There’s nothing like the smoky flavor of grilled seafood to capture the essence of summer. Whether you’re cooking up shrimp skewers, seared scallops, or a whole grilled fish, seafood on the grill is quick, light, and packed with fresh flavor. In this post, we’ll cover tips, favorite recipes, and how to make the most of seasonal ingredients for unforgettable summer meals.
Tuna Steaks with Lemon Caper Sauce
Grilled tuna steaks are one of life’s simple pleasures, satisfying even when unadorned. Here they’re made better with a quick lemon and caper sauce — the pleasant tartness balances the richness of the fish. Recipe: Tuna Steaks with Lemon Caper Sauce
Mahi-Mahi with Lemongrass-Lime Aioli
Sweet, mild grilled mahi-mahi harmonizes with an aïoli featuring lemongrass and lime. The creamy aïoli comes together in seconds using an immersion blender, resulting in a silky texture that’s less likely to break and adding richness and zest to a classic summer meal. Recipe: Mahi-Mahi with Lemongrass-Lime Aioli
Curious about Side Dishes? Check out this post.
Honey Grilled Shrimp
Easy and delicious honey grilled shrimp! Onions, peppers, and mushrooms are perfect when alternated with shrimp on the skewers. Just cut into bite-sized pieces and add them to the marinade with the shrimp. Serve with rice and a salad. Recipe: Honey Grilled Shrimp
Halibut with Cilantro Garlic Butter
Halibut steaks are sprinkled with fresh lime juice to amp up the flavor, then quickly grilled until crusty on the outside and easily flaked with a fork. Top with a homemade cilantro and garlic butter for the breakout hit of the season. Recipe: Halibut with Cilantro Garlic Butter
Cumin Grilled Scallops with Chickpea Salad
Bobby Flay’s easy grilled scallops recipe emphasizes two of summer grilling’s best attributes: the lightness of ingredients and the freshness of flavors. Recipe: Cumin Grilled Scallops with Chickpea Salad
Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon
Using a cedar plank to grill salmon is an effortless way to add enormous flavor to your dish. The fish takes on a lovely smokiness, stays wonderfully moist and the skin doesn’t stick to the grates. We spiced ours up with a maple-ginger marinade and whipped up a quick side salad for a tasty, incredibly easy weeknight meal. Recipe: Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon
Swordfish with a Mediterranean Twist
This quick grilled swordfish recipe takes on a delicious Mediterranean twist thanks to a simple olive oil marinade with fresh garlic and a trio of warm spices. It takes 15 minutes to marinate the fish and about 8 minutes to grill it to juicy perfection. Serve it with a big salad or a simple side and call it dinner. Recipe: Swordfish with a Mediterranean Twist
Garlic Parmesan Shrimp
Grilled shrimp with lemon and parmesan cheese ready in 10 minutes or less! Easy garlic parmesan shrimp is a great sharing appetizer or light dinner tossed with your favorite pasta or vegetables. Recipe: Garlic Parmesan Shrimp
Salmon with Meyer Lemon Relish
Floral and lightly acidic salsa brings out the buttery, rich flavors of grilled king salmon. Salmon is meaty enough to stay intact on a grill and gets meltingly tender as it cooks. Recipe: Salmon with Meyer Lemon Relish
Lobster Tails
If you want to get a little fancy with your grilling, try these grilled lobster tails, perfect on their own or as a part of a surf and turf meal. A quick lemon and garlic marinade is all it needs, just make sure to watch it closely on the grill to not overcook. Recipe: Lobster Tails
Final Thoughts
Grilling seafood is one of the simplest ways to enjoy bold, fresh flavors all summer long. With a few basic tips and the right ingredients, you can create meals that are both impressive and easy to pull off. If you’ve tried one of these recipes or have your own favorite way to grill seafood, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below to share your go-to marinades, grilling tips, or any questions you might have. Let’s keep the summer seafood inspiration going.