Seafood Portal: Seafood Recipes for Every Night of the Week

Seafood recipes for everyday dinners and special tables

Seafood Portal is a collection of fish and shellfish recipes written for home cooks. Some are ready in 15 minutes, like Best Garlic Shrimp in 15 Minutes or Tuna Rice Bowl Recipe in 15 Minutes. Others take a little more planning, like Foolproof Roasted Branzino with Garlic and Herbs in 40 Mins or Portuguese Caldo Verde Recipe in 40 Minutes.

Each recipe lists ingredients, times and temperatures, so you can judge whether a dish fits your evening before you start.

How the recipes are organized

Browse by the kind of meal you want to make:

• Quick - Easy: weeknight dishes with short ingredient lists, such as Lemon Caper Tuna Steak in 17 Minutes and Grilled Cod Fish with Lemon in 15 Minutes.
• Shellfish Dishes: shrimp, crab, lobster and more, including Grilled Lobster Tail in 23 Minutes.
• Appetizers - Snacks: small plates and starters for guests.
• Asian - Fusion: stir-fries, rice bowls and tempura, for example Shrimp Tempura Recipe: Master Light and Lacy Japanese Prawns.
• Pasta - Risotto: dishes like Lobster Crab Ravioli in 20 Minutes and Creamy Imitation Crab Pasta, 8 Servings.
• Grilled - Barbecued: fish and shellfish for the grill, plus vegetable sides.
• Soups - Stews: chowders, bisques and hot pots, such as Crab Chowder Recipe: Luxurious Creamy Comforting.
• Low-Calorie - Healthy: lighter dinners like Healthy Shrimp Stir Fry in 30 Minutes.
• Specials - Festive: dishes for holidays and celebrations.
• Eco-Friendly - Sustainable: a small group of recipes built around more sustainable choices.

If you already know your main ingredient, the themed collections are a faster route. They gather one subject in one place, from shrimp spaghetti and tuna patties to air fryer cod, smoked salmon and clam chowder.

Using a recipe well

Plan your timing

Read the whole recipe before you turn on the heat. Seafood cooks quickly, so have the sauce, garnish and side dishes ready first. Thin fillets and shrimp can go from done to dry in a minute or two. If a recipe gives a range, start checking at the early end.

Check doneness with a thermometer

Color and flaking are useful signs, but a thermometer is more reliable. The USDA recommends 145°F (63°C) for fish, measured at the thickest part. Shrimp, lobster and crab turn opaque and firm when cooked. Clams, mussels and oysters should open as they cook, and any that stay shut afterward should be discarded.

Substitute with care

Fish of similar thickness and fat content usually swap well: cod for haddock or pollock, salmon for steelhead trout, tilapia for other mild white fillets. A thicker cut needs more time and a thinner one needs less, so adjust and keep checking. For shellfish, shrimp and langostino often stand in for each other in pasta and soups. Imitation crab is already cooked, so add it near the end to warm it through.

Storage and food safety

• Keep raw seafood in the coldest part of the refrigerator and cook it within a day or two of buying, unless you freeze it.
• Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator overnight, not on the counter.
• Use separate boards and utensils for raw seafood, and wash your hands and surfaces afterward.
• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within about three days. Reheat until steaming hot.
• Shellfish allergies are common and serious. If you are cooking for guests, ask about allergies first, and check labels on stocks, sauces and breadings.

How recipes are prepared

Recipes here are developed and then edited for clear, numbered steps, realistic cooking times and temperatures, sensible ingredient substitutions and food-safety notes. Stove tops, grills and ovens vary, and so does the thickness of a fillet, so treat times as a guide and rely on your own judgement. Use a thermometer to verify doneness, and adjust seasoning to your taste.

Our recipe authors

Four authors write for the site, each with a different focus. Laura Tide covers fresh, flavorful everyday seafood cooking. Lucas Kim focuses on Asian seafood street food. Marissa Duarte writes about seafood tapas and Mediterranean classics. Aidan Rivers works with wild-caught fish and food photography. You can find out more on the About Us page, or send a question or correction through the Contact Us page.

Where to start

If you are new to cooking fish, try a quick pan-seared or grilled recipe with a firm fillet and few ingredients. If you are feeding a crowd, a one-pot dish such as Cajun Seafood Boil Foxy Your Ultimate OnePot Party or a soup from the collections keeps the work manageable. If you are planning a celebration, browse the festive recipes a few days ahead so you have time to shop and prepare.

Whatever you choose, buy seafood from a source you trust, keep it cold, and cook it just until done.