22 Easy Fish Recipes for Any Night of the Week

Baked, broiled, grilled, and sautéed, these simple dishes will make you want to cook fish all the time.

Grilled Striped Bass Step 5
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Jason Donnelly

We're told to add more fish to our diets but it's often hard to know where to begin. These easy fish recipes will help—even if you think cooking fish isn’t in your wheelhouse, trust us­, it can be. Our meals are extraordinarily simple to make and quick enough for any night of the week.  You can add any accompaniments you choose to suit the season or the mood. Learn them and keep them on repeat for speedy dinners.

01 of 22

Braised Fish With Fennel and Tomato

braised fish with fennel and tomato
Marcus Nilsson

Braising is a simple way of yielding deep flavor from a few ingredients. For this one-pot meal, choose thick slices of firm-fleshed fish that will hold up in the broth without falling to bits. 

02 of 22

Fish Tacos With Cabbage and Lime

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These tacos are made with tilapia, a mild, farmed fish that is cooked under the broiler. Other white fish fillets, such as flounder or hake, will broil just as quickly, and they can easily be substituted.

03 of 22

Soy-Honey-Glazed Arctic Char

soy-honey-glazed arctic char
Christina Holmes

Soy sauce, honey, lime, and scallions bring a balance of flavors to this quick broiled fish dinner. Arctic char is similar to salmon in color and flavor but delicate like trout.

04 of 22

Crispy Salmon With Coconut-Ginger Collards

crispy salmon with coconut-ginger collards served with fresh cilantro
Nico Schinco

Salmon is seared on the stovetop and then finished in a hot oven to make sure it cooks evenly but doesn't get overcooked. A quick brush of turmeric oil gives the fillets complexity and pairs nicely with the gingery chickpeas, collard greens, and coconut that round out this hearty meal.

05 of 22

Skillet Cod With Bulgur, Zucchini and Tomatoes

braised cod and bulgur with zucchini and tomatoes
Justin Walker

In this flavor-packed one-pot meal, the fish cooks in the same pan as the bulgur and vegetables. The recipe calls for harissa powder, but you can use your favorite chili powder or a combination of powdered ancho chili and ground cumin instead. Make this dish in a large pan with a lid so you can nestle the fish into the vegetable-bulgur mixture in one layer.

06 of 22

Baked Flounder With Roasted Tomatoes

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These baked fish fillets are so much easier to make than fried ones. The fish is brushed with mustard and coated in fresh breadcrumbs. Tomatoes roast in the oven alongside the fish and make a juicy counterpoint.

07 of 22

Sesame-Crusted Tuna Tataki

Sesame-Crusted Tuna Tataki on plate next to chop sticks
Ryan Liebe

This tuna dish has crunch and flavor galore. From the sesame seed crust and crisp shallots to the smoky Japanese bonito flakes and aromatic shiso leaves, this 30-minute recipe is a keeper.

08 of 22

Broiled Fish With Summer Salad

broiled fish with corn, tomatoes and cucumber

Don’t wait until summer to make this quick and easy fish dinner. It's so simple and delicious you'll want to make it at all times of the year.

09 of 22

Flounder in Parchment With Asparagus and Shiitakes

Flounder en Papillote with Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms on decorative plate
Ryan Liebe

Cooking in parchment is essentially a steaming method, and it’s a fantastic way to cook delicate, skinless fillets of fish such as sole or flounder. By adding vegetables that cook in the same amount of time as the fish, you’re providing a light meal in each packet. Serve rice or another grain on the side if you like.

10 of 22

Coconut, Fish and Pumpkin Stew

Caribbean Fish-and-Pumpkin Stew recipe
Lennart Weibull

This robust stew with leafy greens and a hit of lime is simple to put together. Calabaza squash can be purchased already cut into wedges, making dinner prep even easier.

11 of 22

Sautéed Black Sea Bass With Capers and Herb-Butter Sauce

Black Sea Bass with Capers and Herb-Butter Sauce in large pan
Ryan Liebe

OK, herb-butter sauce may sound restaurant-y, but just wait until you see how easily it comes together. The sauce is a last-minute toss of butter and herbs into the pan, with added aromatics from capers and vermouth.

12 of 22

Baked Cod With Olives

baked cod with olives
Kirsten Strecker

Cod is beautiful and tender when cooked in the oven, and it's a lovely light dinner you can in minutes. This version has an olive topping inspired by classic tapenades—anchovies, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil also come together for a burst of flavors everybody will love.

13 of 22

Sumac-Dusted Salmon With Broccolini

Sumac-Dusted Salmon with Broccolini
Kate Sears

The bright color and tart accent that Sumac provides are a lovely foil for the richness of salmon. Torn bread sops up the pan sauce, making it a meal in one.

14 of 22

Sautéed Red Snapper

Red Snapper

A basic recipe you'll use so often that you learn it by heart—and when you have fresh fillets of fish, there’s nothing more you need to do. Also, get our pro tips on pan-frying and keeping the skin crisp.

15 of 22

Ceviche With Tropical Fruit and Habanero

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Johnny Miller

Here's a fish dish that doesn't need any stove or grill time—you will need top-quality fish, though. Lime provides enough acidity for cooking this diced red snapper, while a variety of tropical fruits provides juicy sweetness to contrast with the heat of the habanero chile.

16 of 22

Grilled Striped Bass

Grilled Striped Bass Step 5

Jason Donnelly

Bass fillets are marinated for 30 minutes with herbs, garlic, and lemon, then grilled. You can cook the fish outdoors if you want to, but this recipe calls for a grill pan for summery Mediterranean vibes all year long.

17 of 22

Roasted Branzino With Lemon and Thyme

Whole-Roasted Branzino with Lemon and Thyme on plate with lemon wedges and silverware
Ryan Liebe

Don't be afraid to cook a whole fish. Small fish like branzino are a breeze to cook in the oven. (You can ask for the head to be cut off when you buy them if you prefer.)

18 of 22

Clams and White Fish in Carrot-Saffron Broth

clams and white fish in carrot and saffron broth
Lennart Weibull

This golden, brothy dish is a company-worthy and beautiful variation on a bouillabaisse. There are a few steps for putting this recipe together—but it takes very little effort.

19 of 22

Pan-fried Trout With Lemon

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This easy recipe conjures up good old-fashioned campfire cooking over an open flame. You can adapt it to cook as many trout as you have on hand.

20 of 22

Easy Skillet-Poached Salmon

Easy Skillet-Poached Salmon
Ryan Liebe

Poaching is a simple skill that yields tender, moist fish with a pure flavor. It’s very simple to do, and once you’ve learned this way of cooking fish, it will be a method you return to over and over.

21 of 22

Miso-Glazed Cod

Miso Glazed Cod

This easy fish recipe uses a simple glaze made with miso and rice wine to add complex flavors and a beautiful glaze with little effort from the cook.

22 of 22

Broiled Snapper With Paprika Butter

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Another easy fish dish, the snapper cooks with a quick trip under the broiler, then gets paprika butter for serving. Making compound butter with spices like paprika or fresh herbs is a great back-pocket trick. Once mixed, the butter can be rolled into a log, wrapped in parchment paper, and frozen so you can cut off a few slices when you need it.

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