50 Seafood Recipes to Make Again and Again

Chefs Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo's exquisite, super-simple version of linguine con vongole is packed with garlic and a judicious amount of crushed red pepper. If you prefer, shell the clams before tossing them with their juices in the pasta.

Venice- and London-based blogger Skye McAlpine loves the delicate flavor of langoustines, but to her the real magic of the dish is the super-flavorful tomato sauce in which they simmer. Be sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand to soak up the sauce.

Food & Wine senior food editor Mary-Frances Heck refers to these lobster rolls as "knuckle sandwiches" because they showcase the knuckles — the segments that connect the claws to the carapace — which are the sweetest, most tender meat on a lobster. Dressed simply with mayo, the cold salad sits in a hot, buttered bun. Her tip for tackling the admittedly tedious work of cracking the shells? Do it with a friend and a cold beer.

Marinating tender sea bass in turmeric, lal masala, and ketchup before coating with green chutney keeps each layer of flavor distinct and adds a beautiful ring of vibrant color to this crispy fried fish, traditional to Parsi cuisine.

Eggs and cod are a time-honored marriage of textures and tastes. The starting point for this dish was the grand aioli of Provence, which features a robust aioli with crudités and cod. When you serve this, be sure to flake the cod a little so the sauce can flavor as much of the fish as possible.

Herbes de Provence, a blend of spices including lavender, thyme, and fennel, is a classic French ingredient. Williams Sonoma makes a particularly aromatic blend, which, when combined with softened butter and spread over fish and potatoes, helps to create a simple and flavorful weeknight meal.

Homemade barbecue spice seasons both a dry brine and pineapple-based mop sauce for a double dose of flavor here. Hot-smoked salmon makes a show-stopping buffet centerpiece any time of day.

These upgraded BLTs combine tender, sweet lobster meat with smoky, salty bacon, juicy tomatoes, and pillowy potato buns, lightly toasted in bacon drippings.

Chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls builds rich flavor into this Lowcountry stew with a quick homemade stock using shrimp shells. Worcestershire adds an additional hit of umami, while fresh okra helps thicken the broth. Read more about Alexander Smalls and his epic Harlem dinner parties in "To Dine, with Love."

Monkfish, with its tender, springy bite reminiscent of lobster, is firm and sweet enough to stand up to this lemony butter sauce enriched with white miso. Plenty of briny capers and caperberries help balance the richness.

Toasted walnuts are a surprise addition to the creamy, smoky red pepper puree that gets swirled into these harissa-spiked steamed mussels. Anisey Thai basil and salty-sour pickled onions compliment the sweet, plump mussels.

Layers of creamy egg salad; crisp red onion; herbed cream cheese; and salty, briney caviar come together in a beautiful molded dip that serves up an entire caviar platter in one dish.

Though Peruvians claim ceviche as their national dish, chilled, citrus-dressed seafood is a mainstay in homes and restaurants in Central and South America almost anywhere the ocean meets coastline. A knockout ceviche is the result of a delicate balance of heat, salt, acidity, freshness, and crunch. Although it's widely believed that soaking raw fish in an acidic liquid "cooks" the seafood, it actually just denatures the protein. As with any seafood recipe, it's essential to use the freshest, most sustainably sourced fish and shellfish you can get your hands on, both for flavor and for the sake of food safety.

Shallow poaching under a cartouche, a circle of parchment paper, yields tender fish in minutes. This method works with any mild fish, such as flounder, rockfish, or grouper. If any fillets are of uneven thickness (such as tapered portions near the tail), fold the thin portion underneath to achieve an even 3/4-inch thickness.

Chef Kris Yenbamroong of Night + Market invites a quick garlic aioli and super spicy fish sauce–based dipping sauce to the shrimp cocktail party. Using a fork to crush the garlic for the aioli leaves it sweeter and less pungent while still breaking down the fibrous cloves for a creamy dipping sauce. Serve the shrimp alongside ramekins of aioli and nam jim seafood sauce for dipping, or arrange the shrimp around the rim of a coupe glass filled with nam jim for more intense flavor.

Chef Eric Adjepong's steamed clams get a burst of bright flavor from green, tangy sorrel. If you can't find sorrel, or it's out of season, Adjepong recommends using fresh basil and adding a little extra lemon juice to mimic its tart, lemony flavor. Don't skip the warm crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

Briny, savory uni butter makes a delicious way to dress freshly cooked pasta — especially when you finish the dish with chef Brandon Boudet's extra-smoky take on the nutty Egyptian condiment, dukkah. If you can't find uni at your favorite fishmonger, it's also available online. And if you can't find any squid ink pasta, use any pasta shape you'd like. The dukkah makes more than you'll need for this recipe, so save the extra to sprinkle over grilled or roasted vegetables, or enjoy as a topping for any green or grain salad.

Inspired by her mother's cooking, food writer and recipe developer Karla Vasquez's recipe celebrates this popular style of cooking fish in El Salvador. Many families use mojarra, a fish found in agua dulce (fresh water), but trout makes a great substitute. Salsa inglesa, or Worcestershire sauce, is a frequent find in Salvadoran condiment drawers and teams up with the mustard to create a punchy, umami-packed crust. Delicate, meltingly tender whole trout gets crispy skin from a quick sear in a cast-iron skillet.

At Cabra in Chicago, 2011 BNC alum Stephanie Izard channels her love of Peruvian cuisine to deliver inspired takes on traditional ceviche and tiradito. At the restaurant, Izard dresses raw sushi-grade tuna steak with a creamy Kewpie mayonnaise-laced sauce, thinned with lime and orange juices, and studded with spicy serrano chiles. For a twist, try giving the tuna a quick sear in a screaming hot skillet to add another layer of complexity to the dish.

At Racines in New York City, Diego Moya served confit trout with an almond oil, apricot kernel vinegar, and honey vinaigrette with tart underripe peaches. This homage leans on store-bought smoked trout and aged sherry vinegar for a weeknight-friendly dish. Pascaline Lepeltier pairs a dry, powerful, but nervy white: Jurançon Sec. "The aromas are unique, a mix of delicate passion fruit, freesia, lemon verbena, sage, dry honey, and so much smoked salt."

Inspired by his travels in Jamaica, Food & Wine executive producer Kwame Onwuachi shared this recipe for escovitch snapper. In Jamaica, escovitch fish — fish that's fried and then topped with pickled, thinly sliced vegetables—is everywhere. In chef Kwame Onwuachi's version, a garlicky marinade forms a crust as the fish cooks, adding flavor and keeping the snapper moist and tender, and a pickled tangle of thinly sliced chiles, carrot, and onion­ makes a punchy, crunchy topping for crispy fried whole snapper.

"My aunt Christine taught me how to make crab cakes over the phone," Melissa Martin of Mosquito Supper Club says. "And what I learned is that you can use leftover boiled shrimp as a binder instead of breadcrumbs. When you grind shrimp in a food processor, it becomes sticky, and just a small amount will hold crabmeat and smothered vegetables together well enough to form into patties.A seasonal salad made with cucumber and tomato or corn on the cob is the perfect accompaniment for crab cakes."

The secret to a seafood boil packed with perfectly cooked shrimp, king crab legs, and clams? Taking it one step at a time. First, simmer a flavor-packed mixture of lemons, Cajun seasoning, onions, garlic, and chiles with small new potatoes to give them a head start. Then add your clams and gently spicy andouille sausage and simmer a few minutes more. Finally, toss in the faster-cooking shrimp and king crab legs, along with frozen corn on the cob, which cools down the boil without diluting it like ice would. A warm bowl of butter sauce spiked with more Cajun seasoning makes the perfect dipping partner for every delicious bite.

"Sardine pupu is a simple, prototypically Filipino treat: Splashes of shoyu and vinegar essentially qualify it as adobo, while a crucial glug of lemon oil on top adds complexity," chef Sheldon Simeon says. "My favorite part is the raw onions, which I rinse under ice water, a technique that softens their bite and brings out the sweetness. This is a primo snack, or add two scoops of rice and you've got a meal. My recipe for the lemon oil and chile pepper water can be halved or quartered if you'd like, but they have endless uses if you want to store the extra in the fridge. If the lemon oil and chile pepper water are already made, the dish comes together in about 10 minutes."

Perfect for a dinner party or any sort of special occasion, this stunning dish from chef Angie Mar is a project that's well worth your time. The crab and scallops lend a delicate sweetness, and the sherry sauce brings nuttiness and brightness. Almond flour is essential, as it holds the filling together and gives it texture.

Simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, mild grouper fillets pick up lightly smoky, savory flavor in scallion, lemon, and butter stuffed packets on the grill. These packets leave the fish perfectly moist and flaky, and avoid potentially sticky grill grates. The built-in sauce cooks as the butter and lemon melt into the fish, and pair perfectly with fluffy cooked rice or crusty baguettes for sopping.

A close cousin of casseroles, hot dish is a staple on family dinner tables and potlucks across the Midwest United States. This version channels the flavor and fun of a crab boil, with Old Bay seasoning, dashes of Worcestershire and hot sauce, and a hint of lemon, adding layers of flavor to sweet fresh lump crabmeat. Frozen potato tots add crunch to this creamy casserole, making it a hearty and filling dinner.

An abundance of seafood and three types of fennel (bulb, seed, and pollen) infuse chef Brandon Boudet's version of this San Francisco fish stew with remarkable flavor, while Calabrian chile paste and crushed red pepper add a subtle layer of heat. Because the West Coast is famous for their Dungeness crab, a large orange crab with meaty claws, it makes a dramatic showing in this seafood-packed dish. Dungeness crab are available fresh from November through June, but this dish can be made any time since many fish markets have cooked and frozen crabs available year round.

Classic lobster thermidor stuffs gently cooked lobster meat back in its shell with a wine-based sauce and a touch of cheese before coming together under the broiler. The natural sweetness of lobster still shines through the rich, but not heavy, cremini mushroom and dry Sherry laced creamy sauce. A touch of cayenne adds warmth, not spice, that brightens the whole dish, while Parmesan cheese gets bubbly and brown under the broiler to finish each impressive stuffed lobster tail.

The Chinese word for fish (yu) sounds similar to the Chinese word most closely translated to "abundance," so for her Lunar New Year celebration, Lucky Chow producer Danielle Chang serves fish to usher in prosperity and abundance in the new year. Chang uses light soy sauce in this dish — it is lighter in color and higher in salt than dark soy sauce, making it ideal for imparting flavor in steamed seafood.

The Anchovy Bar, sister restaurant to State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, celebrates the tiny, humble fish in a host of ways, including this made-to-share snack board of quality Spanish anchovy fillets, ripe heirloom tomatoes, and fresh Japanese cucumbers. "The build-your-own aspect of this dish makes the simplicity work so well," says co-owner Nicole Krasinski, who opened the restaurant with her husband, Stuart Brioza, a 2003 Food & Wine Best New Chef. "Everything is meant to be clean and fresh and offer a great balance to the salty anchovies."

These irresistibly crispy bites transform a grazing board into a hearty supper; a drizzle of honey takes them over the top. Begin frying these breaded croquettes immediately after removing them from the freezer to help them hold their shape. To accompany the croquettes, sommelier Fahara Zamorano recommends Etna Rosso, a multifaceted wine with red fruits and floral, herbaceous notes. "It can match the most intricate of spreads," says Zamorano.

Pickled chicories amp up this tuna melt, a lunchtime classic, and are a great use for leftover mixed chicories. The pickles can add a pop of tangy sweetness to salads or be served as a condiment with grilled or roasted meats.

In this Night + Market dish by chef Kris Yenbamroong, blending fresh shrimp with pork fat creates a juicy, tender paste to spread on springy milk bread. Pork fat, from the back or belly (not rendered, like lard), can be easily chopped after freezing until quite firm, about 20 minutes.

This rich lobster mac and cheese has it all. A generous amount of lobster meat and a three-cheese sauce made with fontina, Gruyère, and mascarpone are mixed with pasta and baked under a crunchy topping of panko and Parmesan. The cheese sauce has a secret flavor booster — the shells are separated from the meat and cooked with aromatics, wine, milk, and cream, infusing the sauce with a surprising depth of lobster flavor. The shells are then strained out before adding the cheese in this luxurious main course dish.

Although his breading technique at Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack in Asheville, North Carolina is top secret, chef Rich Cundiff was kind enough to create this special riff on his coconut shrimp exclusively for us. A drizzle of syrupy honey glaze, infused with black pepper and lemon, adds a tart-sweet bite.

Chef Reem Assil's custom khalta hara blend from the spice company Burlap & Barrel includes toasted coriander, cumin, chile, and black lime. Those spices infuse halibut with layered, mild heat; sliced serrano, cilantro, and parsley add a fresh finish.

Adam Evans, of Automatic Seafood and Oysters in Birmingham, Alabama, serves up this perfectly tender and delightfully crispy fried fish that never seems to lose its crunch, even in takeaway containers. His secret is in the dredge. Gluten-free tapioca flour and rice flour team up with effervescent club soda in this light batter that becomes exceptionally crispy-and stays that way up to an hour after cooking. Delicious on its own, this fish also makes great sandwiches and tacos.

Finnan haddie, or cold-smoked cured haddock, gives this brothy chowder a deep, clean, smoky foundation that highlights sweet clams without overwhelming them. Using a mixture of lightly mashed potatoes and half-and-half to thicken and enrich the soup gives it a silky, but not heavy, texture.

This tender, flaky oven-roasted Chilean sea bass is the headliner on musician Patrice Rushen's holiday table. To make it, Rushen bakes butter-rubbed fillets in a citrus-forward mixture of freshly juiced oranges, ponzu, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, which infuses the fish with a lovely flavor without overwhelming it. Seek out Chilean sea bass with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification label to ensure it was caught sustainably, or substitute salmon or halibut, which are also good choices for this preparation. Timing will vary depending on thickness of your fish; for thinner fillets, begin checking fish after about 12 minutes into the cooking time.

A vinaigrette bolstered with chopped olives, toasted walnuts, and fresh parsley is a bold finishing touch for roasted salmon basted with smoked paprika and lemon. The combination of basting and slow roasting yields incredibly tender salmon; the walnut-olive vinaigrette adds a briny, buttery crunch. Source skinless salmon for a  prettier presentation. To coax the most flavor from the walnuts, toast in a 350°F oven for about 12 minutes.

Spot prawns are incredibly sweet, with plump, tender tails reminiscent of lobster. Be sure to remove the prawns from the pan before finishing the sauce to keep them from overcooking.

Unlike their larger, late-season siblings, baby veggies are supremely quick to cook. Creamy new potatoes add substance to this quick one-pan skillet dinner of tender shrimp, fresh shelling peas, and dill, which come together in a sweet and buttery broth laced with cream.

In this recipe for Pescado con Sofrito, chef Katie Button uses an aromatic, slow-cooked sofrito to add vibrant flavors to an otherwise quick dinner of white wine-poached white fish fillets.

Tender catfish fillets marinate briefly in garlic and pepper before being breaded and fried for these extra-crispy fried catfish sandwiches from Pawan Mahendro, whose family runs Badmaash, a modern Indian concept with two locations in Los Angeles. Don't skip Mahendro's creamy coleslaw: In addition to the usual cast of green cabbage, red onion, and matchstick carrots, he punches it up with cilantro, bread-and-butter pickles, and a roasted cumin, mayo, and vinegar dressing. Like most slaws, this one gets better after a day in the refrigerator; stir in the cilantro just before serving to keep it fresh.

The late, legendary cookbook author Marcella Hazan joined F&W as a contributing editor in 1992. Former Executive Food Editor Tina Ujlaki remembers that although technique mattered to Hazan, "taste trumped all." Of all the wonderful recipes she created, our all-time favorite is this quick-cooking swordfish — which we named one of our 40 best recipes — where an oregano-infused sauce imparts bright flavor to hot-off-the-grill steaks. The secret is pricking holes in the fish so the lemony dressing seeps in.

On a visit to New York City in 1984, world-renowned chef Emeril Lagasse visited the Food & Wine test kitchen and shared several recipes, including his Shrimp Creole (another one of our 40 best). The spicy Creole sauce has layers of flavor built on a foundation of the Cajun flavor trinity— onion, celery, and green bell pepper — mixed with garlic and sautéed in butter until tender. The Creole sauce can be made through step 4 and chilled for up to four days, or can be frozen for up to a month. This recipe makes more Creole seasoning than you'll need; save the remainder in an air-tight container.

2020 Best New Chef Douglass Williams' method for carbonara allows you to hold the cooked pasta before adding it to the garlic–oil–pasta cooking liquid emulsion. It makes for a simple, creamy carbonara without the stress.

These crunchy fried oysters are an elegant, fun appetizer. They are served with a creamy remoulade made with mayonnaise, horseradish, capers, hot sauce, and Creole mustard — the perfect dipper for the crispy oysters. Even better, this recipe adjusts easily; for a smaller group just cut it half. Or turn this into a meal and make oyster po' boys: Cut 6 (6-inch) French rolls crosswise, and toast the rolls. Spread the rémoulade evenly on bottoms of the rolls, and top with the fried oysters, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, and dill pickles. Serve immediately.

In this one-skillet main course inspired by winemaker Mireia Taribó's homeland of Catalonia in northeastern Spain, slowly sautéed squid and shrimp nestle into a bed of short, thin noodles. The fideuà noodles soak up the seafood stock and onions as they cook, their flavor intensifying as they crisp on the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to overcook the seafood — especially the squid — during the initial sauté. Taribó loves to serve this at dinner parties at her California winery, Camins 2 Dreams.