Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinner 63 Delicious Reasons to Eat More Seafood By Patricia S York Patricia S York Assistant Food Editor Pat is an Assistant Editor at Southern Living and has been a part of the team since 2006. She works with the Senior Food Editor to plan monthly print food features and stories that will highlight Southerners making a difference through food, share delicious recipes that utilize seasonal produce, and offer exceptional reader service. Pat also writes digital content on a variety of topics including cooking, gardening, and pets.One of the reasons Pat enjoys living in Birmingham is because it is centrally located between the mountains and the Gulf coast. She spends her free time gardening, hiking with her dogs, and pursuing her goal of becoming a better horsewoman. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 7, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton When we're pressed for time and need to get dinner on the table ASAP, we often turn to tried-and-true proteins like ground beef or chicken. And while that's all fine and dandy, we're here to start the petition to get seafood on the table every night of the week. Why, you ask? Well, most fish cooks in under 15 minutes, making it an easier and quicker option than other proteins. Seafood also has plenty of health benefits. Fish provides an abundance of DHA, a type of omega-3 essential for brain development and function, and both the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recommend eating fish at least twice a week to lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease. The health benefits alone are enough to have more seafood in your freezer (yes, frozen is just as good as fresh). What's even better? Seafood is delicious and versatile—grilled, seared, or baked, it can be quickly prepared for a weeknight supper your family will love. Fresh or frozen, canned or vacuum-packed, seafood is the super-hero of all proteins. Make a habit of adding seafood to your grocery list when planning your family's meals—and bookmark this page for recipes you'll keep coming back to. 01 of 63 Fish Tacos and Topping Bar Greg DuPree Recipe: Fish Tacos and Topping Bar Any firm white fish such as cod, founder, or grouper will work well in this recipe. Slaw made with pre-shredded cabbage makes this a quick supper 02 of 63 Creamy Rice with Scallops Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Rice with Scallops Use the larger sea scallops for this recipe; the smaller bay scallops won't get a good sear without overcooking. For a crisp, golden brown sear, ensure the pan is very hot and pat the scallops dry with a paper towel before adding them to the pan. 03 of 63 Snapper Baked in Parchment with Spring Vegetables Hector Sanchez Recipe: Snapper Baked in Parchment with Spring Vegetables Baking in parchment paper makes French-style cooking easy. Each piece of fish steams with its own delicious juices, accompanied by any vegetables and herbs you put in the packet. The flavors are concentrated and a delicious cloud of aromatic steam is released when the packet is opened at the table. 04 of 63 Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Veggies and Oranges Alison Miksch Recipe: Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Veggies and Oranges Salmon, one of the fatty, richer-flavored fish varieties, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. In this recipe, the salmon broils in the same pan as the vegetables, making cleanup a breeze. 05 of 63 Seared Scallops with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce and Orzo Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Seared Scallops with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce and Orzo Sea scallops, also called large or jumbo scallops, are up to three times larger in size than bay scallops. They have a sweet, delicate flavor and slightly chewy texture. The jumbo scallops make great main dishes, and the smaller bay scallops are ideal stirred into pasta dishes or tossed onto salads. 06 of 63 Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps This light lunch is colorful, crunchy, and oh-so-flavorful. Plus, you can throw these wraps together in just 20 minutes. 07 of 63 Teriyaki Salmon Bowls with Crispy Brussels Sprouts Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Teriyaki Salmon Bowls with Crispy Brussels Sprouts The Brussels sprouts that are paired with this slow-cooked salmon are almost addictingly delicious. 08 of 63 Kardea Brown's Okra Soup with Shrimp Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Kardea Brown's Okra Soup with Shrimp South Carolina Native and Food Network Star Kardea Brown honors the Gullah cuisine and her family's traditions with this veggie-filled, comforting soup. 09 of 63 Foil-Pack Clams with White Wine and Herbs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Foil-Pack Clams with White Wine and Herbs Host an al-fresco dinner party with easy, elegant grilled clams. 10 of 63 Grilled Shrimp and Squash Skewers With Herbed Couscous Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Grilled Shrimp and Squash Skewers With Herbed Couscous Enjoy dinner al fresco with fresh shrimp skewers with farmers' market squash. 11 of 63 Sheet Pan Jambalaya Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Sheet Pan Jambalaya Don't tell your Louisiana relatives—we know it's not traditional. But this quick supper is the busy cook's shortcut for weeknights. 12 of 63 Skillet Corn with Shrimp and Sausage Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Skillet Corn with Shrimp and Sausage Smoky sausage adds just the right amount of meaty flavor to this fresh summer dish. 13 of 63 Herbed Crab Cakes With Green Goddess Dressing Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Herbed Crab Cakes With Green Goddess Dressing Lemon zest and juice brighten up classic crab cakes, and a drizzle of homemade green goddess dressing is the perfect topper. 14 of 63 Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Shrimp Cobb Salad with Bacon Dressing No Cobb salad is complete without bacon, so we took it a step further and made a homemade dressing with it. 15 of 63 Citrus-Salmon Salad Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Tender, slow-cooked salmon pairs beautifully with a bright citrus vinaigrette. 16 of 63 Vietnamese-Style Shrimp Noodle Bowls Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Vietnamese-Style Shrimp Noodle Bowls In less than 30 minutes, serve a healthy, but hearty dinner that kids and adults alike will love. Don't skimp on the good-for-you toppings! 17 of 63 Skillet Orzo with Fish and Herbs Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner Recipe: Skillet Orzo with Fish and Herbs Serve this pretty summer supper family-style straight from the skillet. 18 of 63 Lemon-Garlic Butter Shrimp with Broccoli Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Lemon-Garlic Butter Shrimp with Broccoli This light and quick shrimp dinner can be made even faster if you use bagged, precut broccoli florets. 19 of 63 Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemony Greens and Grains Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox For an easy way to get new, healthy grains into your diet, try 10 Minute Farro at Trader Joe's or Simply Balanced microwavable farro at Target. 20 of 63 Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp Spaghetti squash is one of our favorite low-carb options that's still so satisfying. Our spicy marinara is just the thing to give it a wow-factor. 21 of 63 Easy Catfish Tacos with Slaw Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Easy Catfish Tacos with Slaw Our oven "fried" catfish is a healthier (and less messy!) way to enjoy the pan-fried flavor you love. A simple slaw tossed together in minutes adds just the right amount of crunch to these tacos. 22 of 63 Skillet Shrimp Chilaquiles Stephen DeVries Recipe: Skillet Shrimp Chilaquiles Serve the family this lightened-up version of nachos straight from the skillet for a fun dinner the kids will love. 23 of 63 Grilled Salmon Panzanella Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Grilled Salmon Panzanella Salad You need just five ingredients to make this photo-worthy summer dinner. 24 of 63 Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets with Red Potatoes and Zucchini Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets with Red Potatoes and Zucchini Not in the mood to cook (i.e. clean up after cooking)? Pop your supper in a foil packet! 25 of 63 Grilled Scallop-and-Mango Salad Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Grab fresh scallops on your beach trip and toss together this tropical and fresh salad. 26 of 63 Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables with Rice Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables with Rice There's no better friend than your sheet pan when it comes to easy dinners with little cleanup. 27 of 63 Honey-Mustard Baked Salmon with Vegetables Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Honey-Mustard Baked Salmon with Vegetables Take it from the mouth of a Southern Living editor, you'll continue to make this sheet pan supper long after the first time. 28 of 63 Herbed Shrimp-and-Rice Salad Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton; This so-simple recipe uses pantry staples and convenient ingredients like microwaveable rice. 29 of 63 Crab-and-Bacon Linguine Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Crab-and-Bacon Linguine This elegant pasta dinner pairs perfectly with the wine you'll use in the recipe—you're welcome! 30 of 63 Shrimp Cake Sandwiches Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Shrimp Cake Sandwiches These shrimp cake sandwiches are an amazing portable summer dinner to bring on the patio. 31 of 63 Grilled Corn-and-Salmon Salad with Tomatoes Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Grilled Corn-and-Salmon Salad with Tomatoes Hit the summer farmers' market for fresh corn and tomatoes, and you're halfway to this gorgeous dinner. 32 of 63 Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Lemon Dressing Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Orzo Salad with Shrimp and Lemon Dressing This springy salad is the ideal work lunch, since it can be enjoyed chilled or at room temp. 33 of 63 Salmon with Pineapple-Pepper Salsa and Coconut Cauliflower Rice Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Salmon with Pineapple-Pepper Salsa and Coconut Cauliflower Rice They say "eating the rainbow" is part of a healthy diet, and this colorful recipe is a beautiful place to start. With a cauliflower rice base, this is also a low-carb friendly dinner. 34 of 63 Italian Shrimp Kebabs Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Italian Shrimp Kebabs Enjoy these light shrimp kebabs with one of our favorite summer side dishes as a main or serve them as a pretty appetizer for guests. 35 of 63 Grilled Grouper Photographer and Prop stylist: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Recipe: Grilled Grouper This simple and healthy grilled grouper is topped with a caper dressing that would be delicious over a green salad or roasted potatoes on the side as well. 36 of 63 Israeli Couscous and Shrimp Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Israeli Couscous and Shrimp Couscous is a fun and delicious way to switch up your weeknight carb choices. 37 of 63 Lemony Slow-Cooked Salmon with Potatoes and Fennel Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Lemony Slow-Cooked Salmon with Potatoes and FennelThough we often cook salmon with a quick sear on the stovetop, sometimes we need a more hands-off approach to dinner. This slow-cooked salmon will quickly become part of your weekly routine. 38 of 63 Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash We turned this classic Southern side dish into a main by adding fresh shrimp. It will surely hit the spot on a hot summer day. 39 of 63 Simple Pan-Seared Fish Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Simple Pan-Seared Fish If cooking fish at home intimidates you, let this super-quick, super-easy recipe be your ultimate guide. The vibrant, springy pea salad we paired this fish with will go with any protein you cook up on a weeknight as well. 40 of 63 Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Sausage We love these spiced shrimp kabobs served over fluffy rice or homemade grits. 41 of 63 Creamy Salmon Fettuccini and Spring Vegetables Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Creamy Salmon Fettuccini and Spring Vegetables This springy pasta dinner feels dressier than your usual spaghetti and meatballs, but it might be even easier to make. 42 of 63 Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos This fresh recipe is a lighter take on taco night that the family will love. 43 of 63 Salmon Burgers with Creamy Tartar Sauce Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Salmon Burgers with Creamy Tartar Sauce Lighten up your summer cookout with fresh salmon burgers with homemade tartar sauce. 44 of 63 Pasta Primavera with Shrimp Jennifer Causey Recipe: Pasta Primavera with Shrimp This pasta recipe is full of colorful and healthy veggies, and its sauce isn't super-heavy. 45 of 63 Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Best-Ever Crab Cakes with Green Tomato Slaw If you're in search of a go-to crab cake recipe, let this be it. 46 of 63 Skillet Shrimp Destin with Orzo Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Skillet Shrimp Destin with Orzo You'll be surprised at how easy this pretty shrimp supper is—but you don't have to tell your summer guests. 47 of 63 BBQ Cedar Plank Salmon Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: BBQ Cedar Plank Salmon If you're an experienced griller but haven't tried cooking on cedar planks yet, you're going to love this smoky flavor it gives this sweet and tangy salmon. 48 of 63 Seared Scallops with Lemon-Herb Rice Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Seared Scallops with Lemon-Herb Rice Scallops are an easy way to make at-home date night just as good as a white tablecloth restaurant. 49 of 63 Shrimp Scampi Linguine Luca Trovato Recipe: Shrimp Scampi Linguine You probably have everything you need to throw this simple dinner together—just grab some fresh shrimp on the way home. 50 of 63 Sweet-and-Spicy Salmon Rice Bowl Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Salmon Rice Bowl One Southern Living editor raved that this flavorful salmon bowl felt "like a dance party" for her taste buds. 51 of 63 Crispy-Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Crispy-Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing This salad is a great lunch for summer, but you're really going to love the homemade avocado dressing. You can use it as a dip for veggies or chips, a condiment for sandwiches, or even a taco topping. 52 of 63 Easy Grilled Salmon Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford Recipe: Easy Grilled Salmon You'll want to put this simple vinaigrette on every salad you make. 53 of 63 Shrimp Fajita Bowls Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This healthy supper comes with instructions to freeze ahead of time to make your life easier on even the busiest weeks. 54 of 63 Lemon Pepper-Salmon Kebabs Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Lemon Pepper-Salmon Kebabs You'll use our universal Kebab Marinade for every piece of protein you grill this summer. 55 of 63 Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas Store-bought shortcuts make this bright pasta dinner so much easier than picking up takeout. 56 of 63 Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables Microwaveable brown rice makes this healthy dinner incredibly quick. 57 of 63 Chicken and Shrimp Skillet Rice Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Chicken and Shrimp Skillet Rice This one-bowl supper has shrimp and chicken for double the protein to fill your family up. 58 of 63 Poached Salmon Salad with Pickled Snap Peas Hector Manuel Sanchez You can store these pickled snap peas in the fridge for up to three weeks to add to salads and enjoy as a healthy snack. 59 of 63 Shrimp Boil Vegetable Bowls Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Shrimp Boil Vegetable Bowls Get all the flavor from a Lowcountry boil with these fast and healthy bowls. 60 of 63 Fresh Salmon Cakes with Buttermilk Dressing Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Fresh Salmon Cakes with Buttermilk Dressing Instead of canned salmon, this lightened-up recipe uses fresh salmon fillets cooked on the stovetop. 61 of 63 Grilled Shrimp-and-Squash Pasta with Summer Herbs Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Grilled Shrimp-and-Squash Pasta with Summer Herbs Two types of summer squash and fresh herbs brighten up this simple shrimp pasta dish. 62 of 63 Baked Sheet Pan Salmon With Potatoes and Tomatoes Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Baked Sheet Pan Salmon With Potatoes and Tomatoes This colorful supper uses fresh tomatoes and herbs for a straight-from-the-farmers'-market feel. 63 of 63 Grilled Clambake Foil Packets with Herb Butter Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Grilled Clambake Foil Packets with Herb Butter We used the classic ingredients of a Lowcountry boil, like shrimp, potatoes, corn, and smoked sausage to give this clambake incredible flavor. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit