The Best Seafood Main Dishes and What to Serve with Them
Whether you’ve discovered a local fishmonger and you really want to ensure that you make the best of their offerings, or you’re preparing a nautical-themed menu for a dinner party or gathering, the right seafood main can offer a delight for the senses. Known for their wonderful presentation alongside their delicious and varied tastes, we’re going to explore some of the most popular mains, why they’re so well loved, and how you can best serve them to wow your fellow diners.
Tuna
Keeping it simple with one of the most popular fish options of all, tuna is well-loved in both raw and cooked form thanks to its dense, meaty textures. A good tuna steak goes well with any kind of staple, from fried rice to paste to boiled potatoes. Given the richness of their flavor, tuna fish do pair particularly well with light and acidic sides, too, such as a fresh herb salad or a tangy citrus vinaigrette. If you want to try raw sushi, then it’s best to find fresh sashimi, which doesn’t need a whole lot other than a touch of soy sauce and some rice to make a gorgeous main.
Salmon
A widely loved choice not just for its versatility and its rich, warm taste, but also for its extensive health benefits. Salmon is one of the more appetizing-looking fish with its bright red and pink when cooked, and can be baked, grilled, or pan-seared. Salmon works extremely well with spicy flavors, whether you’re going for something a little mild like sweet chili or you want to go hotter with sriracha. You don’t have to go spicy, either, the slight briny tang to salmon also goes well with a dill and yogurt sauce or vegetables like asparagus and broccoli.
Branzino
If you want a fish that’s a little milder on the taste but has that delicious flaky texture to it, then branzino, also known as European sea bass, might be the way to go. Traditionally, it’s served whole, though some people don’t exactly like the aesthetic of the entire fish on their plate. Either way, this fish is best grilled or roasted and, due to its milder taste, pairs well with herbs like rosemary and thyme. It’s a staple in Mediterranean dishes, such as tomato salad or couscous.
Shrimp
The versatility of shrimp, its status as a super easy finger food, and the wide range of sauces it can be served with means that it often requires very little prep time and, as such, makes for an excellent starter. However, it’s also a wonderful component of mains, as well, and be served in a wide variety of different ways, whether as part of a pasta dish or following this sriracha shrimp and candied bacon crostini recipe. Grilled shrimp also works extremely well with a spicy marinade, served alongside a cooling mango salsa to dip it into.
Prawns
There are a lot of taste and texture similarities between prawns and shrimp, with the main difference being that prawns are significantly larger. However, that is a pretty distinct difference, all the same. Their rich meat works excellently in curries, stir-fries, and pasta dishes. You can also serve them whole and grilled, paired with sides such as arugula salad and a citrus glaze to add some sharpness to their sweat and meaty flavor. Prawns make for excellent visual dishes, as well, so the opportunity to serve them whole (or close to), such as with prawn skewers is one worth taking advantage of.
Mussels
A comfort food and staple for many a seaside town, mussels have a rich, briny, ocean taste that makes them one of the most quintessentially nautical options. Mussels work best steamed and can be cooked in white wine, garlic, and the right selection of herbs to open up the rich depths of their flavor. When serving with their broth, you want to make sure that you have a good crusty bread to help soak it up. Given the relative lightness of mussels, you typically do want to serve them alongside something that’s more substantial and filling, at the same time.
King Crab
A lot of seafoods can feel relatively light on their own, and require sides to give them a little more substance. That’s not the case with a delicious king crab, however. Learn how to boil king crab legs and you have a hearty main all on its own, offering fantastically sweet and meaty flavors alongside a tender yet chewy texture. All you really need is a little melted butter and a squeeze of lemon to bring out the best of this particular dish, but some do offer lighter sides like dill salad or roasted asparagus, as well.
Lobsters
An essential option for luxury dining, serving lobster is an aesthetic as well as a flavor choice. There are few sights more impressive to diners than a full lobster ready to crack open. In terms of taste, the experience of lobster is much like that of crab, but sweeter and a little richer and brinier. That said, lobsters do tend to have less meat to them, so you want to serve them alongside sides that can make the most of their full flavor but offer a full belly, like garlic mashed potatoes or roasted Brussels sprouts.
Squid
Another of the more savory options that offer plenty to chew on with plenty of filling meat, squid (also known as calamari) is chewy, tender, and has a lovely touch of sweetness that works very well when grilled, fried, or stewed. What you serve with it typically best depends on how it’s cooked. Grilled squid works well with chickpea salad or warm rice. Fried calamari goes great with a light arugula salad or even cheese. Squid is particularly popular in stews, as well, adding a touch of briny meatiness that doesn’t quite overpower the rest of the dish.
Sushi
Amongst one of the most popular exports when it comes to traditional dishes around the world, sushi is appreciated as not just a delicious meal but an art form. Preparing your own isn’t easy, but you can serve freshly made sushi with all manner of sides. Because the flavors of sushi, from the rich fish often used in it like salmon and tuna as well as soy sauce, are powerful, It tends to work well with lighter sides. Pickled ginger and wasabi are traditional options, but miso soup is a favorite, offering a more grounding taste to help balance your palate.
Chowder
Rich, thick, and creamy, seafood chowder is a wonderful comfort food that truly makes the best of its seafood ingredients. Of course, there are many different kinds of chowder, from clam chowder to a slightly light seafood bisque. Either way, it is a pretty heady dish, so it works well with a fresh, flavorful loaf like sourdough bread to help sop it up. It’s important to have something to lighten the palate, as well, such as a simple mixed greens salad served alongside it, too.
Seafood can be as varied as it is delicious. There are plenty of other options that we haven’t explored here, from octopus (delicious in takoyaki) or oysters, which can be a wonderfully interesting cold main. There are also plenty of cooking and serving options we haven’t covered for those already mentioned here. If you’re looking to explore the wide world of seafood, then there are plenty of options to try, so keep diving for those pearls.