Seafood Appetizer Recipes

A fun twist on a tuna salad sandwich. This Tuna Salad & Crackers recipe uses wheat crackers instead of bread!

Inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes, this affordable lunch is easy to make and pack yourself. With high-protein ingredients like a hard-boiled egg, edamame and tuna, this bistro-style lunch will leave you feeling satisfied.

Spicy peanut sauce is the perfect match for these Thai-marinated grilled chicken strips.

This colorful roulade starts with a quick spinach cake that's rolled around a creamy filling and smoked salmon. It can be made ahead, so it's perfect for entertaining.

If you've never cooked oysters on the grill, you're in for a treat. Grilling oysters whole saves you the trouble of shucking them--they magically pop open when cooked. A simple garlic herb butter adds richness and a bright pop of flavor to this impressive appetizer. To pretty it up use Irish butter, which is extra-golden because Irish cows typically enjoy an all-grass diet.

It may seem a little intimidating to open an oyster, but after a little practice it gets easier. Classically oysters are served raw on the half shell with a little mignonette sauce, which refers in French to "black pepper," but you can also enjoy them without any sauce at all.

This classic Mexican shrimp cocktail is usually served as a starter, but it can also be a quick, refreshing main dish on a busy night.

A simple lemon-dill mayonnaise adds a touch of sophistication to smoked trout on crackers.

Stuffed shrimp make a quick and easy appetizer perfect for holiday parties. The trick to great stuffed shrimp? Make sure your shrimp are large enough to hold the filling. We recommend jumbo shrimp, which easily encase the savory filling of scallions, breadcrumbs and bacon with just a hint of spice from cayenne pepper.

These Japanese rice triangles can be made simply with seasoned rice or filled with vegetables or protein. Cooking a bit of starchier short-grain white rice with the brown ensures they hold together—but still gives you a filling dose of fiber.

This air-fryer coconut shrimp is quick and easy to assemble. We dip these crispy shrimp in a hot-and-sweet chili sauce made from scratch, but any store-bought dipping sauce will pair nicely with this easy appetizer.

Perfect with soup or as an easy snack, this healthy cheese toast recipe pairs reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), smoked salmon and dill on top of crusty bread.

Marinating the shrimp in white wine, lemon zest, and garlic ensures a burst of flavor in every bite.

Flecked with scallions and breadcrumbs, these crab cakes are pan-fried for a crispy exterior. We serve these cakes with a dipping sauce made from Dijon mustard and pepperoncini for a twist on rémoulade.

These burgers have a true crab flavor that isn't masked by fillers or strong seasoning. Serve on a bun with tartar sauce or with a lemon-juice-dressed salad of greens, sprouts and sliced peaches. This recipe works best with convenient pasteurized crabmeat, usually found in the refrigerated case near the fish counter. If you prefer lump crabmeat, cut it into small, uniform pieces.

These simple lemon-garlic shrimp skewers have a tangy lemon flavor with a hint of garlic. They pick up a nice char and smokiness from the grill.

Large, untorn butter lettuce leaves are best for rolling up the filling in these Asian lettuce wraps without breaking. If you use larger shrimp, chop them before cooking to make the wraps easier to eat. Serve as a first course or light dinner with a side of rice or noodles.

Put this robust appetizer board with salmon, eggs, pickles and vegetables out for a backyard party or serve it for brunch. Look for tomatoes in a variety of colors for the prettiest presentation. Feel free to add additional vegetables, such as radishes and carrots, to the board.

Jessica B. Harris looks to the Creole cooking traditions of the Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe for these deviled eggs, adding crab meat to the filling. Harris calls this recipe a winner and the only problem is keeping them from disappearing from the table too quickly.

Don't be surprised if you start humming the jingle about the San Francisco treat while you're eating this herb-infused pilaf. Quick-cooking shrimp and tender baby lima beans turn this side dish into a quick main course. Not a lima lover? Try frozen shelled edamame instead. Serve with steamed or roasted asparagus.

In this healthy, quick risotto recipe, we use instant brown rice instead of arborio rice, and frozen corn and edamame to speed up the cooking time and add fiber. To get the creamy risotto texture without slow cooking, we stir in cream cheese and Parmesan just at the end of cooking.

This creamy, cheesy dip was inspired by the beloved Chinese American restaurant appetizer crab rangoon. We opted for lump crab instead of imitation, which adds a hint of sweetness, and jalapeño gives it a touch of heat. We suggest you scoop it up with wonton chips for the complete experience, but tortilla chips and crudités are also delicious with it.

Rather than serving this easy mock shrimp ceviche with chips or tortillas, cut some carbs and pile the citrusy seafood in fresh avocado bowls for a fun and healthy presentation.

If you're intimidated by shucking oysters--this recipe for barbecued oysters is for you. When you grill them, steam builds up inside the shells until they pop open. Then you slather a little garlicky red barbecue sauce on each oyster, put them back on the grill to get hot and bubbly, and you're done. At a party, bring your oysters to the grill and show your guests how it's done so they can barbecue their own.