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One Pot Tomato Basil Lobster and Herbed Pearl Couscous. Burst cherry tomatoes, bacon, lobster, herbs, and pearl couscous all simmered together in white wine with a touch of lemon. This is a one pot dinner that feels fancy, but is actually so easy, so flavorful, and just really delicious. Perfect for late summer and early fall evenings.
There’s really nothing I love more right now than a one pot dinner made entirely on the stove and in thirty minutes. Like the rest of you, my kitchen is hot during these August days and even though I am not the least bit afraid of turning on my oven (because we all need a good peach cake in our lives), I still love and appreciate a dinner that doesn’t require heating up my entire house any more than it already is.
For those of you who are refusing to turn on your oven, this is your dinner. For those of you who simply love an easy, no fuss lobster meal, that will impress anyone and everyone, this is your dinner too.
This is one of those recipes that just came together randomly, and I am so happy it did.
Since I returned from New York and Cleveland early this week, I have been having a pretty hard time back in the kitchen. Most of my recipes have been good, but I’ve also had more flops than usual, photos have been tricky, I’ve broken two of my favorite dishes, and burnt an entire batch of cookies. It’s made life just a little bit harder than I would like.
No big deal, all is good, weeks like this happen, it’s all just a part of the creative process. As my dad always says, “you have to have bad days to know what a great day is”.
Question: what do you do when you have bad days? Any tips on staying inspired?
Anyway, it’s safe to say I was so happy when I made this and it turned out so delicious. My first attempt at this dish was actually a few weeks ago. I had made lobster tails and tomato broth, and while it was good, I thought it was just a little too boring to share, so I waited until I had a more exciting idea, and then this came along and I fell in love.
It’s all things savory, a little spicy, heavy on the tomatoes, and loaded with herbs and summertime lobster.
It’s GOOD.
On to the Details.
I’ve found that all my best one pot recipes start the same way, with a little bacon. OK. Fine, that’s not really true, but I love the combo of crispy bacon, buttery lobster, and fresh tomatoes. It can’t be beat.
So start with some thick cut bacon, and cook until it is extra crispy.
To the same skillet, add a mix of tomato slices, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and harissa spice. Yes, harissa spice. I know that this Moroccan spice might throw you off a bit, but trust me here. The harissa spice adds so much flavor, heat, and color. It’s complex and gives this lobster dish that “something extra special” vibe. Again, go with me on this.
If you’re new to harissa spice, it’s a mix of Moroccan spices, like chili peppers and paprika. I usually just pick mine up from Whole Foods. If you can’t find harissa spice, look for harissa sauce. And if you can’t find that? Just add a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of smoky paprika.
Once the tomatoes have begun to burst, it’s time to add the wine, couscous and lobster. Simmer until the couscous is tender and the lobster is cooked. Then add fresh herbs and DONE.
You see? Quick, easy, and basically perfect.
This would be great served for guests or just as an easy, but delicious weeknight or weekend dinner. Love that it’s quick enough for any night of the week, but fancy enough to serve to guests.
Also, I went back and forth about whether to use pearl couscous or orzo pasta. In the end, I went with couscous because I love the lighter feel and the texture it gave the dish. That said, orzo should cook up in the same amount of time and I am sure would be equally delicious, so feel free to use what you love!
All in all, I think this would make a pretty good Thursday night dinner. What do you guys think? If you have thirty minutes and you love an at home lobster dinner, you can’t not make this. Have fun!
If you make this one pot tomato basil lobster and herbed pearl couscous, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Tomato Basil Lobster and Herbed Pearl Couscous
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 596 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 lobster tails, sliced in half lengthwise
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 2 cups small cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons harissa spice
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use to your taste)
- 1 pinch (each) salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/4 cups pearl couscous
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1. Using your fingers, remove the meat the lobster tails. If desired, leave the meat intact for 2 of the tails for "looks" as I did for the photos. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain onto paper towels.2. Add the tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, garlic, harissa, red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 3. Stir in the thyme and couscous. Add the lobster and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the lobster is cooked through and opaque. If the sauce gets too thick, add 1/4 cup water to thin. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and fresh basil. 4. Top with bacon and fresh herbs. If desired, brown 3 tablespoons of butter on the stove and drizzle over the dish to finish. Enjoy!
I’m going to make this for dinner this coming week and was wondering which ‘white wine’ you suggest for this recipe? Do you have a good bacon substitute? I don’t eat pork.
Thanks so much, Ileen
Hey there,
I like to use Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. You could use turkey bacon! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
This recipe looks delicious. Should I add raw or cooked couscous to the pot when it’s all cooking? Thanks!
Raw! 🙂 xTieghan
I’ve made this a few times and its always a show stopper. Very quick and easy. When my budget is tight I’ve substituted the lobster with shrimp and even chicken. It works.with both.
Hey Lisa,
Happy Thursday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This looks really good. I’m wondering what size (weight) each lobster tail is.
Thanks!
Hey Nancy,
About 1 pound per tail. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I bought some lobster tails today at Costco to make for my birthday tomorrow. It was so hot in Texas today that they were almost completely defrosted by the time I got home. In a rush, I googled your website for ideas. I picked one that was out of the box for me but you made me look like a rock star to my husband. I did the One Pot Tomato Basil Lobster and Herbed Pearl Couscous. It was superb in so many ways.
Wow I love to hear that! Thank you so much for trying this one, Linda! I am so glad you both enjoyed it! xTieghan
Hi there 🙂 I just got lost in the worm hole of comments trying to see if anyone had asked my question, but not yet! Lots of the same though with subbing lobster 😉
I have celiac – do you think a good Arobio rice would work or suggest something else? Also if I were doing this for a supper party for 8 ladies and did scallops, would you adjust the cook time at all?
Cheers!!
Hi Sadie,
Arobio rice would be an assume substitute in this dish! For scallops I would recommend searing them for 2 minutes per side after the bacon, you can add the scallops back to the dish after the rice is cooked. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This has a bit of a Lobster fra Diavlo feel, but the different spices are amazing. No yearning to put cheese on this! Delicious way to enjoy seafood with a kick.
Hi Beverly! I am so glad you loved this recipe so much! Thank you so much!
Hey Tieghan,
I’m really surprised why people are commenting negatively to you! Its like read the whole recipe and comments and they will understand why you do certain things certain ways (aka the lobster being in the shell) I really appreciated that bit because when its just my husband and I, I won’t leave the shells on but if I use this recipe as a serving piece in the middle of the dinner table it will look so much better with the shells on!)
Basically I love what you do and appreciate that I have something to strive for to look as pretty as your stuff when I host dinner parties!
Love,
Ashley
@Ashrobie
@shadesofpinkbtq
Hi Ashley! Thank you so much! I am so glad you understand where I am coming from and I hope you try this recipe!
I have made this dish a couple of times now and it has turned out great every time! It is super easy to make any any modifications you like such as adding in a mix of different veggies or substituting the lobster for some shrimp. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much Natalie! I am so glad you loved this!
I have so many cherry tomatoes to use up & this is just the recipe to accomplish that! Thank you 😀
After reading the comments on this post, I decided to leave a message of my own to let you know that not all of your readers feel entitled to a response from you right away (we understand that you have a life outside of this blog, part of which is fortunately devoted to creating new recipes for us all to enjoy!), nor do we all criticize you for adding a little extra flare to your dish presentations that you (gasp!) failed to mention in the recipe itself. I’m confident that I speak for the majority of your followers when I say that whenever I need recipe inspiration, I type in halfbakedharvest.com or crack open your cookbook. You’re the best, Tieghan!
Thank you so much Jessica! This is so sweet and means a lot!
HI Tieghan,
I was doing all my shopping getting ready to make this dish and don’t have couscous but have Farro. How do you think Farro would work?? Do you think I should get couscous instead??
Hi Mike! I am sure farro will be great. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. I below farro will take 20 minutes to cook. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! x Tieghan
Alright Tieghan. I’m a regular follower of yours. I love your recipes. And I usually think you’re awesome at responding to Instagram posts and tags and also comments on your recipes. But I’m a little annoyed with you. I commented on this recipe twice (this is my third time) asking questions about the recipe, and you never responded. You also never replied to other people who asked the same questions that I did. Not all of your recipes are intuitive. And I think you need to do better. That being said, I did love this recipe. I guessed the answers to my own questions. I subbed shrimp for lobster and also used dry harissa spice instead of paste. It’s amazing. I’ve never used harissa before. Or had it. But I’m in love. I considered sending a container of this to my parents because it’s so awesome, but decided to hog it all. Sorry. Not sorry. The recipe gets 5 stars. You get one. I still love this recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Anastasia, thanks for the feedback. I try extremely hard to respond to everyone in a very timely matter, but was traveling last week (for work and to visit family) and am doing my best to get caught up. It’s incredibly hard to keep up with the flow of comments, emails, and social media messages as well create new content, but again I try my best to respond to everyone. Some weeks are busier than others, but I always, always respond and have done so for the last 6 years. If you read other blogs, that’s not always the case. Anyway, I have answered your questions. Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Hope you are having a great week. Thanks, xTieghan
I made this Sunday night. I had most of the ingredients on hand.. I didn’t have lobster tail and substituted shrimp instead. I also only used cherry tomatoes, omitting the regular tomatoes. It was very flavorful and easy Reminded me of paella but with couscous instead of arborio rice with a morrococan flare. I love a one-skillet dinner.
Yes same! Thank you so much Pam! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
Hey. I was wondering if you could take a moment to answer some questions I have about this recipe. I posted a few earlier and you didn’t reply. But now I have a new one to add.
1. Can I sub shrimp for lobster without messing with the flavor of the dish?
2. The harissa. My local grocery stores don’t carry it so I need to order it. Is it a dry spice? Or a paste?
Thanks. Anastasia
HI Anastasia, shrimp will be great, but adjust the cooking time accordingly. The shrimp will cook up in about 5-8 minutes, so just keep an eye on it. For this recipe I use dry harissa spice and not paste. Please let me know if you have any other questions. x Tieghan
I love your recipes and your creativity! But I also like to change things up! I left out the bacon, substituted 20 jumbo shrimp for the lobster and added some spinach. But you’re right – the harissa is what makes the flavor for this dish.
Love that! Thank you so much Faith!