Filet Mignon with Shrimp and Lobster Cream Recipe

This Filet Mignon with Shrimp and Lobster Cream offers a truly luscious, restaurant-quality surf and turf experience right in your own kitchen. Picture this: perfectly seared, tender filet mignon topped with a silky, rich cream sauce studded with sweet lobster and tender shrimp. It’s comforting, unbelievably flavorful, and feels wonderfully extravagant, yet it’s totally manageable for a weekend dinner. This dish elevates comfort food to gourmet status and will seriously impress anyone you cook it for.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultimate Comfort & Luxury: This isn’t just dinner; it’s a culinary experience. The tender steak paired with the sweet, savory seafood cream is pure indulgence.
• Decadent, Quick Sauce: The creamy sauce comes together in minutes right in the same pan, capturing all those flavorful steak and seafood bits for maximum richness.
• Sensory Perfection: From the sizzle of the steak to the rich aroma of garlic and thyme in the cream, this recipe is a full sensory feast.
• Easier Than It Looks: While the final dish looks totally gourmet, the steps are straightforward—we’re talking minimal effort for major wow factor.

Ingredients

All you need for this incredible Filet Mignon with Shrimp and Lobster Cream, and about 40 minutes! Yes, it’s that easy. But first, gather up these must-have ingredients:

• Filet Mignon Steaks: This is the star of the show! We’re using thick, tender cuts for that melt-in-your-mouth experience.
• Olive Oil: Essential for getting that beautiful, high-heat sear on the steaks.
• Butter: Added at the end of searing to baste the steak, giving it flavor and a glossy finish—a total chef’s trick!
• Salt and Black Pepper: Don’t be shy here! Generous seasoning is the key to deep flavor on the steak.
• Shrimp (peeled and deveined): Adds lovely texture and that unmistakable sweet seafood flavor to our creamy sauce.
• Lobster Meat (chopped): The piece de resistance! It brings a luxurious sweetness and richness to the cream.
• Lemon Juice: Just a splash—it cuts through the richness of the cream and brightens up the seafood flavors.
• Small Onion (finely diced): Provides an aromatic base for the luxurious cream sauce.
• Garlic (minced): Because what is a truly savory, deep sauce without plenty of fragrant garlic?
• Heavy Cream: What gives the sauce its rich, velvety texture and decadent body.
• Seafood Broth: Used to deglaze the pan and lend a deeper, more complex seafood flavor to the cream.
• Paprika: Adds a lovely color and a gentle, savory-sweet depth.
• Cayenne Pepper: Optional, but we love the tiny hint of warmth and spice it gives the rich cream.
• Dried Thyme: A classic pairing for beef and seafood, adding an herbaceous complexity.
• Chopped Parsley: Used as a fresh, bright finish—it brings everything together visually and in taste!

Note: The exact ingredients with measurements and a printable version of the recipe will be found right under this article in the recipe card!

How to Make the Filet Mignon with Shrimp and Lobster Cream

This recipe uses the same skillet for the steak and the sauce, meaning maximum flavor with minimal dishes!

Step 1: Prep and Sear the Filet Mignon

Pat those gorgeous filets completely dry—this is key for a proper sear! Season them generously with salt and black pepper. Heat your olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and sear for 3–4 minutes per side.

Step 2: Baste and Rest the Steaks

Add the tablespoon of butter to the skillet and gently tilt the pan, using a spoon to baste the steaks with the melted, bubbling butter for 1–2 minutes. This creates an amazing crust! Remove the steaks and let them rest on a cutting board—don’t skip the rest!

Step 3: Cook the Shrimp

In the same skillet (leaving all those delicious bits behind!), add the shrimp and cook them for about 2 minutes, just until they turn pink. Don’t overcook them! Remove the shrimp and set them aside with the steaks.

Step 4: Build the Flavor Base

Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until they are soft and smelling absolutely heavenly.

Step 5: Start the Cream Sauce

Pour in the seafood broth and let it simmer for 3–4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan—that’s all the flavor! Stir in the heavy cream, paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and thyme. Let this simmer gently for 5–7 minutes until it thickens into a rich, luscious sauce.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

Add the lobster meat and the cooked shrimp back into the sauce, stirring gently just for 2 minutes to warm them through. Place each rested filet mignon on a plate and spoon that glorious shrimp and lobster cream generously right over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley before diving in!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Resting is Non-Negotiable: After searing, your steak must rest for at least 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender, juicy bite instead of a dry one.
• Dry Steaks = Great Sear: Patting the filets completely dry with paper towels is the secret to getting a deep, brown crust instead of a gray, steamed surface.
• Don’t Overcook the Seafood: Shrimp cooks fast! Only cook the shrimp just until pink, and only warm the lobster and shrimp through at the end of the sauce preparation. Overcooked seafood gets tough and rubbery.
• Taste and Adjust: When the sauce is done simmering, give it a taste! You may want a little extra pinch of salt, pepper, or maybe a tiny squeeze more lemon juice to make it sing.

How to Serve

This dish is a showstopper on its own, but here are a few perfect pairings to turn it into a complete feast:

• Elevated Sides: Pair the richness of the cream with something fresh, like asparagus spears, a side of garlic mashed potatoes (for soaking up every drop of that sauce!), or simple roasted green beans.
• Wine Pairing: A crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or a light-bodied Chardonnay pairs beautifully with the seafood cream. For the steak, a classic Cabernet Sauvignon works wonders.
• Simple Salad: A light, slightly acidic mixed green salad with a simple vinaigrette offers a nice contrast to the richness of the surf and turf.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you happen to have any leftovers (unlikely, I know!), store the steak and the sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The quality of both the steak and the seafood is best when fresh.

Freezing

Due to the heavy cream and seafood, this dish does not freeze well. The cream tends to separate upon thawing, and the texture of the seafood degrades. This is one meal best enjoyed fresh!

Reheating

Gently reheat the steak in a 300°F oven until just warm. Reheat the sauce slowly in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Don’t let the sauce boil, or the cream may break!

FAQs

1. Can I use a different cut of beef instead of filet mignon?

Absolutely! While filet mignon is the classic choice for its tenderness, you can definitely substitute it with other great cuts. New York strip or a quality ribeye would be delicious, though they will require slightly different searing times due to their thickness and fat content. Just make sure whatever cut you choose is at least 1-1.5 inches thick to prevent overcooking while you develop that perfect sear. The key is to start with a high-quality cut that you love!

2. I don’t have seafood broth. What’s a good substitute?

If you can’t get your hands on seafood broth, the best substitutes would be either chicken broth or vegetable broth. While they won’t provide that same deep, marine layer of flavor, they will still contribute moisture and a savory base to the sauce, ensuring it reduces beautifully and clings to the steak. If you use chicken or veggie broth, just be sure to taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper since they are generally less salty than seafood stock.

3. Can I use frozen shrimp and lobster?

Yes, you can! However, it is crucial that you properly thaw both the shrimp and the lobster meat before cooking. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or use a quick cold-water thaw method. Trying to cook them from frozen will release too much water, preventing them from searing properly and potentially making your sauce watery. Once thawed, pat the shrimp dry before adding them to the hot skillet!

4. How do I know when my filet mignon is done?

The most reliable way to check doneness is with an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak. For a 1.5-inch thick filet, aim for these temperatures before resting: Rare ($125^\circ F$), Medium-Rare ($130^\circ F$), Medium ($135-140^\circ F$), and Medium-Well ($145^\circ F$). Remember, the temperature will rise another 5 degrees while it rests!