When I was young, my parents often brought me to upscale seafood eateries where we savored lobster, scallops, oysters and similar delights. Back then I never stressed about how the meals were financed; I simply ate as much as I could.
Now as an adult — carrying a fair amount of debt — I keep a close eye on my dining tabs on the uncommon nights I eat out.
If you’re like me and crave seafood but either can’t justify the expense or live far from the coast where seafood is marked up, breathe easy. I’ve gathered five tasty, budget-friendly and simple-to-prepare seafood dishes.
Quick Lemon Garlic Fish
This preparation from Budget Bytes caught me off guard because, as a bit of a seafood purist, I hesitated to cook tilapia with so few components. Usually I only pick tilapia when it’s wrapped in a corn tortilla and paired with strong flavors. But the straightforward ingredients here were flavorful, and the dish turned out delightful.
I plan to keep the sauce recipe handy to use on a chicken variation of this meal. It was effortless to make in my small food processor, and cleanup was minimal. I cooked the fillets in a skillet on the stovetop rather than grilling, and they still finished slightly browned, moist and flaky.
Servings:
2 2-ounce tilapia fillets: $1.72
¼ bunch fresh parsley: $0.22
1 medium lemon: $0.50
1 clove garlic: $0.06
1 tablespoon olive oil: $0.10
⅛ teaspoon salt: $0.02
⅛ teaspoon pepper: $0.02
Total: $2.64
Cost per serving: $1.32
Salmon Burgers with Lime Mayonnaise
I love crab cakes, so I was intrigued when I spotted this recipe from BHG for salmon patties with lime mayo. Combining the components reminded me of forming meatloaf or meatballs, and I tucked that idea away for future recipes.
With only three ingredients listed for the lime mayonnaise, I tossed in a minced garlic clove for extra zip. This is another straightforward sauce I’ll keep on hand for other dishes.
For cooking, I used vegetable oil instead of olive oil to obtain a crisper crust on the patties. I also tried baking a second batch in the oven, but they became too soft and crumbly, so stick to cooking them on the stovetop to help the burgers hold together.
Servings: 4
1-pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into chunks: $3.17
¾ cup panko bread crumbs: $0.75
2 green onions, thinly sliced: $0.11
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro: $0.09
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger: $0.04
1 garlic clove, minced: $0.06
2 eggs: $0.12
2 tablespoons soy sauce: $0.13
1 tablespoon lemon juice: $0.05
2 tablespoons vegetable oil: $0.15
¼ cup mayonnaise: $0.24
2 tablespoons red onion, minced: $0.23
2 teaspoons lime juice: $0.03
Total: $5.17
Cost per serving: $1.29
Mexican Cod and Potato Stew
I’ll admit, I was skeptical when I read this dish was prepared in the microwave. But since it was a Martha Stewart recipe, I gave it a shot and wasn’t let down. The microwave softened everything nicely, so if you prefer a bit more texture in the potatoes and shallots, consider cooking the components on the stovetop.
While several ingredients are fairly mild, cumin and cilantro provide a nice flavor lift without overwhelming the dish. A self-professed garlic enthusiast, I added a few chopped cloves to the potato-and-shallot mix before heating it up.
Servings: 4
1 pound skinless cod fillet, cut into chunks: $3.59
1 can diced tomatoes: $0.89
¾ cup corn kernels: $0.59
½ teaspoon ground cumin: $0.07
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped: $0.08
1 pound red new potatoes, sliced: $1.39
2 large shallots, thinly sliced: $0.50
1 teaspoon olive oil: $0.04
Salt and pepper
Total: $7.15
Cost per serving: $1.79
Tuna Salad with Lemon Aioli
Heads up, this Southern Living recipe makes eight servings, so it’s great for feeding a crowd. Since tuna can go off quickly, I recommend dividing it into thirds if you’re cooking for one. Most people won’t eat that much tuna in one go.
The most time-consuming task was dicing the Granny Smith apple, but it’s worth the effort. The apple’s sweet crunch offsets the savory tuna perfectly. While eating this, I thought I might have liked adding halved red grapes, as I sometimes do in chicken salad.
Servings: 8
3 12-ounce cans of solid white albacore tuna, drained and flaked: $11.07
½ English cucumber, sliced into half-moons: $0.90
1 large Granny Smith apple, diced: $0.91
¼ cup minced red onion: $0.23
½ cup mayonnaise: $0.48
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley: $0.22
2 teaspoons lemon zest: $0.05
2 tablespoons lemon juice: $0.05
1 garlic clove, pressed: $0.06
½ teaspoon pepper: $0.08
Total: $14.05
Cost per serving: $1.76
Blackened Tilapia
I’m fortunate to work somewhere with an onsite cafeteria that offers different dishes daily. Occasionally they host “fish market day,” featuring salmon, tilapia and shrimp. Blackened is my coworkers’ go-to cooking style, no matter the seafood.
Since I usually pick blackened salmon at work, I tried that technique on tilapia at home. This is the easiest recipe: mix the spices, rub them onto the fillets and pan-sear them. The Genius Kitchen instructions say three minutes per side, but I upped the time to four or five minutes to get a crispier outside while keeping the interior moist.
Servings: 4
3 tablespoons paprika: $1.08
1 tablespoon onion powder: $0.66
1 pinch garlic powder: $0.05
1 teaspoon white pepper: $0.16
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper: $0.20
1 teaspoon dried oregano: $0.08
½ teaspoon celery seed: $0.41
1 teaspoon dried thyme: $0.10
1 tablespoon salt: $0.48
1 lemon, cut into wedges: $0.50
1 tablespoon vegetable oil: $0.08
4 3-ounce tilapia fillets: $3.44
Total: $7.24
Cost per serving: $1.81
Alex Morgan relishes generous helpings of crab legs and enjoys experimenting with other seafood at mealtime. As a kid, Alex was the quirky child who ordered a tuna sub with black olives from the neighborhood deli.
