Our Best Grilled Seafood Dinners

May 09, 2010
Photo: Iain Bagwell Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty 
Nothing says summer like seafood on the grill. Check out our best recipes for grilled fish, shrimp, oysters, clams, and even lobster. 
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Grilled Dogfish on Late-Summer Caponata

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen
Grilled Dogfish on Late-Summer Caponata Recipe

Sustainable Choice.

For an alternate preparation, Seaver recommends placing the caponata and fillets in a baking dish and baking low and slow at 275° for 20 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

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Maple Grilled Salmon

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Maple Grilled Salmon Recipe
A simple glaze featuring bright citrus notes and sweet maple syrup coats the salmon as it cooks, creating the perfect caramelization. You will relish every delicious bite.

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Grilled Corn and Fish Tacos

Grilled Corn and Fish Tacos Recipe

This crowd-pleaser has everything you want in a fish taco, including a spicy mayo and fresh add-ins like avocado and lightly charred corn.

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Key Lime Grilled Shrimp

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Virginia Houston
Key Lime Grilled Shrimp Recipe
Refreshing Key lime juice brightens the flavor of grilled shrimp. Guests will rave about the savory marinade, but it's the Key Lime Beurre Blanc cream sauce that pulls this dish together.

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Grilled Seafood with Banana-Lime Salsa

Photo: Levi Brown
Grilled Seafood with Banana-Lime Salsa Recipe
This recipe for Grilled Seafood with Banana-Lime Salsa combines the tropical flavor of bananas with lime to create a sensational zesty salsa.

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Mixed Grill Kebabs with Guava BBQ Sauce

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Mixed Grill Kebabs with Guava BBQ Sauce Recipe
Place bite-sized fish fillets, shrimp, and assorted vegetables on skewers for easy grilling. Serve with sweet Guava BBQ Sauce to kick up the flavor with fiery spice.
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Grilled Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke
Grilled Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa Recipe
We guarantee that after tasting one bite of this summery dish, you'll want to head right back to the kitchen and make another batch of the tropical salsa. Tangy and fruity with eye-popping color, the mango salsa is fantastic with this halibut, but try it other types of fish too.

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Grilled Clams with White Wine-Garlic Butter

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Linda Hirst
Grilled Clams with White Wine-Garlic Butter Recipe
Meaty cherrystone clams are larger than delicate littlenecks, so they stand up to grilling. And because they take longer to cook, they have plenty of time to soak up all that smoky flavor.

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Shrimp Sate with Pineapple Salsa

Shrimp Sate with Pineapple Salsa Recipe
You might not be able to rustle up a beachside view, tropical breezes, or a friendly waiter with a tray of umbrella-laden cocktails, but this festive shrimp dinner will certainly put you in a vacation mood. To save time, start with cored, sliced pineapple from the produce section.
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Spicy Passion Fruit-Glazed Shrimp

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Spicy Passion Fruit-Glazed Shrimp Recipe
With its intoxicating floral aroma, the sweet-tart passion fruit is an intriguing partner for grilled shrimp. When straining the glaze, press with the back of a spoon to make sure you get as much passion fruit flavor as possible.

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Halibut & Squash Ribbon Skewers with Pistachio-Mint Salsa Verde

Photo: Thomas J. Story
Halibut & Squash Ribbon Skewers with Pistachio-Mint Salsa Verde Recipe
Chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir led a culinary tour to the Cinque Terre in Italy. "We went out on the Mediterranean, where we drank prosecco and ate seafood cooked on a tiny grill. I relished the fresh grilled calamari and halibut skewers." These are her ode to the skewers from that day.

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Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon

Ralph Anderson
Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon Recipe
When grilled, the brown sugar-paprika rub turns slightly crusty and caramelized, giving this dish an irresistible flavor and texture. Even better, this 5-ingredient recipe can be on your dinner table in less than half an hour.
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Pan-Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa

Rita Maas
Pan-Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa Recipe
Fish is prominent in the Willett plan since it's a lean protein source. Salmon is particularly good because it contains plenty of heart-healthy fats called omega 3s

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Grilled Striped Bass with Chunky Mango-Ginger Sauce

Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke
Grilled Striped Bass with Chunky Mango-Ginger Sauce Recipe
A firm white fish with delicate flavor, striped bass is delicious with bold seasonings. A mixture of fresh ginger and orange juice acts like a culinary light bulb in the sauce, brightening the musky sweetness of mango. Dress this dish up or down by pairing it with an icy pilsner or a fruity white wine, such as Riesling.

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Grilled Salmon with Blackberry-Cabernet Coulis

James Carrier
Grilled Salmon with Blackberry-Cabernet Coulis Recipe
The kingly Cabernet Sauvignon pairs surprisingly well with mid-summer blackberries, which emphasize the wine's fruity, full-flavored appeal. Spoon this dramatically-hued sauce over a salmon steak for an unforgettable grilled meal.
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Maple-Glazed Salmon

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Maple-Glazed Salmon Recipe
Liberally coated in chili powder and cumin before going on the grill, these salmon fillets pack a spicy bite. But if you're worried about this dish being too hot, relax–a touch of brown sugar and maple syrup brings the flavors into perfect balance.

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Grilled Mahimahi with Peach and Pink Grapefruit Relish

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Grilled Mahimahi with Peach and Pink Grapefruit Relish Recipe
Cooling, yet sweet and tangy at the same time, this refreshing relish goes down easy with a firm, mild fish like mahimahi. Pair it with a sparkly prosecco and make a pre-dinner toast to your own grill-fabulous self.

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Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Lemon-Parsley Potatoes

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Lemon-Parsley Potatoes Recipe
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Grilled Octopus with Korean Barbecue Sauce and Baby Bok Choy Slaw

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Grilled Octopus with Korean Barbecue Sauce and Baby Bok Choy Slaw Recipe

If you’ve ever ordered a delightfully meaty and tender, charred octopus dish at a restaurant and immediately thought to yourself, “Wow, I wish I could make this kind of thing at home,” well—you can. And this recipe is going to light the way. Whether you’re looking to dazzle your company at your next dinner party or wanting to make something extra special for a date night in, this grilled octopus dish is definitely worth stepping out of your cooking comfort zone for. As intimidating as it may seem, preparing octopus at home is easier than you’d think. Octopus can be found at specialty grocery stores (such as Whole Foods), fish markets, and Asian or international markets. The key to preparing this wow-worthy seafood at home is giving the meat a preliminary cook (no matter how you intend to proceed in preparing it) in order to tenderize the meat. In this recipe, we first simmer the octopus in a flavorful, aromatic-filled cooking liquid and finish then finish the cooking on the grill to develop bold, caramelized flavor and crispy char. We especially love how this preparation for octopus is so rich in flavor, but not at all heavy. Served alongside a vibrant Baby Bok Choy Slaw, this dish is as elegant as it is comforting. 

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Grilled Tuna with Chunky Tapenade Salsa

Jennifer Causey
Grilled Tuna with Chunky Tapenade Salsa Recipe

Two classic dips, tapenade and salsa, join forces for a fish topper that is salty, scoopable, and summer-fresh.

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Flounder Grilled on Banana Leaves

Victor Protasio
Flounder Grilled on Banana Leaves Recipe

Many cooks only grill thick fish steaks because thin fillets break and fall into the fire. But a banana leaf solves the problem elegantly. It’s naturally nonstick, covers the rack, and lends subtle grassy sweetness to thinner fillets like flounder, snapper, tilapia, and sole, along with smoky grilled flavor.

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Grilled Oysters with Garlic Butter

Photo: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
Grilled Oysters with Garlic Butter Recipe

The briny flavors of the oysters are further enhanced with the super-savory compound butter used in this recipe. Throwing the element of smokiness from the grill, and you’ve got yourself a little bite of heaven. Oysters are incredibly quick cooking, so allowing them to warm gently as the butter melts over the meat is the way to go.

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Grilled Rainbow Trout with Chimichurri

Caitlin Bensel
Grilled Rainbow Trout with Chimichurri Recipe

The trout has a nice smoky flavor that is cut by the freshness and acidity of the chimichurri. For a less smoky flavor, seek out thinner fillets (which will take less time to cook).

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Simple Grilled Halibut

Photo: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
Simple Grilled Halibut Recipe

Though simple, this recipe provides you with the tools to grill most any flakey fish. We happen to particularly love halibut because it’s an inherently flavorful fish that requires no more than salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon to taste absolutely divine

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Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

Caitlin Bensel
Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa Recipe

Here we combine two of the our favorite early-summer ingredients—cherry tomatoes and fresh basil—into a fresh take salsa. For the crispiest skin (that doesn’t stick to the grill), be sure your grill grates are very clean and the grill is preheated for at least 15 minutes. Avocado adds creaminess and a punch of gut-healthy prebiotics.

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Grilled Salmon with Orange-Soy Glaze

Photo: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland
Grilled Salmon with Orange-Soy Glaze Recipe

While the grill is obviously the cooking method for casual, outdoor-centered meals and gatherings, don’t forget that you can still bring a touch of sit-down-dinner-type sophistication to the patio table too. This buttery, smoky, and gloriously glaze-y salmon does just that. We call for individual fillets in this recipe, but you could also opt for going with a whole side of salmon (of roughly equivalent weight) for a truly impressive presentation. 

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Grilled Spiny Lobsters with Herbed Oil

Photography: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Grilled Spiny Lobsters with Herbed Oil Recipe
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Grill-Braised Clams and Chorizo

Photo: Anna Williams; Styling: Pam Morris
Grill-Braised Clams and Chorizo Recipe

Spanish flavors inspire this simple but intense summery braise. Saffron gives the tomato broth a nutty complexity, while the spice and heat of chorizo liven up the clams.

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Grilled Whole Branzino with Chermoula

Grilled Whole Branzino with Chermoula Recipe

Take advantage of the summer sun and cook dinner on the grill.

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Grilled Clambake Foil Packets with Herb Butter

Linda Pugliese
Grilled Clambake Foil Packets with Herb Butter Recipe
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Simple Grilled Whole Lobster

Time Inc. Video Studio
Simple Grilled Whole Lobster Recipe

Cooking fresh lobster may seem intimidating—but after you do it once, it’s really know sweat. Grilling them is a great way to cook fresh lobster as it imparts a delicious smoky flavor to the crustacean’s rich meat, and being that you can eat them right from the shells, it’s super simple too. Just be sure you’re working with a sharp knife when you set out to prepare your grilled lobster. This easy dish makes for a perfectly elegant summer supper for two, so you may just want to have your next date night at home. Serve your grilled lobster with melted butter and lemon wedges, along with whatever fresh sides you love. A simple green salad, grilled corn, or roasted potatoes would all be great options. 

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Grilled Salmon with Farmers’ Market Salad

Sara Tane
Grilled Salmon with Farmers’ Market Salad Recipe

For a hearty, summer salad that’s bursting with fresh, seasonal finds from your local farmers’ market, this healthy dish is about to be your go-to dinner. Topped with an simple grilled fillet of salmon and tossed in a light, citrus vinaigrette, this salad allows the fresh flavors of the produce to shine through. Substitute or add different produce items based on what’s in season and what you like. If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan can be easily substituted.

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