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3 Simple Seafood Recipes for Beginner Home Cooks

Many home cooks tend to avoid cooking fish and other seafood dishes at home because they lack experience or mistakenly believe that fish is an ingredient for advanced cooks. In truth, however, seafood, in general, is a flexible ingredient that can be cooked in any number of ways. Some dishes require nothing but salt, pepper, and olive oil, while others can be a full-on production. 

In other words, there’s something for everyone. If you’re planning to buy premium seafood for your next weekend dinner, here are X seafood recipes for beginners that you can explore. 

  1. Spaghetti Alle Vongole 

Tired of the usual pasta bolognese? Switch things up by whipping up a plate of spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams), a quick and easy Italian dish with in-shell clams and ingredients that are likely to be in your pantry: white wine, shallots, spaghetti, garlic, marinara sauce, and olive oil. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb in-shell clams
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic 
  • 1 tbsp minced shallots
  • 2 oz white wine
  • 3 oz marinara sauce
  • Basil to garnish
  • 6 oz dry spaghetti

Instructions:

  • Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
  • Rinse your clams repeatedly in cold water, taking care to remove gapers and damaged shells.
  • Cook your spaghetti until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add your minced garlic and shallots. 
  • Add the clams and white wine. Cover the pan and cook the clams for at least four minutes until the shells open.  Add the marinara sauce and bring to a gentle boil. 
  • Drain your pasta and add to the pan, tossing the shells, sauce, and pasta together. 
  1. Pan-Seared Scallops in Butter

This pan-seared scallops in butter recipe is perfect for those weeknights when you simply want a good meal that takes no more than 30 minutes to prepare. Simply sear your scallops and smother them in a delectable butter sauce with a squeeze of lemon — crispy and tender at the same time. 

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz pre-shucked frozen scallops, thawed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Dry the scallops thoroughly with paper towels — this ensures the scallops have a good sear.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. 
  • In a large, heavy skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat until it sizzles. Add the scallops, taking care to space them apart (work in batches if necessary).
  • Fry for two minutes or until a nice golden sear forms underneath each scallop. Flip and the same with the uncooked side. Remove and transfer to a plate. 
  • Reduce the heat and melt the butter until it turns golden brown. 
  • Add the lemon juice and cooked scallops. Baste the scallops with the butter sauce. 
  1. Greek Seafood Flatbread

This seafood twist on Greek flatbread is a simple recipe that requires just six ingredients: flatbread, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, olive tapenade, olive oil, and mussel meat. Assemble your flatbread, slide everything into an oven, and enjoy a healthy pescetarian treat. 

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz mussel meat
  • 3 pieces of flatbread approximately 9” x 5” in size
  • 1 cup olive tapenade
  • ⅓ cup of sundried tomatoes 
  • 3 oz goat cheese
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
  • Brush your flatbread with olive oil. Add ⅓ cup of olive tapenade to each piece of flatbread, spreading it evenly to cover the entire surface.
  • Add an equal portion of mussels to your three flatbreads. Do the same with your goat cheese.
  • Place your flatbreads on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
  • Garnish your flatbread with basil or your favorite fresh herbs. 
  • Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the flatbread into smaller portions.
Sam Roberts