5 Always-a-Hit (& Easy) Fish Recipes
Project 365, Day 163/365
Growing up, I hated fish. Like…so much. I shake my head at my childhood self for all the amazing, fresh fish and seafood I passed up on trips to the beach, or, specifically, Puerto Rico. What a dunce I was. But now, a really solid fish dish is one of my favorite healthy meals. Frankly, a really solid fish dish is one of my favorite meals, full stop.
I have a handful of go-to, weeknight favorite fish recipes I figured I’d share with you all, in case you’re anything like me and trying to sub out meat for more sustainably caught seafood. Any of these can be whipped up super fast, though the red snapper en papillote might be more for a night you have just a touch more time. But OH is it worth it.
Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa via Joyful Healthy Eats
Man oh man do I love fish tacos. I don’t have a grill currently, so I’d either just use my grill pan, air fryer or just regular ol’ nonstick pan for this. The grill adds a wonderful flavor you can’t really replicate with much else, but I promise they’ll be just as good with a different cooking method. The combination of the sweet mango salsa with the bright, herby chimichurri is wonderful. Oh, you could also sub the fish with shrimp!
Red Snapper en Papillote via Food Network
This is a SHOW.STOPPER. Make it for yourself, make it for company, make it for a special occasion. It’s wonderful. A quick note, however. The recipe calls for a whole red snapper. I have never used one. Fillets have worked just fine for me as I’m a bit intimidated by cooking whole fish. Also, I use Isreali pearl couscous instead of the regular tiny grains of couscous. It’s MUCH better this way. As for the artichoke hearts, make sure they are the marinated kind for maximum flavor, and if you’re like me and love oven-blistered tomatoes, double them.
Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce via Baker By Nature
Listen, I’ve blogged about this recipe so many times. Make it. You won’t regret it. Fresh basil is key. I’ve made it without the white wine and subbed lemon juice and it was still very good if you’re avoiding alcohol. You can use any firm white fish here if you can’t find cod, but you’ll want to be sure it’s a thicker cut rather than a thin fillet otherwise it may be too delicate. I typically serve mine with a side of asparagus. Steamed garlic spinach would also be wonderful.
Maple Crusted Salmon via Foodie Crush
I remember the first time I made this, Charles looked at it skeptically. He didn’t trust the spice and maple syrup combination but honestly, HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT FOOD. I knew it was going to deliver a fantastic crust, especially if I popped those babies in the air fryer rather than the oven. This takes literally 10 minutes almost start to finish, so it’s perfect for when you just can’t stand to be in the kitchen for anything more than say…15 minutes. Because maybe you’ll want to whip up a side salad or something with this.
Grilled Garlic Dijon Herb Salmon via Skinnytaste.com
This has been in my fish arsenal for years. I will warn you that the dijon herb spread is punchy, so if you don’t love that, maybe skip this one. But if you do, it’s super flavorful. Again, I don’t have a grill, so I just do this in the oven or the air fryer. The prosciutto-wrapped asparagus shown with the salmon is also really satisfying. Give it a whirl if you eat meat.
See you tomorrow, FOAS.