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Here are the best easy fish recipes for your table! Make a healthy dinner everyone will love using salmon, tilapia, tuna and more.
Want fish for dinner? Do we have the recipes for you! Fish is a fantastic low-fat, high quality protein to add to your diet, whether you’re an omnivore, pescatarian or eat the Mediterranean diet. Salmon is arguably the most popular way to eat fish here in the US, but there are so many more tasty fish to try. In fact, we’ve surprised ourselves finding new and interesting ways to eat fish for dinner.
Here are the best easy and healthy fish recipes to add to your dinner repertoire! Try baked fish with bright green herbaceous pesto or fish tacos with a creamy, zingy sauce. Mix up a tasty poke bowl, or even grab a quick and easy tuna sandwich. There’s something for everyone in this list!
And now…our top fish recipes to try!
Baked fish might sound a bit pedestrian…until you’ve tried this Mediterranean baked fish recipe! One bite and you’ll be singing its praises. Roast up any white fish with lemon, garlic and a simple mix of tomatoes, onions and olives. It comes out perfectly fork tender with a punchy zip from the lemon and tender vegetables to flavor each bite.
This Tuscan salmon recipe result in a few marriage proposals, which is why we also like to call it “Marry Me Salmon!” The tender fish is bathed in a luscious cream sauce with garlic, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and capers, making each bite bright, salty, and luxurious. It tastes restaurant-style, but it’s easy to whip up at home in just 30 minutes.
These baked fish tacos are a total win in the hall of fame of fish recipes! Bake the white fish until it’s flaky with a dry rub of spices: no breading or frying necessary. Then top it with a tangy slaw and a creamy fish taco sauce. This is a spin on Mexican Baja tacos using the flavors and style of this cuisine. They’re tasty, easy to make, and great for weeknights or dinner parties. Use any white fish like tilapia, cod or Mahi Mahi.
Here’s a tilapia recipe with a total wow factor: this Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes & Feta! The tender, flaky fish is covered in a lemon garlic sauce, cozied up with burst cherry tomatoes, Mediterranean seasonings and gooey bits of feta cheese. If you think baked fish sounds boring, this recipe is for you! Each bite is savory with just the right pop of brightness. It’s ready in just over 30 minutes and great for impressing on weeknights or dinner parties.
A lot of recipes claim to be the best baked salmon, but this one lives up to the hype. Meet the very best baked salmon recipe! The tender fillet is perfectly seasoned with brown sugar and spices and has a lovely crisp topping, a feat for baked salmon which can often turn out mushy and under-seasoned. After years of making salmon recipes, we’ve taken all our knowledge and rolled it into this master recipe.
When it comes to easy and healthy weeknight meals, fish is ideal: it cooks quickly and it’s full of protein and omega 3s. So why not try another way to make it taste amazing: this Pan Fried Tilapia recipe! Coat the white fish fillets in seasonings and flour and pan fry them in a bit of olive oil. The tilapia comes out savory and tender with a light crispy coating: in minutes!
Oh hey there, welcome to one of our favorite fish recipes ever. Meet our best halibut! This genius way to cook this popular white fish bakes it until flaky and tender with garlic and lemon, along with capers if you love that salty, briny pop. Once it’s juicy and baked, shower it with the secret sauce: finely minced parsley and crispy fried onions, which add a pop of salt, herbaceous flavor and a crunch.
Tip: You can use this method with other white fish like tilapia or cod!
Bright green pesto goes hand in hand with tender baked salmon to make a stunning dinner. Because really: what isn’t better with a little pesto on top? The savory, garlicky sauce makes the flaky salmon pop: you’ll already be taking your second bite before finishing the first. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough to serve to guests.
Here’s a deliciously easy fish recipe that’s full of surprises: pan fried cod! This white fish knocked us off of our feet. Really! Cod is a beautifully mild and buttery-flavored fish, and this preparation couldn’t be easier or more stunning. Coat it in paprika and a few other spices, then pan fry it until tender and juicy. It takes under 10 minutes to get restaurant-quality flavor! Serve it with the pan juices drizzled over the top and well…we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this one, too.
One of our favorite easy salmon recipes of all time: this Pistachio Crusted Salmon! This method for cooking fish tastes like something you’d get at a restaurant, but it’s so simple to make. The aroma wafting from the oven will have you salivating before the food even reaches your plate! Each bite of tender fish and the crunchy, Parmesan pistachio topping makes you immediately want to take another.
This lemon dill salmon is a fish recipe that's fast, easy, and even fancy enough for a dinner party. The baked salmon is perfectly savory, and doused in a zingy lemon dill sauce it’s pretty irresistible. This healthy dinner recipe is so easy and versatile, it could really work anytime. It’s perfect for fast & easy weeknight meals but also great for entertaining.
Seared ahi tuna is one of the most delicious foods on the planet, and it literally cooks in less than 5 minutes! If you’ve never had ahi tuna, it’s time to start It tastes meaty and rich: not fishy at all! If you’re looking to convince someone ambivalent about seafood, seared tuna is a great place to start. The flavor is so delicious: it tastes buttery on the inside and salty savory on the outside.
Here’s an impressive fish recipe that’s packed with umami and fantastically irresistible: Miso Salmon! Miso makes magic in the kitchen: it adds incredible savory flavor to everything it touches. Here it features in a miso glaze that’s so full of flavor, you’ll want to brush a glossy swipe onto just about everything. One of the ultimate ways to use it? On a tender fillet of salmon. Brush it on before and after broiling, and it’s absolutely stunning.
Want to grill salmon to perfection? It’s not an easy feat. Salmon is easy to over cook and under-season. Meet our perfect grilled salmon! It’s an easy method and comes out tender with a lightly crisp crust. Even better, we created a tasty magical seasoning blend to go with it. This salmon seasoning tastes so good, you’ll want to put it on everything…you might never make salmon without it again.
Looking for a home-run weeknight dinner? Try this incredible Baked Cod! We’ll admit, cod wasn’t always a fish on our radar. But this fish is truly special. It’s mild, tender, and buttery in flavor. The best part? It’s swimming in a zesty lemon garlic sauce that makes you want another bite before you’ve finished chewing. This baked fish is always a hit with our whole family!
Here's a popular fish recipe: a poke bowl! This Hawaiian bowl of seasoned raw fish, rice and crunchy veggies has caught on here on the mainland, and everybody’s doing it! Because poke is that good. And guess what? You can easily make poke in the comfort of your own home: it’s perfect for a weeknight meal, or even better for a showy meal for entertaining.
Also try: Ahi Poke
Here’s a salmon recipe every cook should know: how to make basic seared salmon! This is one of the best ways to cook salmon in a flash because it’s fast, it’s easy, and it results in incredible flavor. Often we make baked salmon, but it's way faster pan seared: plus you get the perfect crispy crust on the salmon. For us, that’s a deal breaker! It also leaves the oven free for roasting up some veggies as a side.
There’s nothing better than a crispy breaded piece of fish, and this Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is no exception! This simple way to prepare fish fillets has a big impact. The exterior is crunchy and perfectly seasoned with savory Parmesan and crunchy breadcrumbs, and the interior is tender and flaky.
This blackened Cajun salmon is so flavor filled, you’ll feel like you ordered it at a restaurant. Even better: it’s fast and easy. The cooking process takes just 5 to 8 minutes! The homemade Cajun Seasoning has a spicy, savory intrigue and makes a crispy black crust on the outside of the fish.
Also try: Blackened Salmon (mild version)
Here’s a recipe that’s impressive with little effort: grilled tilapia! This flaky white fish has nudged its way into our hearts over here. If you’re looking for a healthy fish recipe that's bursting with Mediterranean flavor: here’s the one! The flaky fish is bursting with savory, smoky flavor from the grill. Top it with sweet and tender blistered cherry tomatoes, and it looks simply stunning. It’s the ideal summer meal for entertaining or even a weeknight.
Here’s a new secret that’s revolutionized our dinners. One of the best ways to cook salmon is broiled! With broiled salmon, you don’t even need to preheat your oven! Just broil 7 to 10 minutes until cooked through. Easy as that! It comes out so flaky and moist, we couldn’t stop eating it. Here’s how to make the best broiled salmon around!
Got a grill? Try these grilled fish tacos instead! They're an impressive grilled dinner that’s full of beautiful flavor. Imagine: tender, flaky white fish grilled up with cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Top it with the zing of pico de gallo and a tangy, creamy taco sauce, and a bit of crunchy cabbage for good measure. Piled in a charred tortilla, it’s everything you want a healthy fish recipe for dinner to be!
Also try: Tilapia Fish Tacos
We’re always game for more fast and easy dinner ideas, and this is one to bookmark to make on repeat. Brown sugar salmon is simple and comes together quickly with just a few pantry ingredients! It’s a fun trick to whip out for a weeknight meal or when you’re entertaining, and it comes together in a flash. Broiling the salmon makes it even quicker than baking, and makes a caramelized crispy top.
Got a fillet of mahi mahi? Try this easy mahi mahi recipe! It’s simply pan-fried with lemon, garlic and herbs until it’s tender and juicy. This popular fish makes a splash with simple preparations like this one: it’s got a short ingredient list and is quick to whip up as a tasty main dish.
Tired of grilling salmon? Good, because here’s a uniquely incredible grilled fish recipe: grilled tuna steaks. And there’s nothing fishy about this tuna! Ahi tuna is rich and buttery, and seared perfectly on the outside, it tastes more like chicken or steak than fish! Even better, it’s one of the quickest things you can cook. Just 1 to 2 minutes, and you’ve got dinner. Here are all the tricks to getting that perfect sear on the grill.
Here’s an impressive dinner idea that’s calling your name: this irresistible Salmon Burgers recipe! Each bite is hearty and juicy, topped with a creamy remoulade sauce and burger toppings that take it to rockstar status. This is a great way to feel like you’re eating red meat, without the meat! It’s every bit as satisfying, we think.
Also try: Easy Salmon Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Here's a favorite 10 minute fish recipe: this pan-fried Rainbow Trout! The mild flavor of rainbow trout is absolutely irresistible paired with chopped rosemary and fresh lemon zest. Pan fry it in olive oil and the skin becomes beautifully crisp (in fact, we couldn’t stop nibbling on the skin). This quick meal pleases just about anyone, even people who are on the fence about fish.
Here’s a dinner idea we could eat on repeat every night of the week: Salmon Rice Crunch Bowls! This tasty bowl of salmon and rice has a few flavor secrets that make extra crave-able. The chunks of tender fish are covered in a salmon marinade that’s savory, garlicky and a little sweet. Combine that with fluffy rice and fresh veggies, then cover it with a spicy mayo to really make it pop.
Nicoise salad is legendary: and for good reason! This classic French main dish salad with funa is a true treat. It's a stunning healthy Mediterranean diet lunch or dinner that you’ll want to keep eating for days. Boiled eggs, green beans, olives, tomatoes, tuna and tangy potato salad sit on crunchy lettuce and are covered in a zesty lemon dressing. Use best quality canned tuna for this one: you won't regret it!
Looking for a fish recipe that’s easy and impressive? Try this spinach artichoke stuffed salmon recipe! It’s got a creamy, savory filling flavored like everyone’s favorite dip to contrast to flaky, tender salmon. Honestly, this might be one of our favorite salmon recipes because it’s so simple and tastes restaurant-style.
30 Easy Fish Recipes: Baked Fish & More!
This baked fish recipe uses simple ingredients for big Mediterranean flavor! It’s a crowd-pleaser with any type of white fish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds white fish fillets (tilapia, halibut, cod, snapper, and so forth)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ cup green olives, sliced in half (optional*; we like Castelvetrano)
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the fish to stand at room temperature while prepping the vegetables.
- Chop the tomatoes, olives, red onion and garlic, as noted above.
- Place the chopped vegetables, drained capers, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley in the bottom of a 9 x 13″ baking dish. Mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
- Pat the fish dry. Rub it with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, split between the filets. Sprinkle both with the oregano and a few grinds black pepper. Place the fillets on top of the vegetables in the pan, then gently drizzle the fillets with the lemon juice.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish; check at 15 minutes for very thin fillets), until the fish is flaky and the internal temperature is 140 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a food thermometer. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and serve immediately, adding a few spoonful of vegetables to each plate (over the top or next to the fish).
Notes
*Omit the olives if you’re cooking for olive haters; the dish is still delicious. But we highly recommend using them for the best flavor here! The Italian variety Castelvetrano has a mild, buttery flavor.
More dinner ideas
Need more inspiration outside of these fish recipes? Here are a few of our other favorite collections of healthy dinner recipes:
- 25 Easy Seafood Recipes Here are all the best healthy and easy seafood recipes that taste incredible and make dinner a breeze! Includes shellfish like shrimp and scallops.
- 15 Best Shrimp Dinner Ideas or 10 Easy Salmon Recipes The best recipes with this popular seafood!
- 40 Healthy Dinner Ideas These are the best healthy dinner ideas that our readers come back to again and again for delicious and nutritious recipes.
- Top 10 Easy Weeknight Dinners Need inspiration for getting dinner on the table fast? These healthy and easy weeknight dinners take 30 minutes or less and satisfy the whole family!
Tilapia is very bad for you though.