There are many different ways to prepare seafood, and each culture has its favorite seafood dishes.
We have enjoyed sampling the most well-loved seafood recipes worldwide during our travels.
Here are the ten most popular seafood dishes that we have come across.
Quick Summary
- Seafood is beloved worldwide because it is nutritious, and there is excellent accessibility to this food source.
- You can prepare shellfish, fish, and other seafood in many ways; each culture has specific seafood recipes.
- These seafood dishes come from all over, including Peru, Italy, Japan, Greece, and throughout the United States.
1. Sushi
Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that consists of vinegared rice and fresh seafood.
The most popular sushi toppings are fish and eel, but you can also find sushi made from various other ingredients like shrimp, squid, crabs, and vegetables.
Sushi can be in multiple forms. Negiri is sushi that is hand-pressed and shaped into small balls or ovals. It usually has a single topping, such as ahi tuna or salmon.
Maki is sushi rolled in seaweed and then cut into small pieces. You can find maki with different fillings, such as cucumber, water spinach, green herbs, avocado, or eel.
2. Scallops
Scallops are a type of bivalve shellfish that is used in many cuisines. They can be enjoyed raw, grilled, baked, or fried and are often served with a sauce or vegetables.
In the New Orleans region, scallops are commonly served as a po’boy sandwich.
This is a sandwich made with fried scallops on French bread. The recipe has mayonnaise and Creole seasoning and is usually presented with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.
3. Ceviche
Ceviche is a favorite dish in Latin America, typically made with fresh fish or shrimp marinated in citrus juice.
The acid in the citrus “cooks” the seafood, giving it a firm texture. Ceviche is often served on the plate with onions, peppers, and cilantro.
This national dish of Peru has expanded to other countries in Latin America and is now a popular seafood dish around the world. It uses local ingredients and is often served as an appetizer, though it can be a complete dinner recipe.
4. Crabcakes
Crab is a typical seafood ingredient in many cuisines. It can be eaten steamed, boiled, or baked.
Many people serve crabs with butter right after boiling them. However, one of the most popular ways to eat crab is in a crabcake.
Crabcakes are a popular dish in the United States, especially in the Chesapeake Bay region.
This recipe is made with crab meat straight from the fishing boats, bread crumbs, eggs, and seasonings, then fried or baked. Crabcakes are frequently served with a tartar sauce or remoulade.
Read More: How to Cook Crab Meat?
5. Lobster
Lobster is a shellfish that is prized for its delicious flavor and tender meat. It can be boiled, steamed, or grilled and is often served with drawn butter or lemon.
Lobster is an especially popular dish in New England, where it is routinely presented as a seafood platter with clams and corn on the cob.
In Maine, lobster is so popular that it is often served as fast food. You can find lobster rolls consisting of lobster meat on a butter-toasted golden-brown bun at many roadside stands.
Lobster is also a common ingredient in seafood recipes like chowders and stews.
Read More: Best Lobster Meat Delivery
6. Mussels
Mussels are a type of shellfish that is common in French and Belgian cuisine. They can be cooked by many methods but are most often steamed with white wine, garlic, and fresh herbs. Mussels are usually presented as an appetizer but can also be the main course at dinner.
A shellfish commonly found in coastal areas, mussels are raked up from the sand near the shore.
Steaming these mollusks opens their shells, revealing the tender, salty meat inside.
In Asia, people often steam them in coconut milk or coconut cream to create a dish consisting of delicious sweet and savory flavors.
7. Oysters
Oysters are a species of shellfish that is found in brackish and salt water. They can be enjoyed raw, baked, grilled, or fried. In some cultures, oysters are considered an aphrodisiac.
They are often served as an appetizer with a squeeze of lemon. Some add Worcestershire sauce or cocktail sauce, while others prefer a mignonette sauce recipe made with vinegar and shallots.
“Most seafoods should be simply threatened with heat and then celebrated with joy.”
- Jeff Smith, Chef & Cooking Show Host
Oysters are often presented on the half-shell, which means they are opened and left on the bottom half of their shell. The texture is often described as “slippery,” and the flavor is salty with a hint of sweetness.
Some people swallow them down whole, but oyster connoisseurs savor the taste and chew before swallowing.
8. Clam Chowder
Clams are a type of bivalve that live in both fresh and salt water. Clams can be consumed raw, steamed, or baked. Clams are usually harvested by hand from a water’s muddy or sandy bottom.
They can be found in different species, but quahog and littleneck clams are the most well-known. Clams are low in calories and fat and high in protein.
Clams are often turned into chowder or other soup recipes. More than just a fish stew, New England-style clam chowder is a rich, thick soup made with onion, potatoes, clams, and celery.
Manhattan clam chowder is a thinner soup that is made with a tomato base instead of cream.
9. Shrimp
Shrimp is popular worldwide and used in a vast number of cultural cuisines. Shimp is low in calories and high in protein that can be boiled, grilled, or fried.
They can be a delicious snack with dipping sauces or used as protein for dinner as in this Easy Grilled Shrimp recipe.
Shimp is used in Asian foods such as curries and stir-fry with steamed rice.
It is also popular in Italian dishes such as shrimp scampi and shrimp fra Diavolo. In the U.S., a shrimp cocktail is a classic appetizer made with boiled shrimp, cocktail sauce, and lemon.
In New Orleans, they often use shrimp with hot sauce in gumbo and other Cajun and Creole seafood recipes. Also, in the South, shrimp and grits is a popular breakfast dish made with shrimp, grits, and cheese.
10. Crawfish Étouffée
Crawfish are a type of shellfish that is smaller than, but similar to, lobster. They are often used in Cajun and Creole dishes, such as gumbo and jambalaya.
Crawfish étouffée is a hearty meal made with crawfish, butter, flour, vegetables, and spices. It is served over rice and often garnished with green onions.
Étouffée means “smothered” in French, which is how this dish is prepared.
The crawfish are cooked slowly in a sauce made with a roux, a mixture of flour and fat. You can serve this dish as an appetizer or a main course.
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FAQs
What Is the Most Popular Seafood in the World?
Tuna is by far the most popular seafood in the world [1]. It is versatile and can be used in many seafood recipes, such as sushi, salad, or casserole. Tuna is the second most caught fish behind anchoveta.
Are Shellfish Good for You?
Yes, shellfish are good for you. They contain high levels of protein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12 [2].
These nutrients are essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, heart health, and energy levels. Shellfish are low in calories and fat, making them a good choice for those watching their weight.
Can You Eat Seafood While Pregnant?
Yes, you can eat seafood while pregnant. In fact, eating seafood can help with childhood brain development [3]. This is because seafood is part of a healthy diet and provides essential nutrients for a growing child, such as choline, iodine, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids.
However, eating seafood that has been appropriately stored is essential to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
What Is the Most Commonly Ordered Seafood in Restaurants?
The most commonly ordered seafood in restaurants is shrimp, followed by salmon and tuna [4]. People eat four pounds of shrimp per capita per year - while consuming only a little more than half of that amount in either one of those fish.
This consumption comes in various dishes such as crispy fried shrimp, shrimp cocktail, shrimp gumbo, and shrimp creole.
Are There Risks Associated With Eating Seafood?
Yes, there are risks associated with eating seafood. These risks include mercury poisoning, bacterial contamination, and foodborne illness. Eating seafood that has been stored properly throughout the supply chain is critical to avoiding these risks.
What Is Your Favorite Seafood Dish?
Seafood is nutritious and healthy fare that is enjoyed by people all over the world. In this article, we have listed ten of the most renowned seafood recipes that you should try.
However, it is necessary to make sure you are getting the highest quality seafood from only reputable sources.
With seafood, we want it delivered directly to our door so that we know the storage was done right.
We also desire a large selection to choose from so we can prepare dishes like the ones described above.
Click here to see our roundup of lobster meat delivery services and see who has the best selection.
References:
- https://www.atuna.com/pages/tuna-world-s-2nd-most-consumed-fish-2
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/shellfish
- https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/most-popular-seafood-products-in-the-united-states.html
