37 Weeknight Dinner Recipes That Prove Cooking Seafood Doesn't Have To Be Scary

Cooked in butter and wine with plenty of garlic and parsley, you'll want to serve this shrimp over linguine, rice, or orzo to sop up all the delicious sauce.

Recipe: Easy Shrimp Scampi

Here's a little tip for getting your scallops even crispier: Before pan-searing, lightly dust the scallops in all purpose flour. It will ensure they get golden brown on the outside and fork-tender on the inside.

Recipe: Pan Seared Scallops

This one-pan meal is ready in 30 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight dinner that tastes worthy of a special occasion. Salmon is seared until crispy, then simmered in a sweet-meets-spicy red curry and coconut milk sauce.

Recipe: Red Curry Salmon and Veggies

Shrimp, peppers, and onions are seasoned in lots of spices and then baked on a single sheet pan. If you're feeling lazy, grab store-bought fajita seasoning. The result will still taste delicious.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

You can pretty much serve any kind of fish in this juicy, sweet, and tangy tomato basil sauce and it will be a guaranteed hit. It's made with garlic, blistered tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, white wine, and basil.

Recipe: Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce

If you don't want to buy all the ingredients for poke bowls, serve this seared tuna over rice with something simple like steamed bok choy or seaweed salad. This recipe can be easily tailored to fit your preferences.

Recipe: Seared Tuna Poke Bowls

If you're intimidated by the idea of cooking fish, slow roasting it is a great way to build your confidence. Roasting salmon at a low temperature for about 30 minutes makes it basically impossible to overcook.

Recipe: Slow Roasted Citrus Salmon With Fennel and Parmesan

Cooking a whole fish seems scary, but let me fill you in on a secret: it's pretty much foolproof. The hardest part is determining how you'll steam the fish.

Recipe: Chinese-Style Steamed Whole Fish

This one-pot recipe is sort of like a Pescatarian jambalaya. Shrimp is cooked in butter and cajun seasoning, then it's tossed with rice and chicken broth and cooked until tender.

Recipe: Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet

Seafood doesn't get much more comforting (or easy to make) than these buttery baked scallops topped with crispy panko Parmesan.

Recipe: Baked Scallops With Panko and Parmesan

Thanks to your Instant Pot you can say farewell to all that stovetop stirring. This handy gadget turns arborio rice into creamy risotto with almost zero effort.

Recipe: Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto

This protein-packed dish is an exciting way to spice up your usual salad routine. The main ingredient is tuna fish packed in olive oil but you can also use salmon. Load up your bowl with blanched green beans, buttery potatoes, soft boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and briny olives.

Recipe: Easy Niçoise Salad

This Chinese take-out classic gets a sophisticated little upgrade from jumbo lump crab meat. You can bulk up your fried rice with whatever veggies you have on hand.

Recipe: Crab Fried Rice

This recipe calls for scallops and shrimps tossed in a creamy tomato sauce with your favorite pasta. It's so incredibly simple to make, yet it tastes so indulgent.

Recipe: Spicy Seafood Tagliatelle

The shrimp are coated in cornstarch and dipped in buttermilk and bread crumbs. A few minutes in the air fryer gets them seriously crispy. Then, they're served in a three-ingredient bang bang sauce made with mayonnaise, Sriracha, and sweet chili sauce.

Recipe: Bang Bang Air Fryer Shrimp

You're going to want to serve this dish with some rustic country bread or sourdough to sop up all the extra sauce.

Recipe: Steamed Clams with White Wine and Garlic

Possibly the most divine way to eat seafood, flaky white fish like halibut or bass is served in a creamed spinach made with cream cheese, half and half, and Parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Fish Florentine

This traditional Brazilian recipe is called moqueca in Portuguese. It can be made with pretty much any white fish simmered in coconut milk with onion, tomato, chili pepper, and lime.

Recipe: Brazilian Fish Stew

There's something completely irresistible about the mingling of sweet and spicy flavors in this sheet pan recipe. Shrimp is marinated in garlic, chili powder, soy sauce, and sriracha and roasted with juicy pineapples. Then it's topped with a homemade sauce made by blending roasted jalapeños with yogurt, lime juice, honey, and cilantro.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Hawaiian Pineapple Shrimp Tacos

Cooked on a single parchment paper-lined baking sheet, this simple yet fancy-tasting halibut recipe requires minimal clean-up.

Recipe: Garlic Parmesan Crusted Halibut

Serve these Maryland-style crab cakes over a salad or on sliders topped with homemade Sriracha mayo.

Recipe: Crab Cake Sliders With Spicy Mayo

Easy enough for any ordinary night but fancy enough for a special occasion, this buttery, garlicky lobster scampi over linguine tastes seriously restaurant-quality.

Recipe: Easy Lobster Scampi With Linguine