The Best Healthy Seafood recipes are right here! Join us as we dive into the art of preparing seafood the Keys way, where every meal is a celebration of fresh flavors and wholesome goodness.
Welcome to Cooking in The Keys, where we cook fish, shrimp, lobsters and crab to bring you the very best fresh food with maximum health benefits.
Incorporating seafood into your diet not only introduces rich flavors but also provides essential protein, iodine, and diversity to your meals.
Today we are showcasing a collection of healthy recipes that we know you're going to love. All of this seafood is fresh caught. It's cooked, cut and cooked, usually in the same day.
Jump to:
- How to Purchase Seafood
- Is Seafood Gluten-Free?
- What's For Dinner Tonight?
- Pan Seared Mahi with Basil Butter
- Blackened Swordfish
- Seared & Blackened Yellowfin Tuna
- Peel and Eat Shrimp
- Slow Roasted Mahi Mahi
- Roasted Yellowtail Snapper
- Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Pan Fried Mahi Mahi Fillets
- Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Salad
- Easy Healthy Shrimp Tacos
- Mustard Sauce Recipe for Stone Crabs
- Yellowtail Snapper Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema
- Baked Coconut Shrimp with Mango Dipping Sauce
- Grilled Grouper Collar
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Blackened Shrimp with Butter
- Baked Snapper with Zesty Key Lime Butter Sauce
- Broiled Snapper Recipe
- Smoked Fish Dip
- Final Takeaway
- How To Make Seafood Seasoning
- Sides for Your Fish Dinner
- FAQ
How to Purchase Seafood
When purchasing whole fish, look for ones with clear, bright eyes and moist scales, and ensure the fish doesn’t have a fishy odor. It's advisable to hold and smell the fish before buying. Fish fillets should always be moist, intact, and not drying out.
Or, go out back with a fishing pole and some shrimp--you might get lucky!
Is Seafood Gluten-Free?
Yes, seafood, in its natural state, is gluten-free.
Fish and shellfish contain gluten when it's prepared with wheat-based ingredients, such as breading or sauces. Any seafood in a package, such as surimi, which is the fake crabmeat used to make California Rolls, is processed and usually contains gluten.
What's For Dinner Tonight?
Pan Seared Mahi with Basil Butter
Fresh basil, lemon juice, and unsalted butter will make Mahimahi with Basil Butter your new favorite fish dish. The fish fillets are seared in a hot pan and doused in a lemon basil butter sauce. The whole family will love this easy fish recipe with its delicious taste.
Blackened Swordfish
To blacken swordfish, a blend of herbs and spices that includes paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and garlic powder is mixed up and dusted on the fish.
Over high heat, the swordfish is seared in a cast-iron pan to get the signature black color and crust on its surface.
Seared & Blackened Yellowfin Tuna
Blackened tuna is made with the same Cajun blackened seasoning I use on my swordfish. The tuna is cooked in a hot pan for no more than a minute per side and then chilled.
The result is a flavorful and spicy dish with a smoky, savory exterior and a moist, tender interior.
The spice level can be adjusted to suit your taste by varying the amount of cayenne pepper in the seasoning blend. Serve seared ahi tuna cold with lemon and pink sauce.
Peel and Eat Shrimp
Peel and Eat Shrimp is a fantastic shrimp appetizer, especially when using fresh Key West pink shrimp. This simple make-ahead dish is going to be your new favorite.
This is the easiest appetizer to make and everyone loves them!
Slow Roasted Mahi Mahi
Enjoy tender, oven-roasted mahi mahi that's bursting with flavor! With simple ingredients like lemon and your choice of Old Bay or blackened seasoning, this healthy and scrumptious recipe is ideal for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner.
Roasted Yellowtail Snapper
Roasted yellowtail with Old Bay Seasoning is a straightforward recipe that's made in the oven. The fish is seasoned, dotted with cold cubed butter and roasted for a few minutes. This makes for a delicious meal with very big flavor!
Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper
Fresh yellowtail snapper fillets are seasoned with an earthy almond flour crust, then gently cooked in a hot pan with oil and butter until the exterior is crispy and the flesh is tender and flaky.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon, fresh veggies, or a light sauce to complement the natural taste of the fish.
Pan Fried Mahi Mahi Fillets
Enjoy pan-fried Mahi Mahi fillets. With a very crispy outer layer and tender flaky inside, these fish sticks are incredible! These flavorful pieces of wild-caught Mahi Mahi are breaded in almond flour and fried to perfection.
Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Salad
Enjoy a refreshing shrimp salad featuring sweet and crisp Key West pink shrimp paired with fresh greens for the ultimate shrimp lunch in Florida!
This recipe makes a creamy mixture of mayonnaise dressing and shrimp, delicately seasoned with a touch of Old Bay to perfectly balance the flavors.
Easy Healthy Shrimp Tacos
Wild-caught Key West shrimp, homemade taco seasoning, fresh vegetables, and almond flour tortillas make great healthy shrimp tacos!
Serve with Pico de Gallo and guacamole. These shrimp tacos make a healthy meal with big flavor!
Mustard Sauce Recipe for Stone Crabs
Stone crabs with mustard sauce are a classic seafood delicacy. People visit South Florida from all over the world to taste the delicious stone crabs.
Serve stone crab claws with a tangy and creamy mustard-based dipping sauce.
Yellowtail Snapper Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema
Our favorite fish tacos are made with fresh snapper and blackened seasoning. The tender, flaky snapper fillets are lightly seasoned and seared with lime juice to enhance their natural flavors.
These fish tacos are then assembled with crunchy shredded cabbage and a drizzle of tangy cilantro lime crema. The tacos are wrapped in gluten-free tortillas.
Yellowtail is a thin white filet and you can use any snapper in its place. Try red snapper, mutton snapper, or mangrove snapper too!
Baked Coconut Shrimp with Mango Dipping Sauce
Coconut shrimp is a tasty low-fat appetizer featuring succulent shrimp coated in a crispy, sweet coconut breading.
The combination of the tender shrimp and the tropical, slightly nutty taste of coconut makes a good choice for an easy appetizer.
When selecting the shrimp for this recipe, look for wild-caught frozen shrimp harvested in the USA. If you're in Florida, get local Key West Pink Shrimp.
Grilled Grouper Collar
The grouper collar is a section of the fish located just behind the head and gills, extending to the pectoral fins. This portion contains a rich concentration of tender, flavorful meat.
Because there is only one per fish, the chef and his or her team in the kitchen usually enjoy it. If you're lucky enough to get one, throw it on the grill, season wisely, and enjoy!
Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp cocktail is a simple appetizer featuring chilled shrimp served with cocktail sauce, offering a tasty combination of flavors and textures. It's a classic choice for a refreshing start to a meal.
Blackened Shrimp with Butter
Blackened shrimp is a dish made by coating shrimp in a flavorful spice blend and then searing them in a hot skillet until they develop a dark, crusty exterior.
The shrimp is coated and then cooked in olive oil and a few garlic cloves for only a few minutes.
We've topped the blackened shrimp with melted butter and lemon.
Baked Snapper with Zesty Key Lime Butter Sauce
We are crazy about key limes in Key Largo!
This is a fresh yellowtail snapper fillet that's blackened and topped with a key lime butter sauce. The fish is easily prepared and baked in the oven for under 10 minutes.
Broiled Snapper Recipe
Broiling is another method for preparing seafood, recognized as one of the quickest cooking methods for fish.
Cooking fish under direct, high heat, results in a deliciously caramelized surface while keeping the inside moist and tender. It's perfect for getting a crispy texture without the need for added fats, making it a healthier option for seafood enthusiasts.
Smoked Fish Dip
Popular in the Florida Keys and other coastal towns, fish dip is an iconic Floridian recipe. Smoking has long been a reliable method of preserving fish.
Fish dip typically features smoked fish, such as wahoo, mahi, or snapper, blended with mayonnaise and crisp vegetables like celery and onions. Enjoyed with crackers or fresh vegetables, it's a savory appetizer with coastal flair.
Final Takeaway
Wrapping up, the Florida Keys are a goldmine for anyone who loves seafood. The Keys has an abundance of locally caught fish and shellfish that are perfect for cooking up healthy and tasty dishes.
Our top recipes really bring out the best of the local catch, from the tangy taste of Key West pink shrimp salad to the tender goodness of broiled mahi mahi.
Trying out these recipes not only gives you a flavor of the Keys' amazing food scene. No matter if you're already good in the kitchen or just starting out, these recipes prove that cooking with fresh, local seafood can be easy, fun, and incredibly rewarding.
Let the unique tastes of the Florida Keys inspire your next cooking adventure, and make your meals feel like a mini vacation to the beach.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch!
For more seafood recipes →
How To Make Seafood Seasoning
Hailing from the great state of Louisiana, blackened seasoning is a very popular blend of spices used to season seafood.
Inspired by the lat Chef Paul Purhomme, we use a lot of blackened seasoning in The Keys.
For our favorite Blackened Seafood Recipes, check out a recent post called The Best Blackened Seafood Recipes. The article includes a brief history of Cajun culture and a look at what settlers in the bayou were eating.
Sides for Your Fish Dinner
Try all of our delicious side dishes for your dinner. Most are savory, some are sweet, and all are delcious!
Enjoy your day 🌸
FAQ
Wild-caught seafood is fish and shellfish that are harvested directly from their natural, non-cultivated habitats, such as oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes. Unlike farmed seafood, which is raised in controlled environments, wild seafood is caught in the wild by fishermen. Wild seafood is considered healthier because it feeds on natural sources.
Florida is known for its abundant seafood and some of the most popular fish to eat in Florida are:
Snapper
Grouper
Hogfish
Mahi-Mahi
Wahoo
Pompano
Trout
Blackfin Tuna
Swordfish
Spiny Lobsters
Pink Shrimp
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