Cooking seafood at home is the perfect way to explore delicious new flavors while feeding your family nutritious protein. If you’re curious about classic Southern dishes featuring seafood staples like shrimp, crab, and red snapper, here’s a list of meal ideas guaranteed to please any crowd. 

5 Southern Seafood Dishes You’ll Love

1. Shrimp & Grits

For a quick yet delicious meal, whip up some shrimp and grits. This meal is the ultimate comfort food for cold nights or when you need to serve a large party but have minimal prep time. Grill your fresh shrimp in bacon fat, and cook your grits in chicken broth, milk, and butter. Serve the grilled shrimp in a butter sauce over the grits and garnish with green onions. For added richness, you can also grate some of your favorite cheese over the dish.
 

2. Crab Cakes

In the South, crab cakes are a fundamental brunch treat. Elevate your eggs Benedict by substituting the English muffin and Canadian bacon with homemade crab cakes. For an added Southern flare, use cornbread crumbs, hot sauce, and Old Bay® seasoning in your recipe. Better still, you can broil your crab cakes in the oven as your family rises for the day.

3. Pan-Seared Grouper

Grouper is a lean fish that’s celebrated for its mild flavor and firm, flakey texture after it’s cooked. By pan-searing this fish in a brown butter sauce, you’ll also create a crisp crust that enhances the natural appeal of this protein. Complete this Southern spread by serving your grouper with roasted vegetables and biscuits. 

4. Parchment-Baked Red Snapper

If you need to prepare a healthy weeknight dinner for your family with limited time to spare, baking a red snapper and vegetables in parchment paper is an excellent solution. All you need to do is rest the fish and veggies inside an easy-to-make parchment pouch, lightly drizzle olive oil over everything, then season to taste. Using a parchment pouch keeps your fish and vegetables moist, so they can soak in the seasoning before going into the oven. As a result, you can serve a restaurant-caliber dish after only 35 minutes of preparation. 

5. Boiled Crawfish

Boiled crawfish provide a fun way to host and entertain many guests while serving a hearty, delicious seafood dish. Boiling crawfish with corn on the cob, potatoes, and a mix of vegetables creates a succulent feast that feels festive and uniquely Southern. Be sure to add plenty of hot sauce, garlic, salt, onions, cayenne pepper, and lemon to your boil for richness and a kick of flavor. 

Located in Bon Secour, AL, Billy's Seafood has maintained its reputation for having the freshest seafood in Alabama, since opening in 1975. With the mantra, “If it swims, we got it,” you can trust this fish and seafood market to provide a variety of options, from shrimp and crab to crawfish. To learn about their current offerings, call today at (251) 949-6288. For more information on this year-round seafood purveyor and their commitment to providing loyal customers with the best of the ocean, visit their website.