Lobster substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Monkfish
Same amount by weight as the lobster
What lobster contributes is a sweet, firm, faintly briny protein, so match the texture and the dish rather than the name. Monkfish is the classic stand-in for tails and thermidor at 1:1 by weight. Langostino tails are almost identical in sweetness and snap for a fraction of the price and are the best swap for rolls, mac and cheese and pasta. Large shrimp are the easiest thing to actually buy and work everywhere. One important exception: in a bisque the flavor comes from the shells, not the meat, so replace lobster shells with toasted shrimp or crab shells, not with a piece of fish.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- What changes —
- different taste, similar texture
- Best for —
- lobster tails
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of lobster | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monkfishlobster tails | Same amount by weightTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Langostino tailslobster rolls | Same amount by weightWorks | Works |
| 3 | Large shrimp (16/20 or bigger)lobster rolls | Same amount by weightTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Sea scallopspan-seared dishes | Same amount by weightTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Crab meat (lump or Dungeness)lobster rolls | Same amount by weightTweak it | Tweak it |
| 6 | Halibut or cod loin, cut in chunksthermidor | Same amount by weightYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
Monkfish
different taste, similar texture
Often nicknamed poor man's lobster for good reason. Cut the fillet into 1 ½-inch medallions, poach gently in salted, buttery water, or roast at 400F until just firm.
- Best for
- lobster tails, thermidor, grilling, gratins, pasta
Texture is the closest of anything on this list: dense, firm and slightly bouncy rather than flaky. Where it falls short is sweetness and brine, so poach it in well-salted water with a knob of butter and finish with lemon. A monkfish thermidor is genuinely convincing; a monkfish roll is not, because it will not tear into chunks the way lobster does.
Langostino tails
similar taste and texture
Sold frozen and already cooked in most large supermarkets. Thaw, pat very dry, and fold in during the last minute of cooking so they only warm through.
- Best for
- lobster rolls, mac and cheese, pasta, lobster salad, dips
In sweetness and snap this is the nearest thing to lobster you can buy cheaply, and in a creamy or mayonnaise-bound dish most people will not question it. The giveaway is size, because langostino pieces are small, so a lobster roll made with them reads more like a shrimp roll. Do not simmer them, since they are cooked already and turn cottony fast.
Large shrimp (16/20 or bigger)
different taste, similar texture
Peel, leave them whole or halve lengthwise, and cook just until they curl and turn opaque. The single most available swap and a genuinely good one.
- Best for
- lobster rolls, mac and cheese, pasta, bisque garnish, grilling
You keep the sweetness and most of the firmness, but the bite is softer and the flavor is unmistakably shrimp rather than lobster: a bit more mineral, a bit less clean. Buying the largest shrimp you can and halving them lengthwise gives you chunks nearer to lobster in size, which matters a lot in a roll.
Sea scallops
similar taste, different texture
Pat dry, sear hard in butter for about 90 seconds a side, then quarter them into the dish. Best where the lobster was going to be seared or served in a rich sauce.
- Best for
- pan-seared dishes, pasta, risotto, gratins
Even sweeter and more delicate than lobster and, seared properly, luxurious in a comparable way. The problem is heat tolerance: scallops go from firm to soft in a minute or two, so they collapse in a long-simmered bisque or a baked casserole. Add them at the very end or sear separately and fold in.
Crab meat (lump or Dungeness)
similar taste, different texture
Fold in gently at the end so the pieces stay whole. Excellent wherever lobster was going to be bound with mayonnaise or cheese.
- Best for
- lobster rolls, dips, mac and cheese, salads, ravioli filling
Sweeter and considerably more delicate. Crab shreds into soft threads instead of tearing into firm chunks, so the dish comes out fluffier and less substantial in the mouth, and the sweetness reads as more floral. Season a touch more aggressively with lemon and pepper, because crab's flavor is softer than lobster's.
Halibut or cod loin, cut in chunks
different taste and texture
Cut into 1-inch cubes, salt lightly, and add in the last few minutes of cooking so the pieces set without breaking down.
- Best for
- thermidor, gratins, chowder, pot pie, stews
Mild, sweet and cheap, and under a rich sauce it does a respectable impression. What it cannot do is hold together: halibut and cod flake, so by the time the dish reaches the table the chunks will have partly fallen apart and the eating experience is soft rather than snappy. Cut the pieces larger than you think you need.
Questions
5 questionsWhat is the cheapest substitute for lobster?
Frozen langostino tails, which cost a small fraction of lobster and are remarkably close in sweetness and snap. Large shrimp are next and are available everywhere. For hot dishes where the sauce carries the flavor, monkfish or cod chunks are cheaper still.
Can I use imitation lobster or imitation crab instead?
In a cold salad or a dip, yes, at 1:1, though it is sweeter and springier with a starchy chew, so cut back any sugar in the dressing and add lemon. In a hot buttery dish it does poorly, because it is already fully cooked and turns rubbery when it is heated hard.
Can I just leave the lobster out?
In a mac and cheese, chowder or pot pie, yes, and the dish is still good; you are removing the luxury, not the structure. In a lobster roll or thermidor the lobster is the dish, so swap to langostino, shrimp or monkfish rather than omitting.
Does monkfish really taste like lobster?
It eats like lobster more than it tastes like it. The flesh is dense, firm and slightly springy in the same way, which is why it earned the poor man's lobster nickname, but it is less sweet and not briny. Poaching it in salted, buttery water with lemon closes most of the gap.
What can I use instead of lobster in a bisque?
Shrimp shells or crab shells, toasted in butter until fragrant, then simmered with aromatics, tomato paste and stock. Shrimp bisque made this way is excellent. Adding a handful of chopped cooked shrimp at the end gives you the garnish, but the shells are what make it taste like a bisque at all.
Tips for substituting lobster
5 tips- For lobster bisque, the flavor lives in the shells, not the meat. Toast a pound of shrimp shells or crab shells in butter until they smell nutty, deglaze with brandy or sherry, then simmer with tomato paste and stock. No fish substitute will make a bisque taste of lobster; shells will.
- Lobster is more forgiving than most swaps because it stays firm. Shrimp, scallops and langostino all overcook in a minute or two, so add them at the end of the recipe rather than at the point the recipe adds lobster.
- A lot of what people love in a lobster roll is butter, lemon, celery and a soft toasted bun. Get those right and shrimp or langostino will satisfy almost everyone at the table.
- If you are buying frozen lobster tails as the cheaper route, cold-water tails from Maine or Canada are sweeter and firmer than warm-water rock lobster tails, which can be softer and more prone to mushiness.
- Chilled lobster served plain with drawn butter has no substitute, because the whole dish is the texture and the sweetness of the meat. If that was the plan and lobster is not available, serve seared scallops or a shrimp cocktail as a different dish rather than a pretend one.