41 Seafood Thanksgiving Ideas
~ Make your holiday feast unique and truly special with some of these celebration-worthy Seafood Thanksgiving Ideas! So holiday-perfect … whether you’re creating an entire seafood-focused menu, or just want to feature seafood in one stand-out course of your Thanksgiving dinner! ~
Looking for alternative Thanksgiving dinner recipes that still feel festive … but aren’t the typical turkey and stuffing?
Me, too!
Since our {big!} extended family usually has at least three or four get-togethers throughout the Thanksgiving weekend, I need great recipe ideas that don’t leave us eating the same Thanksgiving fare meal after meal … after meal.
When I was a child, my mom often solved this dilemma by making one of our Thanksgiving dinners into a seafood feast, and we all adored it!
So, this year, I scavenged the Internet for fresh ideas to create a seafood extravaganza that would feel special enough, celebratory enough, to be worthy of any holiday buffet … and to elbow the traditional roast turkey right off the table.
I found fantastic recipes for nearly every part of the meal (well … except dessert!) – for pretty appetizers, attention-grabbing mains, and even side dishes.
Some easily scale up to feed a crowd, and others are just exactly perfect for a cozy, smaller gathering.
The hardest part will be deciding what to try first!
Seafood Thanksgiving Ideas
Holiday Baked Salmon
The whole salmon filet is baked in a honey-Dijon pomegranate sauce that turns into a rich, thick glaze in the oven. The salmon comes out juicy, tender, and incredibly flavorful and gets a final celebratory flourish from a topping of pomegranate arils, pecans, and some fresh rosemary ... for a truly stunning Thanksgiving presentation! Don't miss the option to bake two filets for larger gatherings.
Easy Lobster Oreganata
What feels more special than a lobster dinner?!? This Italian-style, restaurant-quality meal is easy to make, cooks quickly, and is so full of flavor. Fresh lobster tails are topped with a sprinkling of seasoned breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese and parsley, then bathed in white wine and baked until tender and juicy. Scale the recipe up depending on the size of your gathering!
Simple Steamed Lobster Tail
Want a simpler, basic, blank-canvas lobster tail recipe? Try this steamed version, with a variety of optional seasonings to choose from that all lead to tender, juicy, succulent lobster ... in under 15 minutes! Or, if you'd rather try some other cooking methods, check out the easy and highly rated broiled lobster tail or air fryer version, or even (feeling adventurous??) this sous vide variation!
Traditional Oysters Rockefeller
Briny, crunchy, savory and sophisticated, Oysters Rockefeller is a classic, beloved appetizer. Make this special-occasion starter at home to wow your holiday guests!
Salmon and Crab Wellington
A holiday-worthy seafood spin on the classic Beef Wellington, this recipe features a crab meat "stuffing" perched atop wild Alaskan salmon. It's all wrapped in a blanket of puff pastry and baked to perfection. An elevated seafood dinner that's surprisingly easy to assemble (but your dinner guests would never know it)!
Chestnut and Pepper-Crusted Salmon Fillet
Holiday chestnuts highlight the herby crust that crowns succulent sockeye salmon. This simple but impressive dish is stunning brought to the table as a whole filet, but individual portions will cook more quickly, if you're in a hurry.
How to Create Seafood Platters: Tinned to Fresh Luxury
This wonderful post has loads of fantastic ideas for creating a stunning seafood-focused showpiece "grazing board." From quick, store-bought items to truly luxurious suggestions, with terrific ideas for dips and other charcuterie-style items to serve alongside. Helpful photos of each style of platter allow you to you envision how you'll put it all together!
Cioppino (Seafood Stew)
Cioppino is a comforting San Franciscan seafood stew filled with shrimp, clams, mussels, white fish, and crab legs – all simmered in a richly flavorful broth made from tomatoes, white wine, and fish stock. It's a true Thanksgiving seafood feast, and this version has loads of glowing reviews!
Garlic Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp cocktail is always a hit! Make it Thanksgiving-worthy by roasting your shrimp in a garlic sauce and serving it in gorgeous glassware with a homemade cocktail sauce. Easy but truly stunning!
Spanish Paella
A gorgeous family-style main that looks like a true celebration! This saffron-infused mixed paella comes loaded with Spanish sausage, juicy shrimp, mussels, clams, and calamari. Lots of great info and tips – no wonder this recipe has so many glowing reviews!
Black Paella (Arroz con Negro)
For an unusual, schwanky twist, serve this paella individually plated as a starter. Some unique ingredients here – Black Paella is popular on the Mediterranean coast of Spain and is made using cuttlefish and its black ink. This one will have your Thanksgiving guests talking, for sure!
Smoked Salmon Crostini (Philadelphia Roll Style)
Give traditional smoked salmon appetizers a trendy twist! Avocado, cream cheese, cucumber, and sesame seeds make this crostini taste just like a Philadelphia sushi roll!
Seafood Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
This pretty main-dish pie is rich and creamy, chock full of veggies and your choice of seafood, and topped with crisp, golden, flaky puff pastry. Bake it up family-style in one deep-dish pie pan, or serve up an individual pie to each guest by using ramekins or even mini cast-iron skillets. Lots of great make-ahead and time-saving tips make it stress-free!
Salmon with Sweet Potato Mash & Miso Coconut Sauce
Traditional Thanksgiving sweet potatoes go completely off-script by teaming up with pan-seared salmon and a unique alternative to gravy!
Garlicky Seafood Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops
With nearly a perfect 5-star rating on over 300 reviews, this is a great bet for a non-traditional Thanksgiving seafood feast! It's a quick and simple preparation that absolutely lets the seafood shine.
Lobster Salad
A decadent starter course, this will definitely make your guests feel pampered and welcome! Elegant lobster is just lightly dressed to perfectly showcase its sweet, buttery flavors. Surprisingly, you only need 6 ingredients and 10 minutes to make this standout, highly reviewed recipe! (For a lighter, healthier salad, note the tip to sub in yogurt for the mayo.)
Baked Mussels
These baked mussels are easy to prepare, and they make an elegant finger-food appetizer for your special meal. The garlicky crumbs over the tender mussels really showcase the delicate flavor of this often under-appreciated seafood!
Seafood Risotto
This upscale meal features scallops and shrimp in a decadently creamy risotto base, but you can change up the seafood (maybe crab or lobster??) – and even the herbs and stock – to customize this in lots of ways to suit your tastes!
Smoked Salmon Risotto
Wanna take the risotto idea in a slightly different direction? Creamy, buttery arborio rice pairs beautifully with the mildly smokey flavor of hickory smoked salmon! Decadent without a lot of butter, and ready in about 40 minutes.
Almond-Crusted Cod Sheet Pan Dinner
Traditional Thanksgiving vegetables are beautifully caramelized alongside tender baked cod that's topped with a crunchy, nutty crust. A delicious drizzle of sweet and tangy balsamic sauce is the perfect final touch on this simple, harvest-focused dinner. And hey hey ... it's all done on just one baking sheet, so cleanup's a breeze!
15-Minute Smoked Salmon Grazing Platter
Let your guests assemble their own appetizer nibbles – grazing boards are a terrific way to help people mix and mingle as they munch! Start with a good-quality smoked salmon, and then surround it with your choice of the many suggested trimmings to create a showpiece you'll be proud to offer!
Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Herb Butter Sauce
A simple, easy dish to make, but this is amazing enough for special occasions! Mild, flaky fish is topped with a luscious, restaurant-quality herbed lemon butter sauce. Serve it over mashed potatoes for a little nod to traditional Thanksgiving fare.
Super-Fast Herbed Shrimp Pasta
This fabulous pasta recipe is so very easy, yet it tastes really gourmet. Bursting with Mediterranean herbs and feta, it’s crazy-delicious … and definitely impressive enough for a Thanksgiving dinner party!
Italian Seafood Salad
This iconic dish is often served for Italian Christmas eve dinner and for the Feast of Seven Fishes, but it's a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table, too. A light, tangy dressing and briny olives are simple adornments that let the seafood shine. A wonderful way to herald in the holiday season!
Dungeness Crab Legs
Dungeness crab legs don’t need much to complement their delicately sweet meat. A simple shake of Old Bay seasoning and the proper steamed cooking method will yield melt-in-your-mouth results with minimal effort!
How to Cook Crab Legs (5 Ways)
Prefer to work with snow crab legs or king crab? This handy recipe offers options for your Instant Pot, broiling, steaming, grilling and boiling.
Air Fryer Calamari
Calamari is a crowd-pleasing appetizer – an ideal dish to offer your guests while they mingle and chat and help you finish the main course. This air fryer version is soaked in buttermilk and breaded in seasoned panko breadcrumbs for a non-greasy, lightened-up delight (with no messy, splatter-y deep frying to clean up later)!
Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes with Shrimp
While you could consider this pretty dish a main course, it also makes a real statement as a side dish. Tasty shrimp, sautéed garlic, feta, and fresh dill make this so much more exciting than the traditional Thanksgiving mashed potatoes!
Sea Island Seafood Stew
This showstopper masterpiece is an impressive dish for a holiday seafood feast, but with lots of make-ahead steps, it’s also a low-stress option for busy hosts. The recipe is a mainstay on the menu at the hugely popular Skull Creek Boathouse in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and is sure to steal the show at your house, too!
Mango and Avocado Salad with Shrimp
This super-easy first course is a perfect blend of salty and sweet ... of tropical flair and holiday flavors. Serve it in fancy stem glasses for a celebration-worthy way to kick off your Thanksgiving dinner!
Easy Honey-Glazed Salmon
This is on regular repeat at my house, but that doesn't mean it's not worthy as a special-occasion dinner, too! Ultra-easy (aka: stress-free!) salmon is baked in an outstanding honey-garlic sauce that's wonderful draped over your Thanksgiving rice pilaf or roasted veggies. (Hint: feel free to make a little extra sauce, if you'd like!)
Pistachio-Crusted Scallops
An artfully simple, elegant recipe that's ready in about 15 easy minutes! Seasoned scallops are seared until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, then rolled in crushed holiday pistachios and a bit of bright, refreshing lemon zest.
Lightened-Up New England Clam Chowder
An all-American classic, made just a bit lighter (so you can save some extra calories for the pumpkin pie). But it's still wholly satisfying and always impresses!
Baked Fish Ravioli with Seafood Sauce
Truly special! A bit more of a cooking project than some of the other recipes in this collection, but (as the great reviews attest), it's a fabulous choice if you're looking for a fun adventure in the kitchen. A beautiful, authentic Italian pasta recipe.
Broiled Fish Matecumbe
Decked out in festive holiday colors! Yet this family favorite is also a little nod to tropical southern Florida, since it comes from Key Largo's beloved "The Fish House" restaurant. A south Florida vacation for your palette ... so dreamy if it's cold and gray in your neck of the woods on Thanksgiving Day!
Crab-Stuffed Mushroom Appetizer
Delicate real crab is mixed with cheese and lightly seasoned before being stuffed into button mushrooms and baked to melty, savory perfection. A no-fail party appetizer than you can prep up to a day in advance!
Baked Mussels with Root Vegetables
Such a unique change of pace to pair your traditional Thanksgiving root veggies with something other than turkey! This cozy sheet pan dinner is casual yet special, and the oven-roasted flavors are brought vibrantly to life by an herby Mediterranean take on chimichurri sauce.
Smoked Trout Platter with Creamy Horseradish Sauce
This easy make-ahead appetizer is perfect for worry-free holiday entertaining and perfectly sets the stage for a memorable feast. It has an addicting little hit of heat that highlights the buttery flavor of the smoked trout. All in a pretty presentation that'll win raves!
Crab Stuffed Salmon Recipe
No doubt, adding a crab stuffing is an enticing way to elevate any dish. With terrific reviews, you know this headliner will be sure to win oooohs and aaaahs from your Thanksgiving guests. But the secret bonus is that it can be prepped ahead, so you can relax and enjoy the day, instead of slaving away in the kitchen!
Roasted Shrimp with Parmesan
Super easy: just toss your shrimp with olive oil, parmesan cheese, and spices, and then quickly roast to perfection! Serve them up with a dipping sauce as an appetizer, over greens for a tasty salad, or tossed with pasta as a main course. So versatile!
Easy Smoked Salmon Breakfast Wrap
Wanna jump-start your Thanksgiving Day with seafood, right from the very start? This quick and easy breakfast is a delicious way to power up for all the excitement that lies ahead! A lovely treat to whip up just for yourself, or to make in larger quantities for a holiday brunch.
Want More Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas?
Maybe you don’t want seafood for every part of the meal? I’ve got ya! How about …
And how about some easy, produce-centered Thanksgiving side dishes that don’t involve fish or seafood?
Other recipes I highly recommend include:
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
I hope these recipe ideas make your meal planning a little easier, and your holiday feast a little more delicious.
And I hope that, whatever you serve, your Thanksgiving feast is satisfying, memorable, and very, very joyous!
~ by Shelley