31 Easy Fish Recipes for Crazy-Busy Weeknights
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Fish recipes are a great way to quickly get a flavorful dinner on the table. (Ask us about our salsa-verde-slathered salmon obsession.) That’s not to say salmon recipes should have a lock on your weeknight seafood rotation—there are plenty of other, just as craveable, fish in the…well, BA archives. And we’ve collected our favorites right here. We’re talking about halibut tacos in warm corn tortillas, grilled red snapper, sheet-pan cod with potatoes and a crunchy herb topping, and meaty monkfish chowder with sweet cherry tomatoes. Ready to swim upstream? Our best fish recipes are waiting, just below. Scroll down to find your next catch of the day.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown1/31All A’s Spring Salad With Mahi-Mahi
Some of the best fish recipes are the quickest; this verdant dinner takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Throw together the asparagus, arugula, and avocado salad while your fish goes in the oven.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski2/31Slow-Roasted Salmon With Harissa
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson3/31Easy Fish Tacos With Spicy Sauce
For this halibut or cod recipe, you’ll rub the fillets with a mix of ground cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt before a quick sear. Top each taco with a bit of crunchy slaw and a drizzle of spicy sour cream (or Greek yogurt).
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht4/31Spicy Salmon Roll Bowl
Coating cubes of salmon in mayonnaise promotes quick browning, which is exactly what we’re going for in this speedy dinner.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams5/31Grilled Halibut With Basil-Shallot Butter
Cooking on the grill means big flavor and not too many dishes. Prep a big batch of the herb butter in advance and use it to slather corn on the cob or toss with pasta the next day. Not sure what to serve with your flaky halibut? We recommend Tomatoes With Creamy Feta or some simple grilled veggies.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Tim Ferro6/31Salmon Teriyaki Onigiri
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by Emma Ringness8/31Sesame-Crusted Salmon Bowls
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro11/31Slow-Roasted Salmon With Fennel, Citrus, and Chiles
Alex Lau12/31Monkfish and Cauliflower Chowder
Monkfish is often compared to lobster thanks to its sweet, mild flavor and meaty texture. It’s great in a simple soup like this one.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou14/31Soy and Ginger Steamed Fish
Sometimes you want crispy fish, and other times you want it tender, silky, and luscious. We recommend black bass, snapper, arctic char, or black cod for this recipe, but the method is flexible. “I have made this with shrimp, with tilapia, and with cod, and it’s always wonderful,” writes one reviewer.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman15/31Everything-Spice Fish With Tomato Salad
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski16/31Crispy-Skinned Fish With Herb Sauce
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen17/31Herby Salmon and Potato Salad
You’ll build this sheet-pan dinner layer by layer, so each element has an appropriate cook time. Start with potatoes followed by jarred marinated artichokes, then add the fish for the last bit of roasting. The salad-y ingredients, like fresh cilantro and mint, Peppadew peppers, olives, and lemon juice, are tossed in just before serving.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie18/31Orange-Coriander Salmon
Coriander has a citrusy note that’s highlighted here alongside fresh lemon and orange. This dish is fancy enough for a dinner party, but quick enough for a weeknight.
Photographs by Elizabeth Cecil, food styling by Danielle Pattavina19/31Seafood Chowder
This creamy New England–style chowder can be made with white fish fillets like swordfish, sea bass, or halibut, plus crab meat, scallops, and/or shrimp. Oyster crackers are a must.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Taneka Morris21/31Butteriest Black Pepper Fish
Topping flounder with barely cracked peppercorns toasted in a generous amount of butter may convince you to add a few more fish dinners to your week. We especially love making the butter sauce with peppercorns from Burlap & Barrel; just make sure yours haven’t been in the pantry for years.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Christina Allen22/31Roast Cod With Chorizo Crisp
For the ultimate breadcrumb topping, blitz Spanish chorizo with Parmesan, garlic, kosher salt, and fennel seeds in a food processor before adding to panko.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, prop styling by Emma Ringness, food styling by Mieko Takahashi23/31Easiest Grilled Salmon
This salmon recipe keeps things simple, so you can have fun with the BBQ sides.
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio24/31Mackerel Pantry Pasta
Mackerel is one of our favorite canned fish options; it shines in no-cook pasta sauce with grated garlic, lemon zest, chopped capers, and Parmesan.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman25/31Spiced Salmon With Potatoes and Corn
Throw together a summer seafood boil—with much easier prep and cleanup. Don’t bother transferring to a platter; just place the sheet pan on a trivet in the center of the table to keep the convivial seafood boil feel of serving yourself.
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy26/31Tuna Niçoise Salad
On a hot day, you need barely-lift-a-finger fish dishes like this one. Canned tuna plays the leading role here, so it’s worth seeking out (and shelling out) for a really good tin. Add a glass of French rosé and a baguette.
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio27/31Spiced-Tomato-Braised Fish
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson28/31Grilled Spiced Snapper With Mango and Red Onion Salad
Photograph by Doaa Elkady, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker29/31Lemon-Chile White Fish With Chickpeas
The short ingredients list here packs in big flavor. Sizzling chickpeas, garlic, and lemon slices in olive oil with Aleppo-style pepper and smoked paprika creates a puckery, smoky, earthy base.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio30/31Istanbul’s Famous Mackerel Sandwiches
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime31/31Grilled Swordfish With Tomatoes
If you worry about grilled fish recipes leaving you with dinner stuck on the grate, we heartily recommend this recipe. Swordfish steaks take to the grill like a champ, and when properly oiled, they’ll easily release when cooked.
