Fish recipes for Thanksgiving are a great option if you're skipping the turkey or just want something lighter on the table. Seafood cooks quickly, feels festive, and pairs with classic Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes, green beans, and roasted vegetables.
Jump to:
- Why Seafood is Great for Thanksgiving
- Seafood Appetizers
- Panko Crab Cakes with Claw Meat
- Green Mussels
- Peel and Eat Shrimp
- Coconut Crusted Snapper
- Seared Ahi Tuna with Sesame Dipping Sauce
- Stone Crab Claws
- Florida Smoked Fish Dip
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Lobster Recipes
- Spiny Lobster Rolls
- Spiny Lobster Salad
- Boiled Spiny Lobster
- Fish Recipes
- Fresh Blackened Swordfish
- Seared Tripletail with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Seared Tilefish
- Seared Salmon with Honey Garlic Glaze
- Baked Grouper with Key Lime Butter Sauce
- Salmon Chowder
- Mangrove Snapper with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
- Crispy Mahi Mahi
- Roasted Mahi Mahi with Old Bay
- Air Fryer Fish and Vegies
- Pan Fried Snapper with Panko
- White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Fried Hogfish with Garlic Aioli
- Fish and Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Yellowtail with Old Bay
- Blackened Baked Snapper
- Tuna Poke Bowls
- Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad
- Fish Omelet
- Sides
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Broccoli and Carrots
- Baked Sweet Potato Cubes
- Roasted Cauliflower and Asparagus with Carrots
- Roasted Fairytale Eggplant
- Roasted Tiny Red Potatoes
- Dirty Rice
- Green Beans with Locatelli Cheese
- Sweet Coleslaw
- Key Lime Pie
- Last Minute Turkey
- Butterball Turkey Breast Roast
- Happy Thanksgiving From The Keys
Why Seafood is Great for Thanksgiving
If you're spending the holidays in Florida, or just don't want the traditional turkey dinner, seafood is a natural choice for your Thanksgiving table.
Fresh fish and shellfish fit fit right in to Florida-style celebration, and it cooks much faster than a turkey.
From baked snapper and grouper to stone crab claw claws and seared mahi, these recipes bring plenty of flavor without the long hours of roasting.
Best of all, many of them can be prepared ahead of time. Serve them chilled, reheated, or finished quickly right before the meal.
Seafood Appetizers
Start your holiday meal with light seafood appetizers. Shrimp cocktail, smoked fish dip, or crab cakes set the tone without filling everyone up.
Panko Crab Cakes with Claw Meat
These panko crab cakes are made with claw meat, mayo, and seasoning, then coated in panko and pan-fried until golden. They're served with a creamy cocktail sauce for a simple, flavorful appetizer.
Green Mussels
Green mussels are simmered in a savory broth made with butter, white wine, garlic, and lemon. This quick and easy appetizer uses frozen half-shell mussels and is ready in minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges or crusty bread.
Peel and Eat Shrimp
Peel and eat shrimp are boiled with Old Bay and lemon, then served chilled or warm with cocktail sauce. This easy shrimp appetizer is perfect for holiday meals and can be made a day in advance. Everyone always appreciates this dish!
Coconut Crusted Snapper
Snapper fillets are coated in shredded coconut and baked until golden. Sweet, savory, and perfect with a squeeze of lime and some sweet chili sauce on the side.
Seared Ahi Tuna with Sesame Dipping Sauce
Fresh tuna steaks are coated in sesame seeds, seared on the outside, and served with a creamy sesame dipping sauce for a delicious appetizer.
Stone Crab Claws
Stone crabs are in season and perfect for Thanksgiving. Delivered fully cooked, they're easy to serve with homemade mustard sauce. Order from Key Largo Fisheries early in the week to have them in time for your meal.
Florida Smoked Fish Dip
This creamy smoked fish dip is made with smoked fish, mayo, and a touch of spice. A classic Florida appetizer that's perfect for Thanksgiving snacking. Serve with crackers, celery sticks, or cucumber slices.
Shrimp Cocktail
Wild-caught shrimp are boiled with lemon and served chilled with zesty cocktail sauce. A simple starter that fits right in on your Thanksgiving table.
Take a look at my easy seafood appetizers for more delicious ideas.
Lobster Recipes
Spiny lobster is perfect for Florida Thanksgiving feasts. It's a fresh, local touch that makes the holiday table feel special. Pair it with simple sides like roasted vegetables, potatoes, or a plate of mashed potatoes for a meal that celebrates the season.
Spiny Lobster Rolls
Fresh Florida spiny lobster tossed with mayo, lemon, and celery, tucked into a soft roll. A New England classic with a Florida Keys twist. Unexpected for Thanksgiving but lobster is in season and makes a festive addition to any holiday table.
Spiny Lobster Salad
Lobster salad is light, refreshing, and full of sweet lobster flavor. Make it with Florida spiny lobster or Maine lobster, then serve on its own, over greens, or tucked into a lobster roll.
Boiled Spiny Lobster
Fish Recipes
Fresh fish is a lighter main course that still feels festive. Treat your pescatarian guests with baked snapper, grouper, or mahi. FIsh is ready in under 30 minutes so you can spend more time enjoying the holiday.
Fresh Blackened Swordfish
Fresh swordfish can be a real treat for Thanksgiving. If you can get a few pounds of fresh-caught swordfish, you can serve is as appetizer or main course for your fish loving friends.
For an appetizer, cut the fish into one-inch cubes and cook as directed. You can put out a bowl of Swordfish bites next to the charcuterie. They'll be devoured in minutes!
This recipe shows you how to coat swordfish in Cajun seasoning and sear in a hot skillet until blackened outside and juicy inside.
Seared Tripletail with Lemon Butter Sauce
Fall is tripletail season in the Keys! This mild white fish cooks fast in a skillet and gets topped with a quick lemon butter sauce.
Seared Tilefish
This pan-seared tilefish cooks in a hot skillet with garlic, butter, and lemon. It's an easy, delicious dish.
Seared Salmon with Honey Garlic Glaze
Salmon cooked in coconut aminos is a quick, high-protein dinner loaded with flavor. Seared salmon is glazed with a sweet honey garlic sauce in this one-pot dish. This simple recipe works with fresh or frozen fish and comes together in under 20 minutes.
Pair with Roasted Sweet Potato Arugula Salad for the perfect Thanksgiving meal.
Baked Grouper with Key Lime Butter Sauce
Baked Grouper with key lime butter sauce is a fresh, flavorful dish that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Salmon Chowder
Salmon chowder is a hot soup loaded with sockeye salmon, potatoes, and vegetables in a creamy broth. It's simple to make and perfect for a holiday meal.
Mangrove Snapper with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce
Quick and elegant, these thin snapper fillets are seared until golden, topped with garlic lemon butter sauce, and ready in just 10 minutes. Perfect for fresh Florida seafood nights.
Crispy Mahi Mahi
Crispy Mahi Mahi is a quick and easy dinner made with fresh fillets, seasoned and seared in butter until golden. This mild, flaky fish cooks in minutes and pairs well with stuffing, potatoes, and veggies.
Roasted Mahi Mahi with Old Bay
Roasted mahi mahi is seasoned with Old Bay and baked until tender and flaky. This easy sheet pan fish recipe comes together fast and pairs well with vegetables, potatoes, and your favorite stuffing.
Air Fryer Fish and Vegies
Air fryer fish and cauliflower make an easy meal that cooks fast and comes out just right. It's the perfect option when the oven is full of turkey and you need something quick and healthy thats not turkey.
Pan Fried Snapper with Panko
Pan-fried snapper is coated in seasoned panko and cooked in a skillet until golden and flaky. This quick fish recipe is light, crispy, and perfect with lemon and a simple side.
White Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ready in under 15 minutes. Tender, flaky white fish fillets seared until golden and topped with garlic lemon butter.
Fried Hogfish with Garlic Aioli
Sweet, mild hogfish coated in buttery Ritz cracker crumbs and pan-fried until golden. Serve with creamy garlic aioli for dipping, a Florida Keys recipe perfect for your Thanksgiving table.
Fish and Mashed Potatoes
Fish and mashed potatoes are a great option for Thanksgiving if you're skipping the turkey. Serve flaky white fish like snapper or mahi alongside creamy mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce for an easy holiday meal.
Roasted Yellowtail with Old Bay
Roasted yellowtail snapper is seasoned with Old Bay and baked whole until tender and flaky. It's a simple Florida-style dish that's perfect for Thanksgiving when you want fresh fish instead of turkey.
Blackened Baked Snapper
Snapper fillets are coated in Cajun seasoning and baked until tender with a lightly charred crust. Bold flavor without the mess of pan-frying.
Tuna Poke Bowls
Tuna poke bowls are great for a guest who wants anything but turkey. Made with sushi-grade tuna, rice, and fresh toppings, they're light, flavorful, and easy to prep ahead.
Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad
This Whole Foods classic, cranberry apple tuna salad has holiday flavors and is easy to make ahead.
This is a good last minute recipe, just in case. You can make it ahead for a post-Thanksgiving brunch or pull it together last minute for a guest with special requests.
Fish Omelet
A fish omelet is a smart way to start Thanksgiving morning. Light and satisfying, it gives you plenty of protein without slowing you down before the big meal. Serve with fresh fruit for a simple, nourishing breakfast.
Sides
Round out your holiday table with simple vegetable sides like roasted carrots, broccoli, and mashed potatoes. They're fresh, colorful, and easy to prepare.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Silky mashed potatoes made rich with garlic that's gently poached in olive oil to bring out a sweet, mellow flavor. Ready in about 45 minutes, they make a creamy side for fish or turkey dinners.
Roasted Broccoli and Carrots
Broccoli and carrots roast together until they're crispy with caramelized edges. This is a simple side dish that pairs well with turkey, chicken, steak, or fish.
Baked Sweet Potato Cubes
Bake sweet potato cubes in the oven for a quick sweet side. Tossed with a little olive oil and seasoning, they roast until golden, sweet, and caramelized.
Roasted Cauliflower and Asparagus with Carrots
A colorful medley of cauliflower, asparagus, and carrots roast together on one sheet pan that's easy, fast, and full of flavor. This gluten‑free, vegan, side comes together quickly and looks as good as it tastes.
Roasted Fairytale Eggplant
Tender, sweet fairytale eggplants roast until golden and caramelized. These tiny eggplants cook quickly, making them an easy side dish for your turkey dinner.
Roasted Tiny Red Potatoes
Mini red potatoes roast until golden on the outside and soft inside, with just garlic, parsley, and olive oil. They cook in about 20 minutes, making them a quick side dish.
Dirty Rice
Dirty rice is a classic Cajun dish made with white rice, ground meat, onions, peppers, and spices. It's full of flavor and works as a side or main dish. Goes great with fish!
Green Beans with Locatelli Cheese
Stovetop Parmesan Green Beans are a quick and flavorful side. Steam the beans until tender, sauté with garlic and butter, then finish with Parmesan and lemon zest.
Sweet Coleslaw
Here's a great coleslaw recipe that you can make 2 days ahead of Thanksgiving. Its cold, doesn't take up oven space and tastes great with everything, especially turkey sandwiches!
Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie is on nearly every table in the Florida Keys for the holidays. Its tart lime filling and buttery graham cracker crust make it the most famous dessert in the islands.
Last Minute Turkey
If fish isn't your thing and you want the easiest turkey to make at home, grab a Butterball turkey breast roast. From frozen it's ready in about 2 hours, and if thawed, it roasts in under an hour. They're available in the Keys at Publix and Winn DIxie.
Butterball Turkey Breast Roast
Happy Thanksgiving From The Keys
Thanksgiving in Florida is something special. The weather is warm, the sun is shining, and the holiday meal blends tradition with local flavor.
Alongside the turkey, you might see fresh seafood like snapper, grouper, or seared mahi. Stone crab claws are in season this time of year, making them a true holiday treat to share with family and friends.
Whether you're visiting or lucky enough to call the Keys home, Thanksgiving here is a time to slow down, enjoy the sunshine, and gather around the table with good food.
Wishing you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving from the Florida Keys.
God bless America, today and always 🇺🇸
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