Prepare your favorite Red Lobster’s fish and seafood dishes at home with easy-to-make copycat recipes!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

No Red Lobster cookbook would be complete without a recipe inspired by their world-famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Enjoy these with a bowl of soup or a salad, or just make a batch and eat the whole thing. It’s hard to stop after just one.

10 biscuits | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Topping

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, salt and cayenne in a mixing bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and butter. Pour over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork just until moist. The batter will be lumpy. Next, stir in the cheese, gently.
5. Scoop ¼-cup portions of the batter onto the lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake until the tops are golden brown (about 10–12 minutes).
7. Stir together the butter, parsley, and garlic powder to make the topping. Brush over the top of each biscuit.
8. Serve.

 

Crab Linguini Alfredo

This rich and creamy crab alfredo is a Red Lobster fan favorite. With this copycat recipe, it will become a favorite in your own house as well.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pint half and half
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• ½–¾ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4–6 crab legs
• Pasta of your choice
• Chopped parsley for serving

Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan, then stir in the cream cheese.
2. When the cream cheese has softened, whisk in the half and half and parmesan. Whisk in the garlic powder and reduce heat to low. When everything is well incorporated, let simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. In a large pot, cover the crab legs with water and boil until cooked completely about 8–9 minutes.
4. While the crab is cooking, cook the pasta to your liking in a separate pot.
5. Remove the cooked crab from the pot and crack open the legs to remove the meat.
6. Serve by covering the pasta with the cream sauce and topping with crab meat. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley if desired.

 

Batter Fried Shrimp

Who doesn’t love batter-fried shrimp? This recipe is inspired by the delicious batter-fried shrimp at Red Lobster.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 5 minutes | Cooking time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ cup oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup milk
• ¾ teaspoon seasoned salt
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Oil for deep frying

Directions

1. In a large pot, preheat the frying oil to 350°F (177°C).
2. Beat together the ½ cup of oil and the egg. Add the flour, milk, seasoning salt, and pepper.
3. Dip the shrimp into the batter one by one, then carefully drop them into the hot oil and cook for 30–60 seconds or until they turn a nice golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the oil and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
4. Serve with cocktail sauce or your favorite dip.

 

Surf and Turf

Surf and turf is a classic recipe at Red Lobster. This recipe pays tribute to the restaurant’s famous menu item.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 25 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
• 3 tablespoons green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup soft breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 4 lobster tails (8–10 ounces each), split in half lengthwise
• 4 beef tenderloin steaks (4 ounces each)
• 4 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
2. Heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the green onion, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, salt, pepper, cayenne, and the sautéed garlic. Save ½ cup of this mixture to use later in the crumb topping.
4. Add the softened butter to the remaining mixture and stir to combine. Form into a 1-inch-thick log and refrigerate until firm.
5. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the reserved ½ cup of the herb mixture.
6. Place the cut lobster tails on a baking tray and cover each with some of the crumb toppings. Bake for 15 minutes or until lobster is firm.
7. While the lobster is cooking, season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining olive oil, and cook the steaks for 3–5 minutes on each size depending on their size and how well done you like them.
8. Divide the herbed butter log into ¼-inch slices and place one piece on each of the steaks. Save any remaining butter in the refrigerator.
9. Serve the finished steak and lobster together on a plate.

 

Lava Cake

As long as the lava is flowing, try this recipe that is a version of Red Lobster’s famous lava cake.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 18 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ⅔ cup butter, cut into pats
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• Vanilla ice cream for serving

Directions

1. Spray 6 custard cups or small ovenproof bowls with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Melt the chocolate chips over low heat in a small pot, then add the butter a little at a time, whisking constantly. Whisk in the sugar and keep stirring until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Mix this into the chocolate using a hand mixer. When it is well combined, add the eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
4. Turn the hand mixer to medium and beat for 6 full minutes.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared custard cups. Cover the cups with plastic wrap and put them in the freezer overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
7. Remove the plastic wrap from the cups and bake for about 17 minutes or until the edges of the cake firm up. The center will be moist.
8. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool for about 5 minutes, then turn upside down onto a serving plate.
9. Serve with ice cream if desired.

 

 

 

***These recipes and more are available in Copycat Recipes: Making Red Lobster’s Most Popular Recipes at Home by Lina Chang. To get your own copy, click on the cover and here.

To download and print a copy of the recipes, click here.