Baked Lobster Gnocchi Recipe

Bake or boil potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if baking. Place peeled, cubed potatoes on a sheet pan, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, and roast 35–45 minutes until fork-tender; alternatively boil in salted water 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain well.

Mash potatoes

While still hot, rice or fine-mash the potatoes into a bowl to remove lumps. Spread slightly to cool for 5 minutes.

Make gnocchi dough

Add 1 tsp sea salt and the beaten egg to the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle 1½ cups of the flour over the potatoes and gently fold until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; add the remaining flour as needed (total up to 2 cups) until dough holds together but is not gummy. Do not overwork.

Shape gnocchi

On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a ¾-inch (2 cm) rope, cut into 1-inch pieces, and optionally press with a fork to make ridges. Place on a floured tray.

Cook gnocchi briefly

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook gnocchi in batches: when gnocchi float (about 1–2 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tray. Do not overcook—they should be tender but hold shape.

Prepare lobster meat

If lobster is cold-cooked, chop into bite-size pieces. In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add lobster pieces and toss 1 minute just to warm and coat; remove and reserve (do not overcook lobster).

Sauté aromatics

In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add minced shallots and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze & reduce

Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Increase heat and reduce by about half (3–5 minutes) so the alcohol cooks off and flavor concentrates.

Build the sauce

Add the stock and bring to a simmer, then stir in heavy cream. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 4–6 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

Finish sauce

Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, chopped tarragon, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep sauce warm over very low heat.

Combine gnocchi, lobster, and sauce

Gently fold the cooked gnocchi and warmed lobster pieces into the warm cream sauce so everything is evenly coated. Transfer mixture to a buttered 9x13-inch (or equivalent) shallow baking dish, smoothing the top.

Prepare topping

In a bowl, mix Panko breadcrumbs with 3 tbsp grated Parmesan and 2 tbsp olive oil until evenly moistened. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the gnocchi.

Bake

Bake in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 12–15 minutes until sauce is bubbly and topping is golden. For a crisper top, broil 1–2 minutes watching carefully to avoid burning.

Finish

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped chives over the top and serve with lemon wedges.