Our Favorite Fish Recipes of All Time

Not only does a whole grilled fish look impressive served tableside—it simply tastes better. Cooked on the skin and bone, this branzino yields tender, juicy meat that gets even better swiped through garlicky chermoula, a potent Moroccan herb sauce.

Recipe: Grilled Whole Branzino with Chermoula

Contributing Seafood Editor Barton Seaver describes this Puerto Rican hangover-quelling classic as a “cross between Spanish paella and New Orleans jambalaya.” In its home country, protein variations include everything from pigeon peas to roasted pork butt, but we prefer Seaver’s seafood-heavy iteration laden with shrimp and snapper.

Recipe: Puerto Rican Asopao

The only thing better than gently seared, high-quality tuna? Swaths of said tuna cradled in a corn tortilla and piled high with pickled pineapple, Fresno chiles, and a tangle of seaweed salad.

Recipe: Hawaiian Tuna Tacos

At Underbelly, Houston chef Chris Shepherd explores a bricolage of ingredients and cuisines in order to “tell the story” of the Texas metropolis’ diverse ethnic makeup—a range that has made the city one of the most exciting food destinations in the country. One such entry is this vibrant Vietnamese standout featuring dill and yogurt-marinated red snapper nestled over nuoc mam-clad rice noodles.

Recipe: Cha Ca Style Snapper

Rule the hors d’oeuvre table with this easy-to-make gravlax you can dress up with caviar, pumpernickel rounds, and homemade citrus crème fraiche.

Recipe: Lemon-Dill Gravlax with Citrus Crème Fraiche

Now a staple at his Bermuda restaurant Marcus’, these croquettes from celeb chef Marcus Samuelsson (Red Rooster, Streetbird) reimagine fish stew—chorizo, snapper, and fork-tender russet potatoes—in handheld form.

Recipe: Fish Chowder Croquettes with Rum Aïoli

A typical home cooks’ weeknight repertoire might cycle between roast chicken, spaghetti, and some kind of all-in-one sheet-pan meal. But my favorite fallback is this simple, herb-spangled salmon served with a tangy cornichon-caper aioli. Reserve any leftovers for a salad or flake onto ribbons of pappardelle slicked with our pesto cream sauce.

Recipe: Whole Salmon Fillet with Cornichon-Caper Sauce

Our March 2016 issue featured a number of mouthwatering ceviche recipes (spicy tuna; salmon with coconut and basil), but my favorite was this showcase for all things Gulf Coast: flounder, sweet Vidalia onions, fresh corn, heirloom tomatoes, and halved pickled okra pods for garnish.

Recipe: Gulf Coast Crab-and-Flounder Ceviche

Fried or grilled isn’t the only question when it comes to Baja’s most famous culinary contribution. If fried, what kind of batter? Corn or flour tortillas? And we haven’t even gotten to the accouterments. San Diego chef Javier Plascencia (formerly of Bracero Cocina de Raiz), definitively answers those questions (and more!) with his stellar take, which partners crackly tempura battered sea bass, tomatillo pico, homemade masa tortillas, and a swipe of lime-tinted kewpie mayo.

Recipe: Baja Fish Tacos

There’s a better way to bagel. Don’t believe us? Fold smoked salmon into rice paper along with ripe slices of avocado, crunchy Bibb lettuce, Thai basil, crème fraiche, and a generous sprinkling of everything bagel seasoning, and sample our answer to boring summer finger foods. Your picnic basket will thank you.

Recipe: Everything Smoked-Salmon Summer Rolls