Lobster Cantonese is one of those old-school Chinese restaurant dishes that deserves a real comeback. It’s rich, comforting, and perfect for special occasions or when you want to treat yourself at home.
If you’ve ever had shrimp with lobster sauce, you’re actually tasting a variation on this very recipe. That sauce? It started here, with real lobster.
What is Lobster Cantonese?
Lobster Cantonese is made with whole live lobsters (usually Maine lobsters), cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked in a silky, savory white sauce with ground pork, ginger, scallions, and egg.
The sauce is rich without being heavy, coating every piece of sweet lobster meat perfectly. I always serve it with steamed white rice to soak up all that delicious sauce, plus a simple side of stir-fried greens like bok choy, choy sum, or Chinese broccoli. It’s pure comfort food with a touch of elegance.
What About Cantonese-Style Ginger Scallion Lobster?
If you hear “Cantonese lobster” and immediately think of ginger scallion lobster, you’re not wrong—that’s another classic version.
But they’re really two different experiences.
Ginger Scallion Lobster is flash-fried and wok-seared with Shaoxing wine, ginger, and scallions for that fragrant, smoky wok hei flavor. It’s bold, aromatic, and a little messy in the best way.
Lobster Cantonese, on the other hand, is about highlighting the natural sweetness of lobster in a savory, gently thickened sauce with ground pork and egg. Think of it as the difference between baked stuffed lobster and simply steamed lobster—both are delicious but offer different pleasures.
What is Lobster Sauce?
This dish is actually the original source of what you see on menus as “lobster sauce.”
Years ago, a creative Cantonese chef cooked lobster pieces in a savory pork-and-egg sauce. It was so good, people wanted the sauce even when lobster wasn’t on the menu.
That’s how shrimp with lobster sauce was born—a more affordable way to enjoy that same luscious sauce with shrimp instead of pricey lobster.
So when you make this, you’re really tasting the roots of a beloved Chinese-American classic.
Preparing Live Lobsters
Nothing beats the flavor of live lobster for this dish—it’s sweet, tender, and just feels like a treat.
Here are a few tips to make working with live lobsters easier:
- Storage: Keep them in the coldest part of your fridge for a day or two max.
- Before cooking: Place them in the freezer for about 10 minutes to gently numb them.
- Dispatching quickly: For humane preparation, place the knife tip just behind the eyes and press down firmly.
- Using all the parts: You can include the legs in the dish (they’re fun to eat), or even use the shells to make stock for extra depth.
- Alternatives: If live lobster isn’t available, frozen lobster tails work in a pinch—just aim for 2-3 pounds total.
Recipe Instructions
1. Prep the Lobster and Aromatics
Cut the live lobsters into bite-sized pieces. Prepare your ginger, garlic, and scallions.
2. Make the Sauce Base
In a bowl, mix 2 cups chicken stock with sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Stir well.
3. Prepare Cornstarch Slurries
- Mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup chicken stock for the main slurry.
- Make a backup slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water—handy if you need extra thickening later.
4. Beat the Eggs
Lightly beat 2 eggs. Break up the yolks but don’t over-mix—you want that nice color contrast.
5. Measure the Rice Wine
Have your clear rice wine ready to pour quickly, so the lobster doesn’t overcook while you fumble with bottles.
Cooking the Dish
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil in your wok. Add the ground pork, breaking it up. Cook about 1 minute until no longer pink. Drain and rinse under cold water to keep the sauce clear and clean.
- Clean the wok and heat it over medium. Add oil, then minced ginger. Once it sizzles, add garlic, cooked pork, and lobster pieces. Stir-fry briefly (10–20 seconds).
- Add the clear rice wine around the edge of the wok, let it sizzle for another 10 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken stock mixture and push the lobster pieces to the center. Cover and turn heat to high. Let it cook about 2 minutes until the shells turn bright red.
- Check for dark spots and turn pieces if needed so they all cook evenly.
- Stir in half the cornstarch slurry while stirring to thicken. Add more or reserved slurry if needed until it coats a spoon but isn’t gluey.
- Reduce heat to low. Slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs over the top—don’t stir immediately.
- Add chopped scallions and let it cook gently for about 5 seconds.
- Fold the eggs into the sauce with a few gentle stirs until just set.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot with steamed rice.
Serving Suggestions
I love this dish with simple sides that let the rich sauce shine:
- Steamed jasmine or white rice
- Stir-fried bok choy, choy sum, or Chinese broccoli
- A crisp cucumber salad for freshness
It’s the kind of meal that feels celebratory, but with a homemade touch that makes it even better.
Final Thoughts
Lobster Cantonese might not be on every restaurant menu these days, but it’s worth reviving at home. It’s deeply flavorful, nostalgic, and perfect for sharing with people you love.
If you try making it, let me know how it turns out—or what personal twists you put on it. I’d love to hear about it!
Lobster Cantonese Recipe
Lobster Cantonese is one of those old-school Chinese restaurant dishes that deserves a real comeback.
Ingredients
- 2 live lobsters (1¼ to 1½ pounds or 560–680g each)
- ¼ teaspoon ginger (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 scallions (chopped)
- 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch (divided)
- 2 eggs
- 1½ tablespoons clear rice wine (you can substitute Shaoxing wine, but clear rice wine has a milder and smoother flavor that suits this dish best)
- 4 ounces ground pork
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Instructions
- Cut the live lobsters into bite-sized pieces and prep your ginger, garlic, and scallions ahead of time.
- In a bowl, combine 2 cups of chicken stock, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper for the main sauce base. In a separate bowl, mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup chicken stock to make a slurry.
- For backup thickening, mix the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in another small bowl—this gives you some flexibility later.
- Lightly beat the eggs so the yolks are broken but not fully blended. This helps create color variation when you add them to the sauce.
- Pour the clear rice wine into a small bowl and keep it close. Once you start cooking, you won’t want to pause and measure anything.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a wok and add the ground pork. Break it up and cook for about 1 minute, just until it’s no longer pink. Drain the pork using a fine mesh strainer, give it a rinse to keep the sauce clear, and set it aside.
- Rinse out your wok and heat it over medium. Add oil and stir in the minced ginger. Once it begins to sizzle, add the garlic, cooked pork, and lobster. Stir-fry quickly for 10–20 seconds. Pour the rice wine around the edge of the wok and stir-fry another 10 seconds.
- Give your chicken stock mixture a quick stir and pour it into the wok. Move all the lobster into the center of the wok, cover it, and crank the heat to high.
- Cook for about 2 minutes, or until all the shells turn bright red. If some pieces are still dark, flip them over and cook until they’re fully red. Avoid overcooking—the lobster should be just done.
- Gradually pour in half of your cornstarch slurry while stirring. The sauce should bubble and thicken enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it feels too thick, splash in more chicken stock. If it’s too thin, use a bit of the reserved slurry.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer. Drizzle in the eggs without stirring right away, then scatter the chopped scallions over the top. Let everything sit for 5 seconds, then gently fold the egg into the sauce with your spatula until just set.
- Spoon the lobster and sauce onto a large serving plate or shallow bowl and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 304Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 215mgSodium 1084mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 25g
Easy Shrimp Recipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
