Surf ‘n’ turf is a mainstay of North American cuisine. It combines the earthy, chewy flavors of red meat with the juicy and succulent taste of seafood. Usually, this involves lobster or shrimp for the seafood component, and beef steak or filet mignon for the red meat.
The popularity of surf and turf cuisine first took off in the United States in the years after the Second World War. Since then, millions of Americans have fallen in love with the unique combination of flavors and textures that can only be found in surf and turf steakhouses.
There’s really nothing quite like the feeling of sitting down to two beautiful entrees side by side. Unfortunately, we do not always have the budget to eat out at steakhouses and seafood joints. And that is the beauty of home cooking, as you get the same expensive taste but at a fraction of the price.
Need we say more? Read on to discover our favorite surf and turf recipes, from lobster and filet mignon to ribeye and scallops. And best of all—it is all on a shoestring budget (relatively speaking, of course). We promise you won’t be disappointed by these delicious fishes dishes. But you might need some bigger dinner plates—just saying.
Gourmet Surf and Turf Burger
This one is an instant summertime crowd pleaser. Fire up the barbecue, because our signature surf and turf burger is the ultimate grilling experience. Combining the best of seafood salad with your classic bacon cheeseburger, there is a lot to love about this one. Why not try it out tonight?
Ingredients
Here is everything you need to get this from the grill to the dinner plate:
- ½ lb. cooked lobster, chopped (¼ in. pieces)
- 2 tbsp. mayo
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- one tbsp. chives, chopped
- 20 oz. lean ground beef
- 4 sesame seed hamburger buns
- 1 fresh tomato
- 4 leaves iceberg lettuce
- 8 slices cooked bacon
- Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Mix the chopped lobster, lemon juice, mayo, and chives in a bowl and season with the sea salt and peppercorn. Throw in the fridge to chill until you are ready to heat to grill.
Once ready, coat your burger patties (5 oz. each) with lots of salt and pepper and let them grill until they are cooked through to the extent you desire. While they grill, garnish the patty with cheddar or Swiss cheese. After you remove the finished patties from the grill, let them set aside and cool for a few minutes.
After the patties are cooked, cut open your hamburger buns and top them with mayo, tomato, and iceberg lettuce. Add on the burger patty. Evenly scoop the lobster mix onto each burger, and then add a couple strips of bacon onto each. Serve with a side of French fries or onion rings.
Surf and Turf Spaghetti
This is the holy trifecta of entrees: pasta, seafood, and steak. Nothing quite hits the spot like the perfect combination of all three unique tastes and flavors. Plus, it makes for a quick and easy meal that can be finished from end to end in 15 minutes or less. Don’t believe us? Give it a try yourself!
Ingredients
Here is all you will need to take your pasta game up to the next level:
- 14 oz. beef tenderloin
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot, chopped
- ½ cup salted butter
- 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Riesling wine
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 14 spot prawns, shelled
- 4 sprig basil
- 1 mozzarella ball, quartered
- 11 oz. angel hair pasta
- 12 asparagus tips
- 1 tsp seafood spice
- Sea salt, truffle salt, and pepper to taste
Instructions
Despite the long list of ingredients, this one’s super easy to make. Start by cooking the angel hair pasta in a pot until tender. Then, sweat the shallots and the fresh garlic in oil and butter. After that, add in the Riesling wine and lemon juice. Once combined, stir in the asparagus tips and shelled prawns. Cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
Mix in the seafood spice and pepper while stirring. Add to the pasta, and garnish with Mozza and basil on each plate.
For the beef tenderloin, cut the fillet into 1-inch strips. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with truffle salt, sea salt, and peppercorn. Throw the beef strips on the grill and cook until they reach your desired level of doneness. Once done, remove from heat and let sit aside for a few minutes. Add 2 pieces of steak to each pasta dish and serve immediately.
Classic Ribeye and Scallops
If it’s not lobster and steak, it’s ribeye and scallops. This is a classic go-to surf and turf option at steakhouses all across the world. Clearly, it’s a winning combination. But best of all, our signature recipe won’t break the bank. That’s right, you can have the luxury at a low cost with this awesome surf and turf recipe.
Ingredients
Here is everything you will need to make this classic dish:
- 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 striploin steaks (10 oz. each)
- 4 large scallops
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ cup vermouth
- 3 tbsp. salted butter
- 1 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed
- one lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp. chives
- Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Instructions
To begin, drizzle the uncooked steaks with olive oil and coat well. Then, top with sea salt and pepper. Heat a saucepan over high, then add the steaks. Fry the steaks until they reach your desired level of doneness.
Once cooked, remove the steaks from the heat. Drizzle olive oil over top of the scallops, and then add sea salt and pepper. Throw the seasoned scallops in the saucepan and cook until they are thoroughly caramelized. Remove from the heat.
In a separate saucepan, boil 2 inches of water. In the other saucepan, cook the shallots and garlic with a tablespoon of olive oil for a couple minutes before adding the vermouth. Add in the butter, stir, and cook for roughly one minute.
In the boiling water, add in the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from the pot and coat with lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt and pepper. On a large dinner plate, place two scallops on top of each steak and garnish with chopped chives, with asparagus on the side. Voila, you now have a fancy surf and turf dish in 15 minutes!
Nothin’ Fancy Lobster and Steak Supreme
When you think “surf and turf” you probably think of lobster and steak paired side by side. Well, at least we certainly do. Here’s our favorite lobster and steak recipe for getting the perfect luxury dining experience, and all at a fraction of the cost of a steakhouse.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you will need for this surf and turf classic:
- 12 oz. NY striploin steak, halved
- 2 lobster tails
- 2-3 soup crackers, crushed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp. salted butter
- 2 tbsp. parsley, minced
- 1 tsp fresh parmesan
Instructions
To begin, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the lobster shells in half down the middle and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of butter (melted), the parmesan, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, parsley, and some sea salt and pepper to taste. Combine well.
Baste the lobster tails and lay them on a baking sheet before crushing a soup cracker over each. Slice the streak down the middle and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the lobster in the oven for 20 minutes.
Fry the two halves of steak in a saucepan with butter until they reach your desired level of doneness. Garnish the steaks with garlic, and then place them in the oven for 5-7 minutes. After removing, let them side aside for 5 minutes while your lobster tails finish cooking. Once they are ready, remove and serve together.
The Cape Cod Surf n’ Turfer Burger
The first burger wasn’t enough for you? Well, luckily for you we have something even better (according to some!). This is a Massachusetts classic—the Cape Cod Surf n’ Turfer Burger. This was made popular at seafood joints on the East coast of the USA, where it remains popular to this day.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you will need:
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Frank’s hot sauce
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 1 container coleslaw
- one bottle of tartar sauce
- 1 bottle mayonnaise
- 6 pieces lightly fried haddock
Instructions
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and by preheating the grill. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, garlic, Dijon, hoisin sauce, Frank’s, and the egg. Stir thoroughly. Spoon onto a tray and form 6 burger patties and place in oven for 5 minutes.
Take the burgers out of the oven and grill them until they reach your desired level of doneness. Once finished, serve on a bun with a spoonful of tartar sauce on top of a large helping of coleslaw. Press a small piece of fried haddock on top of the coleslaw, separating the salad from the patty. Enjoy right away with a tall glass of beer.
Featured image:CC0 Creative Commons, mp1746 via https://pixabay.com.
Chef
