When you think of grilling, what do you think of? Usually it's something along the lines of hot dogs, hamburgers, maybe some BBQ ribs or grilled vegetables, right? Instead, imagine this: a gorgeous, citrusy, delicate fish or shellfish grilling alongside those classics. From shrimp and scallops to salmon and cod, with everything from lobster to swordfish in between, literally anything goes when it comes to grilling seafood—check out our list of 35 recipes for ideas!
Well… not anything. There are a few hard and fast rules that will help your grilled seafood come out its absolute best—learn from our trials and errors and don’t skip them. The hardest part about grilling fish is making sure the flaky skin doesn’t stick to your grill. A couple tips: First, thoroughly oil your grill grates with a rag or paper towel soaked in vegetable oil (use one with a high smoke point, check out our guide to cooking oils for more info) before adding the fish. Next, make sure you’re cooking at a high heat (400º to 450º), and once your fish is on the grill, don’t touch it until the skin is crispy.
Been burned by stuck grilled seafood before, and don't want to risk it this year? We understand, but don’t let that stop you from having seafood at your BBQ. All you need is a roll of tin foil or some fruit (!!) to save the day. You can wrap pretty much anything in a foil pack and lose the risk of anything falling through the grates of your grill. Best part? You can also cook veggies in there too, like in our grilled honey-chipotle salmon foil packets, our grilled shrimp foil packets, or our foil pack grilled salmon with lemony asparagus. Craving a savory-sweet vibe? Try pairing your grilled fish with some lemon or pineapple, like we did in our grilled red snapper, our jerk shrimp & pineapple bowls, or our lemony grilled salmon. Warning: after these, you might never want your fish without fruit again.
Want more grill inspiration? Check out our fave grilled veggies, our top grilled fruit, and our best-ever weeknight dinners on the grill too.
Pesto Shrimp Skewers
If we're looking for an delicious, low-effort summer dinner, skewers win out, every time. They couldn't be simpler: simply layer on your chosen ingredients, choose a signature sauce, grill, and serve!
Get the Pesto Shrimp Skewers recipe.
Grilled Cod With Romesco Sauce
Inspiration for this quick and easy recipe comes from the Catalan province of Tarragona in Spain. Nutty, smoky romesco sauce was originally created to serve alongside the region’s abundant seafood, so it goes together with this grilled cod like peanut butter goes with jelly but, you know, fancier
Jerk Shrimp & Pineapple Bowl
Long live the pineapple bowl. Not only is it a super-cute and fun way to serve dinner, but it also guarantees that whatever you’re about to eat is going to be loaded with plenty of fresh, delicious pineapple. In this case, we’ve got jerk marinated shrimp, sweet peppers, and a sweet and spicy glaze that will make you want to lick your plate clean.
Get the Jerk Shrimp & Pineapple Bowl recipe.
Mahi Mahi Tacos
Being a meaty, tender fish, mahi mahi stands up well to the grill and is even better when marinated. Throw the fish on a tortilla with some spicy pineapple-jalapeño salsa, and you'll have an amazing summer taco night.
Get the Mahi Mahi Tacos recipe.
Greek Salmon Burgers
Pureeing the salmon fillet with egg to make these Greek-inspired burgers isn’t the sexiest process, but it’s key in helping these patties hold together. Trust us, it's worth it (that, and the tangy feta-yogurt sauce!).
Get the Greek Salmon Burgers recipe.
Grilled Clam Bake Foil Packs
No pit oven, no problem! Instead, bundle fresh clams, sweet corn, cooked potatoes, and a garlic-herb compound butter into foil packets and pop them on a preheated grill. Fifteen minutes later, dinner is served.
Get the Grilled Clam Bake Foil Packs recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Piccata Skewers
These grilled shrimp piccata skewers are the perfect combination of juicy, charred shrimp, bright lemon zest, briny capers, and white wine butter sauce. Plus, since it only takes 45 minutes from start to finish, it’s ideal for everything from a backyard bash to a quick weeknight dinner.
Grilled Fish Tacos
The fish—we use cod, but any flaky variety, like tilapia, works—marinates in a mixture of lime juice, chili powder, and cumin that will become your standard. But the real gem of this recipe is the red cabbage slaw—don't skip it. It takes just a few minutes to toss together, and its brightness is the perfect condiment to the spiced cod.
Get the Perfect Fish Tacos recipe.
Grilled Honey-Chipotle Salmon Foil Packets
Grilling fish can be intimidating, but with foil packs, there's no need to stress. Rather than worry about the fish sticking to the grates or flipping the flaky flesh, you'll fold the salmon up in tin foil instead. It's not just fish inside, either—there's a medley of zucchini and yellow summer squash with a smoky honey-chipotle sauce. 😍
Grilled Lobster Tails
Lobster tail is kinda expensive, and therefore seems pretty fancy. Don't be intimidated though, it's actually incredibly simple to make! This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and is a great dinner to make for a special occasion. The herb butter is PERFECT.
Get the Grilled Lobster Tails recipe.
Spicy Grilled Shrimp
The best part about this recipe? The sweet and spicy sauce doubles as a marinade and a glaze—don't forget to reserve some for basting the shrimp while it's on the grill!
Get the Spicy Grilled Shrimp recipe.
Grilled Octopus
Maybe you've tried your hand at calamari and want to branch out, or perhaps you've tried grilled octopus on vacation and wanted to bring a piece of the Mediterranean home with you. Whatever the reason, making grilled octopus is so much easier than you might think and is worth trying at home.
Get the Grilled Octopus recipe.
Grilled Tuna Steak With Scallion Sauce
Those who say that good things take time have clearly never grilled a tuna steak—once the grill is preheated, they only take around 5 minutes! Serve them topped with our grilled scallion sauce over greens or brown rice for the perfect light summer meal.
Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
Like our sheet pan shrimp boil, this recipe cuts down on the production, but not the flavor! Foil packs turn a shrimp boil into individual parties that are so easy to throw onto the grill. It's everything you love with way less work.
Get the Shrimp Boil Foil Packets recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Sriracha Slaw
There are no extraneous ingredients in these tacos—once you grab shrimp, you've probably got almost everything to make these already! We left the tails on the shrimp for grilling, but feel free to take them off.
Surf 'n' Turf Foil Packs
Not sure about cook time? Feel free to take a peek! The shrimp should be pink and opaque and the steak—depending on how you like it—should be slightly pink in the very middle. Do open the packs carefully and slowly, exercising caution to avoid the steam trapped within!
Get the Surf 'n' Turf Foil Packs recipe.
Grilled Oysters
Grilling not only makes oysters easier to shuck and serve—the heat loosens the shell, meaning you just need to gently pop off the lid—it also heightens their briny flavor and imparts a subtly smoky char. For these, you'll dollop a bit of kimchi butter onto each opened oyster and return them to the grill until the butter melts and mixes with the oyster liquid. Truly, they're heaven.
Get the Grilled Oysters recipe.
Cedar Plank Salmon
Using a cedar plank is the most foolproof (and delicious!) way to grill salmon. To prevent burning, the planks need to be soaked for at least 2 hours in water. While the planks soak, you'll quick-cure the salmon with a to-die-for mixture of brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Yum!
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