31 Seafood Dinners That Can Help You Lose Weight
There are infinite ways to prepare the fish, clams, shrimp or mussels, and these light and flavorful meals are just a few of our favorites. Each of these recipes is low-calorie and high-fiber, so you can hit your weight loss goals and still stay satisfied. Whether you're in the mood for a quick pasta dish or a spicy taco spread, there's a delicious dinner for you in this mix. Recipes like our Smoky Collards & Shrimp with Cheesy Grits and Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa are healthy, tasty ways to end your evening.
1 of 31
Peppery Barbecue-Glazed Shrimp with Vegetables & Orzo
In this healthy BBQ shrimp recipe, shrimp are seasoned with a peppery spice blend and served with zucchini, peppers and whole-grain orzo for a delicious and easy dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes. The shrimp and veggies are cooked in the same skillet, so cleanup is a snap too.
1 of 31
2 of 31
Quick Shrimp Puttanesca
Because refrigerated fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried pasta, this Italian pasta dish will be on the table lickety-split! Puttanesca, traditionally made with tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies and garlic, gets a makeover with shrimp for extra protein and artichoke hearts to boost the vegetable servings (and the fiber!). If you can't find frozen artichoke hearts, sub in drained canned artichoke hearts.
2 of 31
3 of 31
Beer-Battered Fish Tacos with Tomato & Avocado Salsa
Lovers of fried fish get the taste without all the calories, and the salsa adds a fresh, clean note. To complete the Baja theme, serve with black beans, some diced mango and a bit of light sour cream.
3 of 31
4 of 31
Lemon-Herb Salmon with Caponata & Farro
Dig into your farmers' market haul to cook this colorful and healthy Mediterranean diet dinner recipe that's packed with vegetables. Feel free to swap in any vegetables or cook up another whole grain, such as brown rice. Serve with a glass of your favorite red wine.
4 of 31
5 of 31
Smoky Collards & Shrimp with Cheesy Grits
Be sure to slice the collards extra thin; it will help expedite the cooking process and produce the most tender greens.
5 of 31
6 of 31
Garlic-Anchovy Pasta with Broccolini
Here, we sprinkle the final pasta dish with crumbled goat cheese for nice tangy bites throughout. But if you prefer a creamy sauce, stir the cheese into the pasta in Step 3 along with the reserved cooking water.
6 of 31
7 of 31
Spicy Shrimp, Vegetable & Couscous Bowls
We like the chewy bite and large size of pearl couscous (sometimes labeled Israeli couscous) for the base of these bowls.
7 of 31
8 of 31
Gochugaru Shrimp & Black Rice Bowls
This shrimp rice bowl gets its kick from fiery gochugaru—Korean-style red pepper flakes. Don't let that carrot-pickling liquid go to waste! We stir it into the cooked rice in these bowls to really bump up the flavor.
8 of 31
9 of 31
Baked Fish & Kale Lavash Wraps
Controlling moisture is key to avoiding soggy lavash in this recipe, so be sure to squeeze as much liquid from the greens as possible. Look for lavash with large sandwich wraps at the grocery store. We prefer the flakier texture of rectangular lavash--the round ones are more like big flour tortillas and bake up a little gummy.
9 of 31
10 of 31
Fish Tostadas with Blood Orange Salsa
The salsa that goes with these tostadas is powerfully sweet and tangy but won't drown out the delicate-flavored white fish. Try pairing the sauce with chicken or pork as well.
10 of 31
11 of 31
Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.
11 of 31
12 of 31
Curried Shrimp with Cauliflower and Chickpeas
In this delicious main dish, cauliflower is slow-cooked with curry powder and aromatic vegetables, and shrimp and chickpeas are added in towards the end of the cooking time. Served over brown basmati rice and sprinkled with cilantro and peanuts, this dish will get a thumbs up from anyone eating it!
12 of 31
13 of 31
Crispy Oven-Fried Fish Tacos
Fish tacos make a satisfying meal the entire family will love. Many restaurant versions are deep-fried, but our technique includes coating the fish in a seasoned whole-grain breading and spritzing it lightly with cooking spray before baking on a rack until golden brown. The result is a crispy exterior with moist and flaky fish inside.
13 of 31
14 of 31
Farfalle with Tuna, Lemon, and Fennel
This warm, flaked tuna and lemon pasta recipe is ready in 30 minutes.
14 of 31
15 of 31
Salmon Sushi Grain Bowl
Get all the delicious flavors of sushi without the time-consuming rolling with this quick grain bowl recipe. All you need is 15 minutes to get this healthy dinner on the table or to pack it up for lunch at work.
15 of 31
16 of 31
Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame
The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.
16 of 31
17 of 31
Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.
17 of 31
18 of 31
Sautéed Shrimp with Mango Salsa & Coconut Cauliflower Rice
Shrimp and rice get a tropical makeover in this healthy 400-calorie dinner. Instead of rice, we've combined riced cauliflower and coconut milk for light coconut rice topped with spicy shrimp and a juicy mango-avocado salsa to cool it all down. Squeeze on some fresh lime juice before digging in to take this easy meal to the next level.
18 of 31
19 of 31
Shrimp Poke
Not a fan of raw fish? No problem--this poke (pronounced poke-ay) recipe substitutes cooked peeled shrimp instead. This fast, veggie-loaded dish includes seasoned brown rice for a hearty boost of fiber.
19 of 31
20 of 31
Smoky Shrimp, Corn & Pea One-Pot Pasta
Make your sauce and pasta all at once with this fast weeknight pasta dinner recipe. By using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta--no colanders here--the starch that cooks off into your pasta water, which you usually drain away, stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results.
20 of 31
21 of 31
Linguine with Creamy White Clam Sauce
Ripe tomato and fresh basil give this quick recipe tons of flavor. Serve this healthy pasta dinner with crusty garlic bread and steamed green beans.
21 of 31
22 of 31
Tuna Poke
Poke (pronounced poke-ay), a Hawaiian word meaning "to chop" or "to cut," refers to a traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish in a simple, soy-based sauce with punchy seasonings like toasted sesame and chopped scallion greens. These tuna poke bowls feature seasoned brown rice and fresh veggies for a healthy, satisfying meal packed with protein and fiber.
22 of 31
23 of 31
Summer Corn & Scallop Pasta
The naturally sweet taste of scallops partners beautifully with summer corn at its peak in this corn and scallop pasta recipe. To get the most corn flavor into the creamy pasta sauce for this summer pasta recipe, we use the dull side of a knife to remove the extra bit of the corn kernels and the sweet corn "milk" from the ear after cutting off the fresh kernels. Try this technique anytime you are adding fresh corn to sauces or soups.
23 of 31
24 of 31
Triggerfish Schnitzel with Summer Succotash
This healthy fish recipe is made with triggerfish, a tasty, versatile and plentiful species. We call for easy-to-find frozen baby lima beans for the succotash (called butter beans in the South), but if you can find fresh summer field peas, try them in this dish. Look for lady peas, zipper cream, white acre, crowder or pink-eyed varieties at your farmers' market. Cook 2 cups of shelled peas in boiling water with a pinch of salt until tender, 20 to 45 minutes.
24 of 31
25 of 31
Catfish with Sherry Vinegar Lentils
In this healthy catfish recipe, a brush of Dijon mustard and a generous sprinkle of crushed peppercorns temper the subtle earthy flavor this fish is sometimes known for. Feel free to use farmed catfish in this recipe: catfish are omnivorous, so they have a lighter environmental impact than farmed species that need to be fed pellets made from other fish.
25 of 31
26 of 31
Salmon Tostadas with Citrus-Kale Slaw
Citrus-chili marinated wild salmon takes center stage in this tostada recipe that's bursting with citrus-dressed kale and chunks of creamy avocado.
26 of 31
27 of 31
Strawberry & Tuna Spinach Salad
Enjoy sweet, juicy strawberries paired with nutrient-dense mushrooms and tangy tuna salad. This is the ultimate salad to keep you feeling full. It boasts 20 grams of protein and 10.5 grams of fiber -- both nutrients known to satiate hunger.
27 of 31
28 of 31
Salmon Burgers with Coleslaw and Roasted Carrots
Salmon burgers on toasted rolls are served with tasty coleslaw and roasted carrots for a budget-friendly meal with plenty of vegetables.
28 of 31
29 of 31
Seafood Enchiladas
Seafood enchiladas are topped with a creamy but light sauce for rich flavor without all the extra calories.
29 of 31
30 of 31
Italian Mussels & Pasta
This combination of mussels with plenty of garlic, parsley, saffron and white wine was inspired by the Venetian soup zuppa de peoci, which is usually ladled over sliced crusty bread. Here we serve it over pasta. For a more elegant presentation you can remove the mussels from their shells before serving…but then again, who wants to be elegant? Enjoy!
30 of 31
31 of 31
Fennel & Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Sweet shrimp and fennel pair perfectly with the spicy, garlicky tomato sauce in this healthy Italian pasta recipe. If you're not a fan of heat, adjust the amount of crushed red pepper to taste. Serve with a green salad and red-wine vinaigrette or sautéed green vegetables.