These seafood Thanksgiving ideas are a great way to spice up your Thanksgiving feast. Whether it be a delicious seafood starter or the main course, these seafood recipes will be a crowd pleaser.
I love creating new traditions in my family. We have many traditions that have been carried on from our childhoods, but now that I have my own family, I love making new traditions with my kiddos.
Food is such an essential part of traditions in my life. Holidays have traditional foods like turkey, ham, and desserts specific to the holiday, but I like to try out new recipes as well.
We have a ton of Thanksgiving recipes that will look good on the dinner table and taste delicious. One of my favorites is our fall charcuterie board. You can use your creativity to make it a beautiful snack for before your meal.
We also have the best Thanksgiving punch recipe that is non-alcoholic. There are so many yummy fall flavors, so why not enjoy them? And don't forget delicious Thanksgiving dessert ideas gluten free and the best southern thanksgiving menu.
If you are a seafood lover, these recipes are for you. There are delicious fish dishes, fresh shrimp, lobster tail, and plenty of other recipes for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Enjoy these recipes while watching the best family Thanksgiving movies or while traveling using one of our Thanksgiving vacation ideas.
You can always have a traditional Thanksgiving turkey too, but adding Thanksgiving seafood dishes makes the perfect addition to this big meal. Everyone has their own favorite foods, so you may as well cater to everyone!
I love Thanksgiving because you can spend time with family, watch football games, and enjoy a holiday feast. But my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers.
Leftovers make for the perfect midnight snacks, breakfasts, and lunches. Sometimes it can be tricky to reheat the sides and keep them as tasty as fresh out of the oven, so check out our reheating Thanksgiving sides post to learn how.
The First Thanksgiving
Believe it or not, fish, along with deer and birds, were most likely served at the first Thanksgiving. It is believed that the meal was mainly seafood because that is abundant in the area where Thanksgiving was celebrated.
The Native Americans smoked and dried fish, so seafood was likely served during their celebratory meal. Clams, mussels, and lobster were on the first Thanksgiving meal menu.
Mussels were especially easy to harvest because they would be on the rocks on the seashore. The first Thanksgiving looks different from the typical Thanksgiving today, so adding seafood to your menu will pay tribute to the holiday.
Why you should try these recipes
- You may find your new favorite recipe
- Trying them out is an excellent way to switch up your holiday table a little bit
- Having a seafood Thanksgiving menu with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner will allow for plenty of options for your family and friends
20 Minute Grilled Shrimp Skewers
This Grilled Shrimp Skewer is a delicious, quick to make shrimp recipe that’s ready in under 20 minutes. Shrimp is marinated, then grilled until perfectly golden. Cook this simple grilled shrimp recipe on the stove or an outside grill.
Seafood Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops (and Garlic!)
Seafood pasta with shrimp and scallops and lots of garlic is seriously one of the fastest and most delicious meals you can make with pasta!
Air Fryer Lobster Tail
Make the most perfect air fryer lobster tail with lemon garlic butter! It's easy, juicy, tender, buttery, and has the FASTEST cook time ever.
2-Ingredient Apricot Salmon
A delicious meal with just two ingredients? Hello, apricot salmon! This baked salmon recipe is sweet, tangy, and high in protein!
Spicy Cranberry Shrimp
I’m usually over Thanksgiving leftovers by the end of the weekend. They’re often gone by Monday or need to be tossed out. However, cranberry sauce is one thing that keeps really well, lasting in the fridge for 10-14 days. What better way to dress up the leftover cranberry sauce with a little spice with these Spicy Cranberry Shrimp.
Save this post for later!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew)
Cioppino is a comforting seafood stew from San Francisco filled with shrimp, clams, mussels, white fish, and crab legs all simmered in a rich broth made from tomatoes, white wine, and fish stock. A family favorite, enjoy this easy and delicious one-pot seafood stew for a special weeknight or holiday meal.
Broiled Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter
These broiled lobster tails with garlic butter are tender, succulent, and perfectly cooked! Learn how to thaw, prepare, butterfly, and cook lobster tails in the oven until tender and juicy. Great on Valentine's Day, Christmas, or any special occasion!
Snow Crab Legs
Steamed snow crab legs are incredibly easy to make with 3 ingredients and 15 minutes of time!
Chorizo Paella with Shrimp and Chicken
Chorizo Paella packed with shrimp, chicken and authentic Spanish flavor. This stunning, one-pan paella is a true MUST-TRY easy recipe.
Emerils Baked Oyster Dressing
Baked Oyster Dressing is one of our family favorites for Thanksgiving. It's a copycat recipe from Emeril Lagasse and it has all the flavors of New Orleans and has a permanent place at our Thanksgiving table.
Sensational Seafood Stuffing
This seafood stuffing is loaded with good flavors from the land and the sea! Shrimp and crab meat along with mushrooms, celery, sweet onion, garlic red bell pepper, herbs, seasonings, butter, and toasted whole wheat (or gluten free) bread make a fabulous well-balanced side dish that could easily stand on its own as a main dish.
Tips for success
- Make extras - Make extra of whatever dishes you decide to go with because you will want to snack on leftovers the whole Thanksgiving weekend.
- Use lemons - A squeeze of lemon juice on fish adds to the dish's flavor. Trust me. You will want to try it out.
- Plan ahead - This is a tip for Thanksgiving in general, but if you do not plan out when you are cooking each dish, your Thanksgiving day can be stressful.
FAQ
Can you eat seafood on Thanksgiving?
Why not? There are common traditional foods, like turkey and mashed potatoes, but no rulebook says what kind of foods you can and can't eat for Thanksgiving. Fish is a perfect alternative to turkey if you are not a turkey fan.
Fish is typically lighter than turkey, so it is a fantastic option for those who do not want a heavy meal or prefer a healthier Thanksgiving meal. Shake up your typical Thanksgiving meal by serving fish dishes!
What fish is good for Thanksgiving?
You can use whatever fish you want for your Thanksgiving feast, but salmon is probably the most popular. Trout and cod are fine options too. For the sides, you can use shrimp, oysters, crabs, or whatever else you want.
The recipes above use a variety of seafood that will make your Thanksgiving meal tasty. Pick your favorite type of seafood and turn it into a Thanksgiving recipe. You can mess around with recipes and make them your own.
What seafood is best in November?
If you want the freshest seafood for Thanksgiving, you should try clams, oysters, mussels, and crabs. They thrive in cold weather, so for the freshest seafood, those are your best bet.
Seafood may not be a typical Thanksgiving food, but that does not mean you should not try it out! These recipes could become part of your family traditions, so go ahead and give them a try!
We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Leave a Reply