18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (2024)

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Lobster, Oysters, and So Much More

By

Cathy Jacobs

18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (1)

Cathy Jacobs

A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.

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Updated on 11/10/22

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18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (2)

In many parts of the world, it's a tradition to serve seafood at Christmas. The most classic is the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, which—as the name suggests—involves a spread of seven seafood dishes.

Whether you're inspired by the cuisine of Italy, happen to live by the coast, or just enjoy ingredients from the sea, this elegant Christmas dinner menu is a fantastic way to celebrate the holiday with friends and family.

Get inspired by ideas for every course—including appetizers, salads, mains, and desserts—that work whether you'rehosting an intimate family dinner or a larger celebration. You may just make this your new annual Christmas dinner tradition!

  • 01 of 18

    Buttery Garlic Crab Bruschetta

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (3)

    Bruschetta—a popular Italian appetizer made from grilled bread drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with garlic—makes a great party starter. This wildly delicious buttery garlic crab bruschettafeatures plenty of garlic, butter, and sweet, succulentcrabmeat.

  • 02 of 18

    Flaky Biscuits

    Flaky biscuits are fabulous for dipping into seafood chowders and soaking up sauces. This easy recipe for classic buttery biscuits is just about foolproof—you can even make a batch in just over 30 minutes.

  • 03 of 18

    Easy Butter and Herb Baked Oysters

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (5)

    Easy butter and herb baked oysters are a fancy appetizer that's sure to impress. A little lemon juice adds zing to fresh, brinybivalves in the shell, and the buttery herb crumb topping makes these starters restaurant-worthy.

  • 04 of 18

    Stuffed Mushrooms With Clams

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (6)

    These bite-sizedstuffed mushrooms with clamscall for adding minced clams to the classic combo of breadcrumbs, parsley, and garlic stuffing. They're cute, delicious, and perfect for wowing your holiday guests!

    Continue to 5 of 18 below.

  • 05 of 18

    Fried Calamari

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (7)

    Fried calamariis one of the tastiest and most popular of Italian seafood appetizers. In an impressive first course, rings of tender squid are battered, fried until golden and crispy, and served with sea salt and lemon wedges for squeezing.

  • 06 of 18

    Fennel, Grapefruit and Arugula Salad

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (8)

    This bright, refreshing fennel, grapefruit and arugula salad has a unique mix of flavors and textures that pair exceptionally well with seafood. Juicy, sweet-tart grapefruit is balanced by peppery arugula, creamy avocado, and crisp, aromatic fennel,all tossed in a super simple olive oil and grapefruit juice dressing.

  • 07 of 18

    Kale Salad With Grated Cheese and Lemon Dressing

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (9)

    Dark, leafy greens are wonderful for enjoying in winter salads. In this simple, yet elegant kale salad with grated cheese and lemon dressing, thinly-sliced raw kalecombines with walnut and oliveoils, plus Parmesan cheese for a light first course that's a great way to kick off an indulgent Christmas meal.

  • 08 of 18

    Pear and Greens Salad

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (10)

    Late fall and winter are ideal seasons for sweet and juicy pears, and this restaurant-worthy pear and greens saladis a great way to use the fruit at its peak. You'll love the combination of tender pears, slightly bitter greens, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts in a sweet celery-seed vinaigrette.

  • 09 of 18

    Crispy Garlic Parmesan Croutons

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (11)

    Making your own croutons can upgrade everything from salads to creamy chowders. This easy crispy parmesan croutons recipe was created to garnish a Caesar salad, but it's fantastic for finishingseafood stews, too.

  • 10 of 18

    Lobster Bisque

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (12)

    A rich and creamy lobster bisqueis sure to earn rave reviews. The aromatic stew is a special-occasion bowl that can be served in small portions as a fancy first course at Christmas dinner.

  • 11 of 18

    Crock Pot Fisherman's Stew (Cioppino)

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (13)

    Crockpot fisherman's stew (Cioppino), a hearty Italian stew brimming with both shellfish and fish, is ideal for serving as an entree. Using yourslow cookerresults in tender seafood and a deep, complex broth without taking up any precious stovetop space.

  • 12 of 18

    Italian-Style Whole Roasted Fish in Herbs

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (14)

    Wow your guests when you come out of the kitchen carrying an Italian-style whole roasted fish in herbs on a platter (just like they do at special meals in Italy!). This fish entree is surprisingly easy to make and it never fails to impress.

    Continue to 13 of 18 below.

  • 13 of 18

    Pan Seared Halibut WIth Wine Sauce

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (15)

    Halibut is a meaty fish that takes on an incredible flavor when it's seared. This pan-seared halibut recipe with red wine sauce is satisfying, yet light at the same time. The sauce can be made aheadand refrigerated in an airtight container.

  • 14 of 18

    Shrimp Scampi

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (16)

    Shrimp scampiis a belovedItalian-American dish. Fresh, garlicky shrimp in white wine sauce is as quick and easy to make as they are enticing to a crowd. Serve with hot cooked pasta for a great entree idea at your Christmas seafood dinner.

  • 15 of 18

    Pasta With Garlic and Cheese

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (17)

    Teeming with garlic and cheese, this seven-ingredient (five if you don't count salt and pepper) pasta recipe can be used as a base for shrimp scampi, or an elegant side that pairs well with roasted or pan-seared fish. Serve this pasta with garlic and cheese with a nice green salad.

  • 16 of 18

    Roasted Broccoli Rabe

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (18)

    Broccoli rabe, also called rapini,takes on a deeper flavor and a pleasantly crispy texture when roasted. Serve the tender, browned stalks as a side dish for cooked fish dishes. You can also sprinkle this roasted broccoli rabe atop seafood chowders and soups for added texture.

    Continue to 17 of 18 below.

  • 17 of 18

    Maple Glazed Roast Parsnips

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (19)

    Roasted parsnips have a naturally sweet flavor that is welcome at a holiday dinner. A simple glaze made with maple syrup gives this nutritious vegetable side dish a tempting golden brown color. Sesame seeds are sprinkled over the top of these maple-glazed roast parsnips for the last five minutes of baking, for added crunch and visual interest.

  • 18 of 18

    Easy Orange Liqueur Cake

    18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (20)

    Citrus is an ideal complement to seafood and this easy orange liqueur cake is packed with fruity, boozy flavor and finished with a delectable buttery orange glaze.

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18 Christmas Seafood Recipes Fit for a Special Holiday Feast (2024)

FAQs

What seafood is often eaten at Christmas? ›

Among the different types of fish eaten on Christmas Eve, salted codfish is one of the most popular and versatile. It has always been considered a humble food because of its ease of storage, low cost and the fact that it is filling.

What is the traditional Christmas Eve seafood dish in southern European countries? ›

Families gather to celebrate La Vigilia on Christmas Eve – a pescatarian celebration with seven unique seafood dishes. These could include anything from baccalà (salt cod) to frittura di paranza (tiny deep-fried fish).

What is a traditional Christmas dinner menu? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What seafood is good in December? ›

December is the peak season for ocean perch, and there is no better month to enjoy cod and monkfish. The yuletide season is also the perfect time for cooking up fresh oysters, clams, and scallops. Below, find recipes and other information on these shellfish and fish to expect at the market in December.

What is the most popular food eaten on Christmas Day? ›

Every family in every part of the world serves their own traditional Christmas foods, but in the U.S., some are enjoyed nationwide:
  • Turkey.
  • Prime Rib.
  • Baked Ham.
  • Mashed Potatoes & Gravy.
  • Stuffing.
  • Green Bean Casserole.
  • Candied Sweet Potatoes.
  • Roasted Vegetables.
Dec 21, 2023

What are the top 10 Christmas foods? ›

10 Most Popular Christmas Dishes
  1. Roasted turkey. No Christmas dinner is complete without roast turkey. ...
  2. Ham. Be it baked, smoked, or glazed, ham is another popular dish for Christmas dinner. ...
  3. Roast beef. ...
  4. Stuffing. ...
  5. Poultry. ...
  6. Sweet potato casserole. ...
  7. Cranberry sauce. ...
  8. Plum pudding.
Dec 11, 2023

What is a good dish to take for a Christmas party? ›

Some popular options include:
  • Appetizers: Cheese and crackers, shrimp co*cktail, deviled eggs, bruschetta, meatballs, and spinach dip 1 2 .
  • Main dishes: Roast beef, ham, turkey, lasagna, prime rib, and salmon 1 2 .
  • Side dishes: Mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green bean casserole, stuffing, and cranberry sauce 1 2 .
Nov 18, 2015

What is the must have food during Christmas? ›

From classic roast turkey to roast potatoes, indeed, some festive foods are much more preferred than others. As well as festive staples – such as pigs in blankets, parsnips, and Christmas pud – it turns out some of us even enjoy chips at our big feast, as well as Yorkshire pudding.

What are the 7 fishes Italians eat on Christmas Eve? ›

This pasta involves seven fish: clams, mussels, halibut, shrimp, anchovy, calamari and scallops. It's nice to have a whole fish, head and tail included, to signify abundance.

What fish is a Christmas dish in Germany? ›

A German Christmas Eve

This culinary tradition continues today in many families, even if no church going is involved, with carp, salmon or hake often taking centre stage at the table, accompanied by fried potatoes or Kartoffelpuffer (potato fritters) and Sauerkraut.

What is the traditional Christmas Eve fish? ›

This holiday dinner is intensely regional. What you find on the plate in one city may not be the same in the next. Typical "fishes" include baccalà (salt cod), frutti di mare (shellfish), capitone (eel), calamari (squid), scungilli (conch meat) and vongole (clams).

What do Italians eat at Christmas? ›

In Southern and Central Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

What can I have for Christmas dinner instead of turkey? ›

Unique holiday dinner ideas
  • Beef Wellington: The Showstopper.
  • Christmas Roast Duck: The Twist on a Classic.
  • Vegetarian Enchiladas: The Surprise Favorite.
  • Roast Lamb: The Savory Star.
  • Stuffed Acorn Squash: The Festive & Flavorful.
  • Prime Rib Roast: The Hearty Hero.
Dec 12, 2022

What is traditional Christmas dinner in USA? ›

The basic American Christmas dinner is British in origin: roasted root vegetables as a side dish, mashed potatoes, gravy, and the centerpiece being a stuffed roasted fowl.

Do you eat seafood on Christmas? ›

While this may seem out of the normal, many generations of Italian-American families have practiced the Christmas tradition of serving fish as families gather together. But the good news is seafood recipes are not limited to just the Italian classics.

What is the tradition of seafood on Christmas Eve? ›

Origins and tradition

The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil).

Why is seafood popular at Christmas? ›

The tradition of preparing fish on Christmas Eve originated from the Catholic rituals of fasting or abstaining from meat and other dairy products on the eve of certain holy days, including Christmas. As no meat could be consumed during this period, fish cooked in oil would be eaten instead of meat.

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