55 Seafood Recipes For Your Feast Of The Seven Fishes Dinner (2024)

Warning: It may be difficult to choose just seven.

By Dora Villarosa and Mackenzie Filson
55 Seafood Recipes For Your Feast Of The Seven Fishes Dinner (1)

The holidays are full of (often super-delicious) traditions, and the Feast of the Seven Fishes is no exception. It involves family gathering for a feast of seven seafood dishes, or several kinds of fish prepared—you guessed it—in seven different ways. Italian-American families began preparing the seven-course dinner way back in the early 1900s, as a way to feel close to home while celebrating all the bounties of the sea on Christmas Eve (a day that Catholics traditionally don't consume meat). Such a feast calls for plenty of options, and we've got all kinds of seafood recipes to please everyone in your Christmas Eve crew!

So what are these seven fishes anyway? Well, there aren't necessarily any true rules to which fish you serve, but there are some clear favorites: anchovies (try them in our bagna cauda dip), sardines, shrimp (perhaps some shrimp scampi?), squid (fried calamari, naturally), mussels (especially with tomatoes and garlic), clams (linguine with clams is always a slam-dunk), lobster, and cod.

Those familiar with this feast have some advice to share with newbies. First, there are going to be lots of courses, so don't go overboard when purchasing ingredients for any one dish. Second, plan to start light and serve the fried items last (this way, your guests don't fill up too fast). That being said, if you really want to go maximalist with your seafood feast, be sure to add in a few seafood appetizers too.

Just because it's the Feast of the Seven Fishes doesn't mean you can only serve fish. We recommend a pleasing platter of antipasto bites for an authentic kickoff before you dive in!

1

Linguine With Clams

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When you want a bit of decadence and elegance at the dinner table, but don't have time to make a super-fancy meal, this your recipe. It's so simple, it can be thrown together in about 30 minutes. That wine sauce is perfection.

Get the Linguine With Clams recipe.

2

Salmon En Croute

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A cheesy, garlicky, spinach mixture is the perfect balance to a tender salmon fillet. Everything is nestled together in the puff pastry dough, and after 20 minutes in the oven, you’ll have a buttery, flaky crust with perfectly tender salmon inside.

Get the Salmon En Croute recipe.

3

Lobster Risotto

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When you think of decedent dinners, there are few that can outshine the rich, creamy, seafood-stuffed glory that is lobster risotto. A simple combination of fresh aromatics, white wine, and seafood stock transforms humble Italian rice grains into the dreamy, cheesy, luscious rice porridge that we’ve all come to love.

Get the Lobster Risotto recipe.

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4

Crispy Fried Calamari

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Fried calamari doesn't have to be reserved for beachfront restaurants. It's easy to make at home and comes out extra-crispy and crunchy. A squeeze of lemon juice and fresh marinara and you're ready to go. After you master this, give fish and chips a go!

Get the Crispy Fried Calamari recipe.

5

Cioppino

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Since plenty of seafood is available year-round, we went with four of our favorites: shrimp, clams, mussels, and halibut. The perfect accompaniment to cioppino has got to be crusty bread to sop up any remaining soup. A crispy French loaf would be great, but we also love to really highlight the flavors of San Francisco with a bit of sourdough.

Get the Cioppino recipe.

6

Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi

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Classic shrimp scampi is one of our favorite Italian American dishes. What could possibly beat plump shrimp spiked with garlic and lemon over pasta? How about all of that tossed in a Parmesan cream sauce. This Cheesecake Factory staple is a seafood lover’s dream!

Get the Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi recipe.

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7

Roasted Shrimp co*cktail With Lemon-Horseradish Aioli

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This twist on a dinner party classic embraces the signature flavors of shrimp co*cktail and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Typically, shrimp co*cktail brings to mind a large platter of chilled shrimp and a sweet, tangy sauce.

Get the Roasted Shrimp co*cktail With Lemon-Horseradish Aioli recipe.

8

Tuscan Butter Scallops

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We switched up our creamy Tuscan chicken—one of our most popular chicken dinners—by swapping out the chicken for buttery, delicate scallops and keeping the well-loved iconic flavors.

Get the Tuscan Butter Scallops recipe.

9

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Salmon & Orzo

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When you’re in the mood for a one-pan dinner that delivers on the comfort food factor, this recipe with creamy orzo and sun-dried tomatoes is the one to turn to. The sauce is especially delicious thanks to one of our favorite ingredients: sun-dried tomatoes.

Get the .

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10

Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels

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Tender, stuffed mushrooms, packed to the gills with flavorful bread crumbs, are a staple hors d'oeuvres. But these mussels will make you rethink if mushrooms are the only things that should be stuffed. Feeling like you want to add some spice? Toss some diced jalapeños in there!

Get the Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels recipe.

11

Lobster Ravioli

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For this version of lobster ravioli, we used wonton wrappers instead of pasta dough. If you want actual pasta-encased lobster ravioli, then our pasta dough is great; otherwise, we promise you’re going to make these over and over again.

Get the Lobster Ravioli recipe.

12

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

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Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of those dishes that wow guests but secretly are so easy to make (only 5 ingredients!). For best results, use big sea scallops and thin-cut, conventional bacon, but feel free to swap out the herbs for whatever you like.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Scallops recipe.

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13

Pasta Puttanesca

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The super-fragrant sauce is made with a lot of garlic and anchovies that will have you begging for seconds. It's definitely a break from the classic spaghetti and meatballs, especially with the capers and olives adding a briny saltiness to this classic dish. Serve it with the best garlic bread ever and call it a day.

Get the Pasta Puttanesca recipe.

14

Fish Pie

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America does have a couple of staple savory pies (chicken pot pie and shepherd's pie to name a few). And though their food can sometimes get an unjustly bad rap, the Brits really know how to make a flaky, comforting fish pie filled with all your favorite veg and protein.

Get the Fish Pie recipe.

15

Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Linguine

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Creamy, smoky, and spicy, this comforting shrimp pasta is low effort, high reward. Thanks to store-bought roasted peppers, very little active cooking time is required. Though you totally could roast your own peppers, we actually preferred the jarred version rather than homemade roasted peppers while testing this recipe!

Get the Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Linguine recipe.

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16

Bagna Cauda

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Looking for a fancy last-minute appetizer? Look no further than bagna cauda, an Italian dip that comes together in just 20 minutes with only 6 ingredients (including what you pair it with for dipping). It’s a buttery sauce made from lots of garlic and anchovies (stick with us), that somehow work together to create a dip that’s a little pungent, a little sweet, and will keep you coming back for more.

Get the Bagna Cauda recipe.

17

Easy Baked Salmon

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This baked salmon is the best way to feed a crowd. There's no skillet cooking at all—everything is oven-baked in foil, making prep and cleanup a breeze. We believe it might just be the best baked salmon recipe...ever, and it goes super well with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

Get the Baked Salmon recipe.

18

Salmon & Potato Skillet

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We love a hands-off dinner, and this salmon and potato skillet is just that. In just 45 minutes, you’ll have an easy, delicious, and filling meal that can be customized every time you make it.

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19

Grilled Oysters

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Grilling not only makes oysters easier to shuck and serve—the heat loosens the shell, meaning you just need to gently pop off the lid—it also heightens their briny flavor and imparts a subtly smoky char.

Get the Grilled Oysters recipe.

20

Shrimp Scampi

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Shrimp scampi is an Italian-American dish that is usually made using plump, pink shrimp served over a heaping bowl of pasta. We added buttery bread crumbs to this dish and think it would go killer over some zoodles.

Get the Classic Shrimp Scampi recipe.

55 Seafood Recipes For Your Feast Of The Seven Fishes Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What are the traditional dishes for the feast of the seven fishes? ›

Typical feast
  • Baccalà with pasta, as a salad, or fried.
  • Baked cod.
  • Clams casino.
  • Cod fish balls in tomato sauce.
  • Dolphinfish.
  • Deep fried calamari.
  • Deep fried cod.
  • Deep fried fish/shrimp.

What do Italians eat on Christmas Eve? ›

Consequently, Italians typically indulge in a fish feast on Christmas Eve as an alternative. The main course is usually a variety of seafood dishes, including shrimp, squid or octopus in tomato sauce, stuffed calamari, clams cooked with white wine and garlic, or baked fish. Pasta is also a popular choice.

Is the 7 fishes dinner Catholic? ›

The number seven stems from the biblical importance of the number and its lucky connotation. While many of these symbols are taken from Catholicism and Italian tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is virtually unheard of in Italy and instead is considered an Italian-American tradition.

What is the meaning behind the seven fishes? ›

What is the significance of the Feast of the Seven Fishes? There's no real consensus on what the seven fishes signify—some people claim the number seven symbolizes the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church while others say it's meant to represent the seven days of the week or the seven hills of Rome.

What are the 7 types of seafood? ›

Food Network Kitchen's 7 Fishes Fra Diavolo Pasta, as seen on Food Network. This pasta involves seven fish: clams, mussels, halibut, shrimp, anchovy, calamari and scallops.

What are the rules for the feast of seven fishes? ›

The feast is typically made up of at least seven dishes, each containing its own type of fish, separated into various courses. There are no strict rules, and no specific fish are required. Every family takes deep pride in their own unique way of orchestrating the feast.

What is not eaten on Christmas Eve in Italy? ›

La Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve) Foods

Catholic tradition prohibits the consumption of meat on the evenings before religious holidays. Most Italians, therefore, eat a fishy feast on Christmas Eve.

What do Catholics eat on Christmas Eve? ›

Over time, fasting evolved into abstaining from meat. And so, Catholics from much of Europe celebrate their big holiday family meal on Christmas Eve, highlighting fish. Although the Church dropped the meatless rule in 1966, fish still holds pride of place on the evening of Dec. 24 for many families.

Why can Catholics eat fish but not chicken? ›

This includes the meat from chickens, sheep, pigs, cows and other forms of livestock — any animal, really, that makes its home on land. This also includes birds. However, because fish make their home in the water, the Catholic Church does not consider fish a meat.

What religion are the seven fishes? ›

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, or “Festa dei Sette Pesci”, is a Christmas Eve tradition in many Italian households. Most popular in Southern Italy and in Italian-American homes, this Christmas Eve feast stems from Catholics abstaining from meat in commemoration of waiting for the birth of baby Jesus.

What day of the week do Catholics eat fish? ›

Fish and other designated seafood are traditionally eaten by Catholics on Fridays due to the prohibition on eating meat on that day.

What do Italians eat at Christmas? ›

In Southern and Central Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

Is Christmas Eve a feast day for Catholics? ›

But yes, Catholics of all rites not only celebrate the Nativity, but it is the second highest feast day, only to the Paschal Triduum (in English known as 'Easter').

What foods were served at a feast? ›

Typically, such a menu comprised of several courses:
  • Starter: Some kind of pottage.
  • 2nd course: An array of medieval meat and fish dishes such as venison, wild boar, salmon and pike.
  • Main course: Exotic presentations of unusual birds such as swans and peaco*cks.
  • Dessert: Savory and sweet tarts and pastries.

What is a traditional Christmas Eve seafood dish in many southern European cultures? ›

Traditionally, baccalà, or dried salted cod, is the most common Christmas Eve dish for southern Italians. You must soak the fish for a day or two to get rid of the salt, which is used as a preservative.

What are some of the special dishes connected to all Saints Day and what do they represent? ›

The hearty fiambre salad is probably the largest you'll ever have—it can include up to 50 ingredients! The giant salad's origins begin with All Saints' Day. To honor their departed loved ones, family members would bring different foods to their family graves.

Why do Italians eat smelts? ›

My guess is that smelts came to the table for two reasons: they resembled sardines which Italians knew well; and, more important, smelts were cheap. Dust smelts up with a bit of flour or dredge them in bread crumbs or flour, fry them, drizzle them with a touch of lemon and they are the perfect finger food.

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