Skip the $200 steakhouse reservation - this Easy Surf and Turf brings restaurant-quality steak and lobster to your table in under an hour! We're pairing juicy pan-seared ribeye with a gorgeous golden crust alongside tender baked lobster tails, all drizzled with the most incredible garlic herb butter with a hint of smoked paprika. It's the ultimate date night dinner, and way easier than you'd think. 🤤

45 degree shot of a plate with a medium rare ribeye, green beans, roasted baby potatoes, and a cooked lobster tail with herbs and butter.

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Date Night, Made Easy ✨

We love using ribeye here instead of filet mignon - more flavor, more forgiving, and that gorgeous marbling keeps things juicy like we did with our creamy parmesan steak and shrimp skillet. The lobster tails bake hands-off in the oven while you sear the steak, so everything hits the table together. Perfect for Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, or any night you want to skip the reservation and stay in. 🥂

Here's a little secret: between photo shoots and endless recipe testing, we're in the kitchen constantly. You'd also be surprised how often we eat chicken nuggets (it's kinda embarrassing! 😂). So when date night rolls around, we want something that feels special without feeling like more work. This one checks every box - fancy enough for a celebration, easy enough that we can actually relax and enjoy it together.

🥩Ingredients

This steak and lobster dinner keeps it simple - the ribeye and lobster are the stars, and that garlicky herb butter with smoked paprika brings everything together.

🦞Ingredient Spotlight - Lobster

Look for lobster tails that smell fresh (briny, not fishy!) and feel firm. Frozen tails work great - just thaw overnight in the fridge before prepping, or quickly in a bowl of cold water, changing the water every 2-30 minutes!

Let's Make This Lobster Tail and Steak Recipe

This recipe comes together in three simple stages - make the butter, prep and bake the lobster, and sear the steak. Everything finishes at the same time, so dinner hits the table hot!

Hand zesting lemon into a bowl with garlic, shallots, parsley, and spices in a bowl.

Step 1: Melt the butter in a small bowl. Add the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, shallot, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and thyme.

Spiced and herbed butter in a bowl with shallots and garlic.

Mix to combine, then set aside.

🧈 Swap idea: Want even more depth? Try our roasted garlic butter for an extra-rich, mellow garlic flavor! Or, try this cowboy butter sauce for slightly spicy, smoky, and mustard-forward tang!

Hand cutting a lobster tail down the back of the shells with kitchen shears.

Step 2: Using sharp kitchen shears, make a cut through the top of the lobster shell down the center. Cut all the way to the tail fin, slicing partway into the meat - but not all the way through. This helps the tail butterfly open beautifully!

Two thumbs cracking tail fins of a lobster.

Step 3: Flip the lobster tail over and crack the ribs gently with your hands by pressing down until you hear a crack.

Hand pulling lobster tail meat from a shell.

Step 4: Gently loosen the lobster meat by wiggling it away from the shell. If you see a dark vein (the digestive tract) running down the tail, remove it and discard. Rinse the tails under cold water and pat them completely dry.

Pull the lobster meat up through the cut shell and rest it on top, letting the shell close underneath - this gives you that beautiful butterflied presentation!

Butterfield lobster tails spread overtop of the shells on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 5: Arrange the lobster tails on a parchment-lined baking sheet and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Set aside.

🦞 Want to skip the oven? Our butter poached lobster is extra indulgent if you want to keep everything on the stovetop.

Lobster tails topped with a garlic, shallot, and herb butter with lemon.

Step 6: Brush the lobster tails generously with the garlic herb butter.

Cooked lobster tails with a buttery garlic herb and shallot mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 7: Bake at 450°F until the internal temperature reaches 140°F - about 13-16 minutes. Promptly remove from the oven. Don't overcook!

🌡️ Check the temp! An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of perfectly cooked lobster every time.

Ribeye steaks seasoned with salt and pepper on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Step 8: Season both sides of the steaks generously with salt and pepper.

🥩 Other cuts work too! Our bavette steak or a NY strip are great alternatives.

Step 9: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil, then the steaks. Cook until a golden brown crust forms and the steak naturally releases from the pan. For a 1-inch steak, this takes about 2-3 minutes per side. Thicker cuts (1.5 inches+) may need 4-5 minutes per side. Flip and continue cooking until the steak reaches about 5 degrees below your desired doneness.

🔥 First time searing a ribeye? Our cast iron ribeye post breaks it down with more photos and tips if you want more help!

🌡️ Steak temps: Aim for 120°F (rare), 130°F (medium-rare), 140°F (medium), or 150°F (medium-well). Pull your steaks 5 degrees early - they'll continue cooking as they rest!

Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes while you plate the lobster. This lets the juices redistribute so they stay in the steak, not on your plate! Serve everything together with your favorite sides - we love roasted green beans and fondant potatoes. Now, just pour a little wine and dig in! 🥂

steak and lobster recipe with steak, potatoes, green beans, and lemon on a plate.

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