Frozen seafood can help you reduce waste and put a delicious meal on the table in a pinch. Try these simple frozen seafood recipes —quick, easy and surprisingly fresh for being frozen!
Remove any surface ice from fish fillets or shellfish before cooking, and cook the seafood until it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque. Avoid overcooking, as seafood will shrink and push out moisture when it cooks.
Tilapia Loins with Garlic-Herb Sauce
This incredibly easy-baked tilapia recipe checks off all the dinner boxes: It’s simple to make, delicious, and family-friendly. It’s a healthy option, contributing to weight loss and overall health.
You’ll start by patting tilapia fillets dry and seasoning them with salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Then, mix melted butter with minced garlic and lemon juice and pour it over the fish. Bake the fish for 10 to 12 minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork. Garnish the dish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, lemon slices, and chopped parsley before serving.
Tilapia is a mild fish that pairs well with most flavours, including bold ones like garlic and herbs. But you can also customise the recipe by mixing different seasoning blends (all-purpose, Cajun, or Italian), olive oil, and other ingredients.
Pescatarian Paella
This seafood paella (arroz a la marinera) is a celebratory dish brimming with clams, mussels, shrimp and smoky chorizo. It’s a satisfying meal that’s perfect or served with a green salad and a glass of Spanish wine.
Like many traditional paella frozen seafood recipes, this one starts with sofrito, a flavorful saute of onions, garlic, tomato and paprika, then is combined with saffron threads to give it its signature golden colour. Then the rice is added — preferably bomba or arborio rice, but you can use any short-grain variety.
The rice is poured in a swirling pattern around the pan and then seasoned with salt and pepper. Unlike most other types of rice, this one is not stirred during the cooking process; doing so prevents the coveted crispy layer on the bottom of the paella called socarrat, which adds to its overall texture and taste.
While the paella cooks, heat a separate skillet or large frying pan to medium-high and lightly brown the chorizo. This step is optional but helps impart a little smoky flavour. Just be careful not to burn the chorizo, which will take 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the browned chorizo and set aside. During the final minutes of cooking, char or grill the green onion stalks and prawns until slightly browned and tender. Toss the vegetables with a tablespoon of the herb-infused oil and scatter them over the paella before serving.
Instant Pot Salmon with Lemon
This simple Instant Pot salmon recipe requires minimal prep and cooks up mouthwateringly tender. Whether you use frozen or fresh fillets, the IP pressure cooking method produces a moist and flavorful result that rivals slow-roasted salmon from the oven.
The closed environment of the Instant Pot makes it quick and easy to cook salmon, reducing the risk of dry or overcooked fish. The cooking time is also controlled by the amount of water used, ensuring consistent results. The IP also allows for adding broths and marinades, creating a more rounded and flavorful meal than traditional oven baking or pan frying methods.
To make Instant Pot salmon, preheat the Instant Pot to high pressure and add one cup of water with a few sprigs of dill (freshly chopped is best, but dried will work in a pinch). Place a steamer rack in the bottom of the pot and place the salmon fillets skin-side down on top. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add a few slices of lemon.
Stews
A stew combines solid frozen seafood recipes cooked in liquid throughout a long cooking time, then served with the resultant gravy. It is often a mixture of meats and vegetables, although many non-meat recipes exist for seafood, vegetables, or vegan stews. Tough cuts of meat that are suitable for slow, moist heat (such as chuck roast, brisket, pork shoulder, or lamb shoulder) tend to be used in stews because the collagen-rich connective tissue turns into gelatin during the slow cooking process and helps the stew become rich and hearty.
Stews are a common dish in most cuisines. Some stews, such as chowder or jambalaya, are thickened with flour or other starch, while others use reduction to make the sauce thicker. Many stews contain a mix of ingredients such as beans, corn, potatoes, and carrots; others have more exotic vegetables like squash or okra, while still others are made from a combination of fish or seafood like the French meurette, matelote, or bouillabaisse; or Italian zarzuela or cacciucco.