25 Easy Pescatarian Dinners to Make Right Now

updated Nov 8, 2021
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saffron shrimp finished, over rice, on three white plates
Credit: Photo: Kristin Teig; Food Styling: Catrine Kelty

Cutting meat out of your diet may seem like a huge, burdensome change — but adopting a pescatarian diet is actually really accessible. As someone who’s been a pescatarian for several years now, I’ve found that the key is to never make yourself feel like you’re sacrificing something or restricting yourself. Instead, embrace the things you can eat, rather than focusing on the things that you can’t.

While a pescatarian diet does exclude red meat, poultry, lamb, and pork, there’s a whole lot more that’s fair game for eating. Vegetables, grains, fruits, legumes, beans, cheese, eggs, and yogurt are all encouraged, and the pescatarian diet puts an emphasis on fish and shellfish as a source of protein. If you didn’t already know, fish is one of the most weeknight-friendly ingredients you can have on hand. It cooks up incredibly quickly on either the stove or in the oven, and depending on how you cook it, doesn’t always need to thaw first.

Along the way, you’ll also likely find new sources of protein that are (potentially) even more delicious than what you had previously been eating. Below you’ll find a starting point to help you get there — a list of 25 of my favorite pescatarian recipes that are tasty, nutritious, and easy to prepare.

Learn more about a pescatarian diet: Everything You Need to Know About the Pescatarian Diet

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Everything Bagel Salmon with Broccoli and Capers
This quick salmon and broccoli dinner is packed with flavor, thanks to everything bagel seasoning, caramelized red onion, and capers.
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Sardine Pasta
If you're weary about sardines, let this flavor-packed pasta convince you how delicious and nutritious they can be. They're the perfect pantry staple for pescatarians.
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3 / 29
Halibut

If you want a little luxury for dinner, dress pan-seared fillets with a warm lemon caper butter sauce — it’s understated elegance that tastes like a fancy restaurant meal.

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4 / 29
One-Pot Lemon Caper Orzo with Tuna
This one-pot pasta is simple, comforting, bright, and flavorful.
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5 / 29
Shrimp Tacos
These fun and festive tacos lean on three main components: well-seasoned shrimp, a creamy slaw, and a tangy, fruity salsa.
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6 / 29
Spicy Saffron Shrimp with Green Olives and Lemon
This saucy shrimp, inspired by Moroccan tagine, is richly spiced with saffron, ginger, cumin, and smoked paprika. Serve it over couscous or rice, or even just alongside crusty bread.
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7 / 29
Baked Cod with Lemon, Garlic, and Herbs
This recipe for cod fillets baked with lemon slices, garlic, and fresh herbs is beautiful to bring to the table and yet it's so ridiculously simple to make. Serve it with rice or orzo.
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8 / 29
Garlicky Sautéed Shrimp with Creamy White Beans and Blistered Tomatoes
This 20-minute dish, inspired by the Spanish tapas dish gambas a ajillo, makes for a flavorful weeknight dinner with very little effort. It's packed with garlicky shrimp, blistered tomatoes, and creamy white beans.
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9 / 29
Greek Salmon Salad
For this salad, the oven does all the hard work. You'll just need to chop up a few veggies while you're waiting on the salmon to bake. It's filling, refreshing, and, best of all, colorful.
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10 / 29
Brothy Tuscan White Beans with Garlic-Fried Bread
White beans, garlic, and fresh sage are stewed in a light tomato broth and served over thick toast in this wholesome and comforting pantry recipe.
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11 / 29
One-Pot Lemon Shrimp Pasta
This one-pot pasta, made with protein-packed shrimp, creamy white beans, and nutrient-dense kale, is a complete meal all-in-one.
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12 / 29
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos
Word to the wise: You should always have sweet potatoes and black beans in your pantry. Both add an incredible amount of flavor (plus fiber and protein) to any meal with very little effort. Paired together in a tortilla and sprinkled with feta and guac, they're a team that can't be beat.
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13 / 29
Sheet Pan Honey-Sesame Tofu and Green Beans
Tofu gets a bad rap sometimes, but when it's cooked with something as flavorful as this spicy honey-sesame sauce, it's a total crowd-pleaser. Stick it on a pan with your favorite veggies and you'll have dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.
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14 / 29
Weeknight Salmon with Smoky Spinach and Chickpeas
Crispy-skinned salmon sits on top of a bed of saucy spinach and chickpeas in this fast and easy skillet dinner.
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The Best Nicoise Salad
If you're cooking on a tight budget, canned tuna can be your best friend. Pair it with hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, olives, lettuce, and tomatoes for a light yet satisfying meal.
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16 / 29
Sheet Pan Pistachio-Crusted Cod with Fall Vegetables
Cod fillets are topped with Dijon and buttery pistachios in this easy, vegetable-packed sheet pan dinner.
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Easy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
The best way to stick to a new diet is to make sure that you don't ever feel deprived. This pasta recipe is filling and flavorful without being particularly heavy. Frying up crispy Panko breadcrumbs, roasting shrimp, and mixing spaghetti into a creamy yogurt-based sauce will make your mouth water.
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18 / 29
Crispy Fried Eggs with Yogurt, Greens, and Smoked Herb Butter
This twist on Turkish eggs features crispy fried eggs and garlicky wilted kale on a bed of Greek yogurt, all topped with a smoky sage butter sauce.
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Italian Chopped Salad
This make-ahead friendly salad is packed with crunchy veggies and tossed in a garlicky oregano vinaigrette. Eat as-is or serve alongside pizza.
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Honey Mustard Salmon with Caramelized Carrots
A sweet and tangy honey mustard glaze lends loads of flavor to this easy salmon skillet dinner.
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21 / 29
Slow Cooker Easy Lentil Soup
Everyone needs a slow cooker favorite in their toolkit, and this one is a game-changer. Just dump lentils, carrots, onions, a can of tomatoes, veggie stock, and a bunch of spices into a pot on a lazy Sunday and you'll have a protein-packed soup that doesn't disappoint.
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22 / 29
Salmon in Crazy Water
This Italian-inspired recipe features salmon fillets gently poached in a garlicky fresh tomato broth. Serve it with lots of crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth.
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23 / 29
Broiled Shrimp with Black Beans and Cilantro Rice
Black beans, cilantro rice, and juicy broiled shrimp combine in this quick and easy weeknight dinner.
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24 / 29
Weeknight Vegetable Stir-Fry
There really is nothing better than stir-fry when you're trying to eat more vegetables. It's so simple to make that it's pretty much impossible to mess up.
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25 / 29
Garlic Butter Steamed Clams
Cooking fresh clams at home might seem intimidating, but it actually couldn't be easier. This 20-minute recipe is guaranteed to become a repeat dinner favorite.
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26 / 29
Orzo Skillet with Shrimp and Feta
Tomato-y orzo meets sweet shrimp, salty feta, and fresh mint in this Greek-inspired skillet dinner.
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27 / 29
Crispy Skillet Ravioli with Garlic Butter Mushrooms
You don't even have to boil a pot of water to make this quick and easy, and totally satisfying, one-pan pasta dinner.
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28 / 29
Irish Seafood Chowder
A thin, milky broth barely holds together a mountain of smoked and fresh fish, tender potatoes and briny shellfish.
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Seafood Gumbo
A gumbo that's abundant with seafood and will make your kitchen smell incredible.
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