20 Best Summer Seafood Recipes That Taste Like a Beach Vacation
Dive right into your favorite flavorful dinners.
Seafood recipes are good any time of the year, but there's something about summertime that makes them feels so inviting. Perhaps its that fresh squeeze of lemon or maybe because it feels like a beach vacation without ever leaving home. Plus, practically every kind of fish cooks up in a flash, so you're not stuck hovering over a hot stove just to get dinner on the table. And if you're looking for the best summer seafood recipes, you've docked at the right place.
Here, you'll find plenty of shrimp recipes that take as little as 15 minutes from start to finish, plus luxurious lobster options that'll having you dreaming of the coast. You'll also find plenty of grilled fish recipes to take advantage of summer cookout season and even a fish recipe you can throw in your air fryer, so you avoid turning on the oven or stove altogether. Who needs all that extra heat when it's already boiling outside?
Speaking of boiling, you'll also find a classic shrimp boil to serve a crowd and even a few summer pasta salads you can serve cold for lunch or bring to your next potluck. From shellfish to salmon recipes, you'll be able to find a taste of summer with any type of fish you prefer. So get ready to dive right in! Your next fresh, flavorful summer dinner is just a catch away. Then be sure to swim on back for more ideas all season long.
Salmon Tacos
You don't have to wait for Taco Tuesday for these flavorful bites. Roast salmon seasoned with chili powder, garlic, and zesty lime. Then pile it on tortillas with some charred corn slaw and hot sauce for a kick.
Get the Salmon Tacos recipe.
Shrimp Boil
Gather everyone you know because a shrimp boil is made to feed a crowd. Combine shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes with a Creole-spiced broth and plenty of lemon-garlic butter sauce for dipping.
Get the Shrimp Boil recipe.
Grilled Swordfish
Swordfish steaks are hearty enough to easily cook on a grill. You can serve them up any way you want, but this pineapple relish adds a burst of freshness that is a must-try.
Get the Grilled Swordfish recipe.
Lobster Rolls
You don't have to be on the coast of New England for a taste of it! Make the creamy, chilled seafood salad piled onto a toasted bun right at home.
Get the Lobster Rolls recipe.
Grilled Tilapia
Want dinner with practically no clean up? Cook both fish and veggies in a foil packet on the grill. Then just open it up and dig right in! (FYI: You can also make it in the oven.)
Get the Grilled Tilapia recipe.
Blackened Salmon with Edamame Succotash
If you don't mind turning on the oven for a bit, it's one of the easiest ways to cook salmon. While they bake (for only about 15 minutes!), you can toss together an easy succotash side.
Grilled Mahi-Mahi
You might be surprised to learn that a flaky white fish like mahi-mahi is easy to grill. The trick is to coat it in cooking spray so sticking shouldn't be a problem.
Get the Grilled Mahi-Mahi recipe.
Shrimp Salad Rolls
Toss cooked shrimp with some mayo, lemon juice, celery, and fresh herbs and pile them high into a toasted bun. It makes a great lunch or dinner any day of the week.
Get the Shrimp Salad Rolls recipe.
Salmon Burgers with Sesame-Soy Glaze
Both burgers and seafood feel so summery, so why not get the best of both worlds with salmon burgers? If you pop them in the broiler, both sides cook at the same time in under eight minutes.
Air Fryer Fish
Yes to fried fish but no to standing over a hot pot of oil? Skip it and make it all in your air fryer instead. You can use any flaky white fish like cod, haddock, or mahi mahi.
Get the Air Fryer Fish recipe.
Grilled Lobster Tails
If you really want to show off, grilled lobster tails will steal the show! Cook and serve them right in their shells with delectable garlic-herb butter.
Get the Grilled Lobster Tails recipe.
Grilled Salmon
If your intimidated by cooking fish on a grill, salmon is the best place to start. Filets take minimal prep and stay in tact while they cook but the result is flaky and flavorful.
Get the Grilled Salmon recipe.
Shrimp Scampi
The key to making pasta in the summer is to choose a quick-cooking pasta and an easy sauce. Angel hair with butter, wine, lemon and shrimp is the way to go! It's done in just 15 minutes.
Get Ree's Shrimp Scampi recipe.
Tuna Pasta Salad
Crack open a can of tuna and make this classic cookout side dish. But because it's got veggies, protein, and carbs, it can also double as an easy dinner or lunch.
Get the Tuna Pasta Salad recipe.
BBQ Salmon with Cucumber Salad
This recipe will show you that everything tastes better with a little BBQ sauce on it. The cool cucumber salad balances it out perfectly for summery dinner in under 45 minutes.
Get Ree's BBQ Salmon with Cucumber Salad recipe.
Shrimp Pasta Salad
This creamy dish may look straightforward, but it comes with not one but two kicks! The shrimp are seasoned with Old Bay and you can add a dash of hot sauce if you like it spicier.
Get the Shrimp Pasta Salad recipe.
Nicoise Salad
It sounds fancy, but actually Nicoise salad is quite easy to make and assemble. Start with a good can of tuna and build around it with fresh veggies, potatoes, eggs, and a drizzle of lemon-herb dressing.
Get Ree's Nicoise Salad recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
A lemony, garlicky marinade really makes shrimp shine! When placed on skewers, they're so easy to grill, too. They only take two to three minutes per side.
Get the Grilled Shrimp Skewers recipe.
Fish and Chips Salad
Don't stress about frying fish from scratch. Just use store-bought frozen filets and fries! While they cook, you can toss the salad and make the tartar sauce for a healthier, easier dinner.
Get the Fish and Chips Salad recipe.
Garlic Shrimp
If you've got 15 minutes, you can make this garlicky shrimp. And don't waste that sauce. Serve it over pasta or make some toasted bread for dipping... or both!
Get the Garlic Shrimp recipe.
These Summer Seafood Dinners Only Take 45 Minutes
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Grilled Skewers and Kebabs for Every Summer BBQ
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