Quick and Easy Seafood Recipes Just as Good as Your Restaurant Faves

The flavor and the texture will have you going nuts about this skillet supper. Single-serving salmon fillets sear quickly in a skillet (6 minutes). Though the seafood dinner idea is low on prep time, it sure isn't short on flavor with its   vibrant herb-and-pistachio gremolata topper.

This classic Southern dish tastes like it cooked low and slow, but the easy seafood recipe actually comes together in 25 minutes. The secret is in multitasking: As you simmer the buttery stove-top grits, pan-fry the shrimp in ham drippings. Is your mouth watering yet? Ours are.

While the fish grills (inside on a grill pan or outside on the BBQ), char some tomatoes and onions in the oven for the simple homemade salsa. That cilantro-infused condiment is the secret to these easy fish tacos tasting as tempting as the kind from a taco truck. (By the way, cod, halibut, seabass, or any firm white fish fillets work well in this recipe.)

Buy It: All-Clad Grill Pan, $50, Williams Sonoma

Skip the restaurant and make this fancy entrée of balsamic-drizzled grilled scallops at home. For a gourmet touch and welcome savory flavors, wrap each scallop in a slice of bacon or prosciutto before cooking. To make this easy seafood recipe a meal, enjoy it over a bed of creamy risotto.

This hands-off easy white fish recipe pairs with plenty of fresh summer veggies, no extra skillets or pans required. Come fall and winter, try the sheet-pan supper with small cubes of butternut squash, potatoes, and cauliflower instead of asparagus and tomatoes. Either way, it can be on your table in less than 30 minutes.

Related: 17 Healthy Sheet-Pan Dinners

Bass, halibut, and red snapper are all perfect for poaching in this light white wine and fresh tomato sauce. And because fish cooks so quickly, this entire entrée can be on your table in 25 minutes. The easy white fish recipe is naturally low in calories and carbs, but if you’re not aiming to limit them too strictly, we suggest serving crusty bread to soak up every last drop of broth.

Prepare to dig into the freshest pasta salad that’s ever met your plate. For this 30-minute pasta salad, toss together Israeli couscous, cool shrimp, and crisp veggies, and a tangy citrus vinaigrette. Using leftover grains, cuts out all the cooking time for this quick and easy seafood recipe.

Seeking a speedy seafood dinner idea that will heat up your weeknight meal routine without heating up your kitchen? Grill both the entrée (salmon) and the side dish (leeks) al fresco. (You can also make an identical 30-minute easy fish dinner indoors on a grill pan if the weather isn’t cooperating.)

Buy It: Lodge Cast-Iron Grill Pan, $21, Target

Get cracking and pair fresh or canned crab with eggs for a next-level skillet dish. Toss in cheese, veggies, and fresh herbs for a fast seafood entrée that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. 

Test Kitchen Tip: Enjoy leftovers as a grab-and-go breakfast sandwich the next day by tucking a sliver inside a pita or between two slices of toast.

If you have oil, salt, and pepper handy, this easy white fish recipe takes only 7 additional ingredients to whip up from scratch. Steamed halibut is the perfect light counterpart to the Mediterranean-inspired eggplant and bell pepper sauté. The garlic and rosemary in the mix make it taste like you spent far more time (and money on a big variety of ingredients) on this low-calorie dinner idea.

If you and your family adore fish sticks, this easy baked cod recipe is a simple, less-processed upgrade. To seal the deal on moving this to must-make dinner territory, we’d like to present this piece of evidence: the four-ingredient (plus butter and olive oil) ingredient list. Enjoy this weeknight dinner idea with a side of steamed broccoli or cauliflower to include three of our top eight anti-inflammatory foods.

Skip takeout or delivery and enjoy a taste of Asian cuisine at home with this easy fish dinner. Instead of chicken or pork, the unique fried rice recipe gets a dose of protein from sautéed salmon. Serve the 30-minute meal with a lemon wedge to make the flavors pop.

Bourbon isn’t only for old-fashioned cocktails. Use the barrel-aged corn-based spirit to lend warmth to balance the sweet maple syrup and tangy orange juice in a tantalizing glaze in this easy five-ingredient dinner. Come spring and summer, serve the good-for-you salmon with roasted asparagus. In fall and winter, try it with roasted Brussels sprouts or cubes of winter squash.

Related: 20 Recipes Made Even Tastier with a Splash of Whiskey

Fast, fresh, and crazy-affordable, tilapia tacos are one of our go-to meals on hectic evenings. Fold warm tortillas around crispy tilapia, cabbage, carrots, and sliced jalapeño to make the Mexican entrée. Then top with a little (or if you’re like us, a lot) of the zesty lime sauce for a creamy-citrusy complement to the pan-fried fish.

Related: One-Pan Dinner Recipes Under $3 Per Serving

This is not your grandma’s tuna casserole recipe. (Sorry, Grandma.) A splash of lemon juice brightens the comforting pasta dish. Craving a crunchy element atop the five-ingredient easy fish dinner? Crown it with crushed croutons or a handful of toasted breadcrumbs.

“My husband and I loved this recipe! It was bursting with flavor and so easy to make,” raves BH&G home cook Diana. One bite of the chile-seasoned tomatoes and smoky cumin-spiced shrimp and you’ll see why this easy seafood recipe is a fan favorite. (Not to mention the 25-minute start-to-finish time to assemble the entire entrée and side.)

Related: 21 Quick and Healthy Shrimp Recipes

Bet you’ve never noshed on a tuna salad sandwich like this before. A spicy-sweet spread of cream cheese and Asian chili sauce adds a kick to this easy seafood recipe. Edamame lends welcome freshness. Start with canned tuna (or one of those handy pouch packages) and 15 minutes stand between you and this no-cook recipe.

Succulent, flaky salmon can be what’s for dinner tonight in a mere 30 minutes. This budget-friendly seafood dinner idea proves that heart-healthy salmon can be jam-packed with flavor too. Top the fish with barbecue sauce and serve with grilled corn, jalapeño peppers, and bell peppers for the ultimate summer dinner.

Take a break from burgers and hot dogs and toss this easy seafood recipe onto the grill the next time you’re cooking over open flames. Before they hit the grill, brush shrimp and pineapple skewers with orange marmalade and soy sauce, which also flavor the simple cilantro rice. Both the well-balanced kabob recipe and the side dish can be on your table in 30 minutes.