The "Of-fish-al" 30 Best Seafood Recipes To Make All Summer Long
Summer is here, and while we love a BBQ as much as the next person, sometimes heavy grilled meat and chicken dishes are just too much for the heat outside. This is where seafood really shines! Seafood contains tons of vitamins and nutrients, and tends to be much lighter than other proteins. Not to mention, many of our seafood dishes are considerably quicker than other weeknight dinners. Though it may seem intimidating (especially if you're thinking of grilling it!), seafood is actually deceptively easy to do right.
One thing seafood really has going for it is variety. On this list you’ll see everything from lobster, salmon, and shrimp, to scallops, clams, and cod. There are so many flavors and combinations out there, and with our help, we think you’ll find leaving the comfort of your food bubble will be both exciting and delicious.
We’ve compiled a list of the best bright, refreshing seafood dishes for you to wow with this summer. Looking for a lighter summer barbecue experience but still wanting to fire up the grill? Try our grilled shrimp piccata skewers, our grilled cod with romesco sauce, our grilled fish sandwich, or our grilled clam bake foil packs. Prefer something even lighter? Try our fresh shrimp ceviche or Peruvian ceviche recipes, or our Alaska or Dragon sushi rolls.
For us, summer is all about tacos, so we've included a number of our seafood-filled faves here: check our salmon tacos or our classic shrimp tacos for inspiration, then feel free to make them your own (personally, we love switching out the fruity salsas on top!). Speaking of, another great thing about seafood is how well it pairs with fruit. Give our shrimp & mango salad or our baked pineapple salmon a shot for a super juicy, sweet meal.
While we’ve gathered 31 great summer seafood recipes here, we understand you can’t eat seafood everyday (though we'll sure be trying!). Instead, use our summer dinners guide or check out our list of our best grilling recipes to keep your plate exciting and full all summer long.
Salmon Tacos
These tacos are cinch to make and are fresh, zesty, and absolutely delicious. The real standout here? The homemade pineapple-avocado salsa. You can sub it out for mango salsa if you prefer, but this sweet-tangy-creamy recipe truly adds something special to these tacos.
Get the Salmon Tacos recipe.
Baked Pineapple Salmon
Layering on pineapple circles under the salmon adds a sweet citrus flavor to the salmon that is just unbeatable. Giving the salmon a quick broil at the end of cooking gives the marinade a chance to caramelize, creating an incredible flavor and texture.
Get the Baked Pineapple Salmon recipe.
Summer Roll Bowl
Love a Vietnamese summer roll but don’t want to fuss with the wrapper? Meet your new favorite summer dinner. Rice noodles, shrimp, avocado, thinly sliced veggies, and a plethora of greens are tossed together in a tangy nước chấm dressing for a refreshing dinner twist.
Get the Summer Roll Bowls recipe.
Sushi Sandwiches (Onigirazu)
Inspired by the popular Japanese onigirazu, this variation’s got the same elements of your favorite lunch—spicy salmon, seasoned sushi rice, cucumber, quick-pickled cabbage, carrot, and avocado—all wrapped in nori and served with plenty of sriracha-soy mayo. These flavor-packed, portable pouches are perfect for a picnic, quick lunch, or afternoon snack.
Get the Sushi Sandwiches (Onigirazu) recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Piccata Skewers
These grilled shrimp piccata skewers are the perfect combination of juicy, charred shrimp, bright lemon zest, briny capers, and white wine butter sauce that will make your friends beg you for the recipe.
Get the Grilled Shrimp Piccata Skewers recipe.
Grilled Fish Sandwich With Slaw & Tzatziki
Cod is called for in this recipe, but any firm white fish that can stand up to a grill will work. The marinade is made with ginger, garlic, paprika, and turmeric, lending the fish a beautiful golden hue. This is the perfect summer grilling recipe to shake up your burger and hot dog game.
Get the Grilled Fish Sandwich With Slaw & Tzatziki recipe.
Grilled Cod With Romesco Sauce
Inspiration for this quick and easy recipe comes from the Catalan province of Tarragona in Spain. Nutty, smoky romesco sauce was originally created to serve alongside the region’s abundant seafood, so it goes together with this grilled cod like peanut butter goes with jelly but, you know, fancier.
Get the Grilled Cod With Romesco Sauce recipe.
Smoked Salmon Crostini
Smoked salmon has been endlessly married with cream cheese, and we're not tired of it. In fact, we encourage it. Whether it’s smoked salmon dip or in a pasta, there is no denying the perfection of this combo. So, for a quick hors d'oeuvre, like this salmon crostini, we couldn’t shy away from it.
Get the Smoked Salmon Crostini recipe.
Grilled Clam Bake Foil Packs
Bundle fresh clams, sweet corn, cooked potatoes, and a garlic-herb compound butter into foil packs and pop them on the grill. Fifteen minutes later, dinner is served. Be sure to serve some crusty bread on the side to mop up all of the delicious juices.
Get the Grilled Clam Bake Foil Packs recipe.
Sushi Bowls
Not ready to make your own California roll or shrimp tempura roll at home quite yet but craving all of the classic sushi flavors? A homemade sushi bowl is a great place to start. You can practice making restaurant-worthy sushi rice, source best-quality fish, and discover what ingredients, flavors, and textures make your perfect sushi bowl.
Get the Sushi Bowls recipe.
Miso Salmon & Farro Bowl
Miso is a Japanese cooking staple made from fermented soybeans, and it’s the ultimate pantry powerhouse. It’s got toasty, deeply savory, and slightly sweet notes that pair well with hearty fish like salmon or cod, but it can also amplify the flavor of roasted veggies or even baked goods.
Get the Miso Salmon & Farro Bowl recipe.
Greek Salmon
We baked salmon fillets with red onion and lemon for around 20 minutes until perfectly cooked and flaky. While it’s baking, we create our topping of homemade marinated feta, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, red onion, and dill. Put it all together, and the result is an under-an-hour dinner that’s worthy of your next dinner party.
Get the Greek Salmon recipe.
Peruvian Ceviche
Our take on the classic Limeñan ceviche uses cancha (toasted corn), Japanese sweet potatoes, crisp red onions, and aji limo. And, of course, leche de tigre! On the surface, ceviche may seem complicated, but it’s incredibly easy and versatile, and an ideal way to make use of abundant seafood.
Get the Peruvian Ceviche recipe.
Alaska Roll
We know sushi is Japanese, but there are plenty of U.S.-born rolls that we have come to adore. Obviously the California roll might be the top on your list, but if you’ve never had an Alaska roll, you’re missing out.
Get the Alaska Roll recipe.
Shrimp & Mango Salad
Pleasantly crunchy and loaded with fresh ingredients, this shrimp and mango salad masters the art of a summer dinner that is light, refreshing, and filling. Tied together with a bright, savory dressing inspired by our miso ginger dressing—a Delish forever favorite—this summer salad is one of the easiest ways to get in your fruits and veggies.
Get the Shrimp & Mango Salad recipe.
Lobster Ravioli
For this version of lobster ravioli, wonton wrappers are used instead of pasta dough. The wonton wrappers are so tender and light that you really only taste the decadent lobster filling. If you want actual pasta-encased lobster ravioli, then our pasta dough is great; otherwise, we promise you’re going to make these over and over again.
Get the Lobster Ravioli recipe.
Shrimp Tacos
Shrimp tacos are easy, fast, and the perfect canvas for showcasing all the best parts of the handheld favorite. Pan-seared shrimp get seasoned with homemade taco seasoning and drizzled with lime juice, then piled into a charred corn tortilla with crisp cabbage slaw and topped with jalapeno-garlic crema (a game changer).
Get the Shrimp Tacos recipe.
Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir-Fry
This shrimp dinner is the perfect fix for a busy weeknight. Only 5 ingredients and 1 skillet, and you’re on your way to a satisfying stir-fry in under an hour. The best part of this one-pan weeknight dinner? It's completely versatile (so make it your own!).
Get the Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir-Fry recipe.
Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of those dishes that wow guests but secretly are so easy to make. With just five ingredients, you can make a bite-sized appetizer that will have everyone’s mouth watering. They also make a very elegant seafood dinner when served with potatoes and roasted vegetables.
Get the Bacon-Wrapped Scallops recipe.
Dragon Roll
Uramaki (“inside out”) is a Westernized style of sushi roll where the rice is on the outside of the nori. Uramaki arguably reaches a peak of extravagance with the dragon roll, with its gorgeous "scales" of thinly sliced mango and avocado and drizzle of sriracha mayo.
Get the Dragon Roll recipe.
Sweet Corn Shrimp & Rice Skillet
If you're looking for the ultimate summer dinner, then let us introduce you to your new weeknight go-to: our sweet corn shrimp & rice skillet. It starts with a vibrant sauce made with some of our favorite sunny, bright flavors: sweet bell pepper, nutty white miso, and earthy turmeric, along with plenty of garlic and ginger.
Get the Sweet Corn Shrimp & Rice Skillet recipe.
Spicy Salmon Bowl
In this recipe, a brown rice base gets topped with flavorful salmon, quick pickled cucumbers, sliced avocado, shredded carrots, and red onion, before everything gets drizzled with homemade spicy mayo. Forget ordering sushi—this spicy salmon bowl is our favorite way to enjoy all the same flavors in an easier (and versatile) way at home.
Get the Spicy Salmon Bowl recipe.
Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Tender, evenly-cooked shrimp are ready in the air fryer in just 30 minutes, making this the perfect healthy summer appetizer to serve in a pinch. This recipe is a flavor explosion thanks to a slightly spicy lemon-garlic marinade that infuses each bite of shrimp with flavor.
Get the Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp recipe.
Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites
The perfect bite to start any party is one made of mac & cheese and lobster. A combination of heavy cream, sharp cheddar, and nutty gouda cheese combined with sweet shallots and garlic are a simple canvas for both pasta and lobster. Our favorite part? How crispy the exterior gets!
Get the Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites recipe.
Ceviche
While it may seem fancy, ceviche is actually a fairly simple dish at its core. All it involves is tossing raw seafood in lime juice, then letting the acid in the citrus “cook” the fish. Often bulked up with other mix-ins like tomatoes or cucumber, the result is a light and refreshing dish that’s a perfect summertime snack.
Get the Ceviche recipe.
Shrimp Scampi
Sometimes simple is the most satisfying. One of our favorite examples? The combo of lemon, garlic, and butter. These flavors show up in countless of our favorite weeknight dinners and steak recipes, but they really get to shine in homemade shrimp scampi.
Get the Shrimp Scampi recipe.
Coconut Curry Salmon
The coconut milk and spice go so well together here, making a rich, but not heavy, sauce that really tastes and feels far more complicated than it is. The salmon simmers in the milk keeping it very tender and flaky and extra flavorful. Spoon the sauce over the salmon a few times as it cooks to give it a nice coating.
Get the Coconut Curry Salmon recipe.
Fried Catfish
Our top secret for the most flavorful, extra-crispy catfish? A buttermilk and hot sauce marinade. We know, it may sound odd, but the result is an extra-flavorful, slightly spicy catfish that, once coated and fried, results in crispy fillets that rival even our favorite seafood restaurants.
Get the Fried Catfish recipe.
Smoked Trout Spread
Creamy, smoky, and bright, it's delicious piled onto toasted bread, crackers, or crisp endive leaves. Often made in a food processor, we found it was just as easy (and required less cleanup) to flake the fish by hand before stirring it into the softened cream cheese.
Get the Smoked Trout Spread recipe.
Bang Bang Shrimp
A go-to appetizer for many, bang bang shrimp is irresistibly delicious. The pairing of crunchy shrimp and the signature creamy, spicy-sweet sauce is a combo made in appetizer heaven. No matter how many times we make it—as a snack, party appetizer, or weeknight dinner—it never gets old.
Get the Bang Bang Shrimp recipe.
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