If you hope to cook more seafood this Spring, chances are you’re also concerned about your grocery budget. The sky is the limit on fish and shellfish prices, so even if you add a seafood dish to your menu once a week, it can add up.
Thankfully, there’s plenty of inexpensive seafood options available. We all know and love canned tuna, of course, but there’s other choices that are also a great value. If you’re looking to add more seafood to your diet, try some of these budget-friendly recipes.
Garlic Butter Baked Cod
Put enough garlic, butter, and parsley on something, and people will eat it — and that includes picky kids with fish. Serve this with rice, orzo, or steamed red potatoes to soak up all that garlic butter goodness.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Air Fryer Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Fish tacos are easier than you might think to make at home, especially with an air fryer. Tilapia, cod, or other white fish coated in a spice mix take no time at all in the air fryer. A creamy and tangy topping with bagged slaw mix is an easy addition.
Recipe: Lemons and Zest
Cajun Salmon Burgers
Forget those terrible salmon patties you might have had in the past. These flavorful burgers are made with canned salmon as well, but they’re not boring or bland. Smoked paprika, garlic, and onion give them a kick, but you can use your favorite Cajun seasoning blend instead.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
Shrimp Fried Rice
Shrimp isn’t the cheapest seafood, but a little goes a long way if you mix it into something like flavorful rice and veggies. This recipe calls for less than a pound of small shrimp, so it won’t break the bank. Add whatever veggies you have around.
Recipe: Woks of Life
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna noodle casserole is one of those foods from childhood you either love or hate. We think it’s worth revisiting to see if it hits that comfort food note, with its wavy egg noodles, creamy sauce, and crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Recipe: Budget Bytes
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Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Mayonnaise might seem like an odd ingredient in parmesan crusted fish, but it makes total sense because it helps the cheese and crumbs adhere perfectly. If you’re still averse, you can use olive oil or melted butter instead, but it’s not as flavorful.
Recipe: A Couple Cooks
Linguine with Canned Clams
Canned clams are great in pasta — no shells needed. This one is a little bit fancy with canned anchovies, white wine, and crunchy garlic breadcrumbs, but you can omit any of those and it’ll still be the perfect date night food.
Recipe: Sip and Feast
California Roll Sushi Bowls
Imitation crab, or surimi, is delicious but often overlooked. Turn it into a main protein source in this California roll-in-a-bowl recipe. It’s easy, it’s light and healthy, and anyone who enjoys sushi will love it.
Recipe: Cooking Classy
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Miso Fish
There are only four ingredients in this simple recipe: fish, miso, mirin, and sesame oil. If you cook Japanese food regularly, you probably have those ingredients on hand all the time. If you have to buy them, it’s worth it, because you’ll want to make this again and again.
Recipe: Woks of Life
Steamed Mussels in Tomato and Garlic Broth
Whole mussels are surprisingly inexpensive, and many grocery stores with a fish counter carry them. Steam them with a simple garlicky tomato sauce, then serve the big bowl with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the juice.
Recipe: Food and Wine
Tuna Melts
A tuna salad sandwich might seem boring, but somehow a tuna melt is more homey and comforting. This is a recipe for the grilled cheese style with two pieces of sliced bread, but you could easily adapt it to an open faced diner version instead.
Recipe: Iowa Girl Eats
Clam Chowder
You can’t go wrong with a steaming bowl of clam chowder. It’s a pretty cheap thing to make, too, since canned clams aren’t expensive, and neither are celery, potatoes, and onions. Don’t forget the oyster crackers on top.
Recipe: AllRecipes
Cajun Blackened Catfish
Catfish is a very economical fish. Coat it in a homemade Cajun spice blend with plenty of paprika, black pepper, and herbs, and it’s the centerpiece of a great meal. Though this recipe instructs you to cook it outdoors, you can do it in a cast iron skillet inside, but beware of the smoke.
Recipe: AllRecipes
Hot Imitation Crab Dip
This hot, creamy dip is great for a crowd-pleasing appetizer during a party. Since it uses imitation crab, it’s much less expensive than using fresh crab meat. You can make it in the microwave like the recipe calls for, or you can bake it with cheese on top until hot and bubbly.
Recipe: Chew Out Loud
Shrimp and Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta
Don’t feel like you have to use expensive jumbo shrimp in this pasta recipe because smaller ones will be just as good. The sauce is made simply with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and crushed red pepper, so the whole dish is fresh and light.
Recipe: Southern Living
Air Fryer Cod
Cod is an affordable fish, and it’s thick and meaty. If your family prefers it fried, this is a good recipe to try. Breadcrumbs and parmesan create a nice crunchy coating on the fish in the air fryer, which is perfect for dipping in tartar sauce.
Recipe: The Recipe Critic
Tuna Pasta Salad
Whip up a batch of tuna pasta salad on the weekend, and you’ll have lunch ready to go for the entire week. This is a classic recipe with celery, onions, and peas. Using half mayo and half Greek yogurt gives it a little more protein.
Recipe: Tastes Better From Scratch
