47 Recipes for the Feast of the Seven Fishes

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition, means lots and lots of seafood dishes. Celebrate with friends and family with these all-seafood apps and mains. And don't forget the wine. Salute!

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Skillet Sea Scallops

You’ll want to slip this recipe into the front of your last-minute guests file. Pasta and mixed greens nicely complement the tender, citrusy shellfish. —Margaret E. Lowenberg, Kingman, Arizona

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Red Clam Sauce

This red clam sauce is a delightful seafood dish that combines clams, tomatoes and garlic in a rich tomato sauce, perfect for serving over al dente linguine. It will bring a taste of the ocean right to your table.

Learn how to host a Feast of the Seven Fishes at home.

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Cod and Asparagus Bake

The lemon pulls this flavorful and healthy dish together. You can use grated Parmesan cheese instead of Romano if you'd like. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey

Need dessert after your feast? Try these Italian Christmas cookies.

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Lobster Tail

Learn how to cook lobster tail at home with this simple recipe. You don't have to visit a restaurant for a rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth experience.
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Shrimp Puttanesca

I throw together these bold ingredients for a feisty seafood pasta. —Lynda Balslev, Sausalito, California
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Calamari Salad

This is one of the seven fish dishes we serve at Christmas time. It is easy to make and quite delicious! I enjoy it served both warm and cold. Either way, it has become one of our traditional dishes each year. The recipe has been passed down to me through my grandparents, who were excellent cooks. —Paul Rinaldi, Easton, Pennsylvania
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Cioppino

Is cioppino a soup or a stew? It doesn't matter! This cioppino recipe teems with fish and shellfish swimming in an aromatic tomato broth that calls out for a hunky of crusty bread.
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Lemony Parsley Baked Cod

The trick to avoid overcooking a good piece of fish is to cook it at a high temperature for a short amount of time. Do that and the fish stays moist and tender. —Sherry Day, Pinckney, Michigan
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Mediterranean Sole

This Mediterranean sole recipe may be simple, but it’s elegant and incredibly flavorful. Steaming in parchment is an easy and healthy way to cook fish and vegetables. Any white fish will work in place of the sole. —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California
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Christmas Eve Confetti Pasta

This easy Christmas dinner has become a holiday tradition in our home. All the prep is done before we attend Christmas Eve service. On returning, I just boil water and saute. It's so colorful with a tossed salad and garlic bread — and always gets raves! — Ellen Fiore, Ridgewood, New Jersey
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Feta Tomato-Basil Fish

I rely on my husband for the main ingredient in this fuss-free dish. He fills our freezer after his summer fishing trip. —Alicia Szeszol, Lindenhurst, Illinois
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Roast Lemon Butter Shrimp

This baked shrimp is a quick and easy weeknight meal that has lots of fantastic flavor! —Anne Ormond, Dover, New Hampshire
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Lemon Shrimp with Parmesan Rice

I grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi, where rice, garlic and seafood are staples of Gulf Coast cuisine. This easy shrimp and rice dish is a longtime family favorite that's ready in minutes. —Amie Overby, Reno, Nevada
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Oyster Cheese Appetizer Log

When you say "holiday tradition" around our house, this appetizer comes to mind immediately. Every winter, I make lots of cheese logs and freeze them for when I'm expecting company or need to take food to someone's home. The blend of smoked oysters, chili powder, nuts and cream cheese tastes good-even people who don't like oysters may enjoy this interesting appetizer. —William Tracy, Jerseyville, Illinois
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Light & Lemony Scampi

A touch more lemon helped me trim the calories in our favorite shrimp scampi recipe. For those who want to indulge, pass around the Parmesan. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts
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Tuna Steak on Fettuccine

For something new to do with tuna, I suggest this tangy dish. Although I prefer the marinade on tuna or mahi mahi, it's scrumptious on any fish, grilled, baked or broiled. —Caren Stearns, Austin, Texas
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Spicy Seafood Stew

The hardest part of this quick and easy recipe is peeling and dicing the potatoes—and you can even do that the night before. Just place the potatoes in water and store them in the refrigerator overnight to speed up assembly the next day. —Bonnie Marlow, Ottoville, Ohio
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Crab-Brie Cheese Ball

This is no ordinary cheese ball! The phyllo-wrapped, baked Brie always wows the crowd at parties I host for the employees and customers of my small business. —Jody Issod, Marlborough, Massachusetts
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Shrimp Asparagus Pasta

Shrimp and asparagus pasta sounds fancy and tastes incredible—but even home cooks who shy away from seafood can easily master it.
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Fettuccine Shrimp Casserole

Our perfect pasta is a creamy shrimp fettuccine with cheddar, green chiles and cilantro. Garnish with dollops of sour cream, salsa and avocado. —Judy Armstrong, Prairieville, Louisiana
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Hearty Shrimp Risotto

Super creamy and packed with shrimp, this impressive Italian meal maker is special enough to serve company. Laced with the warm flavors of white wine, goat cheese and fresh spinach, it’s scrumptious, comforting and so fast! —Lydia Becker, Parkville, Missouri
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Tortellini & Shrimp Skewers with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

These fresh skewers and tasty sauce will have guests nibbling all night! —Cacie Biddle, Bridgeport, West Virginia
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Scallops with Wilted Spinach

Two of my favorite foods are bacon and seafood. In this dish, I get them together with white wine, shallots and baby spinach. Serve with bread to soak up the tasty broth. —Deborah Williams, Peoria, Arizona
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Crumb-Topped Clams

In my family, it wouldn't be Christmas Eve without baked clams. However, they make a special bite for any occasion and are easy to make and always a hit. —Annmarie Lucente, Monroe, New York
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Italian Shrimp ‘n’ Pasta

This dish will remind you a bit of classic shrimp Creole, but it has a surprise Italian twist. Slow cooking gives it hands-off ease—perfect for company. —Karen Edwards, Sanford, Maine
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Bacon-Wrapped Scallops with Pear Sauce

I enjoy cooking for my parents, and my bacon-wrapped scallops recipe is one of their favorites. If you prefer, replace the pear preserves with preserves or jam of a different flavor. —Ethan Hall, King, North Carolina
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Artichoke Cod with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Cod is a fabulous break from really rich dishes that take so long to prepare. I like to serve this dish over a bed of greens, pasta or quinoa. A squeeze of lemon gives it another layer of freshness. —Hiroko Miles, El Dorado Hills, California
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Lemony Shrimp & Snow Pea Pasta

This pretty pasta is a family favorite —the kids love the light lemony flavor and I love that they devour the fresh veggies. You can use other types of pasta for variety, like bow ties or corkscrews. —Jennifer Fisher, Austin, Texas
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Crab Appetizers

These crab appetizers are simple to assemble and very flavorful.
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Baked Oysters with Tasso Cream

I love nothing more than a cold beer and a shucked oyster, so when my partners and I opened Saw’s Juke Joint in Birmingham, Alabama, we wanted to add them to the menu. We love making them, we love serving them and our guests love eating them. —Taylor Hicks, Las Vegas, Nevada
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Seared Scallops with Citrus Herb Sauce

Be sure to pat the scallops with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This helps create that perfectly browned and flavorful scallop your better half will love. —April Lane, Greeneville, Tennessee
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Shrimp Asparagus Pasta

Shrimp and asparagus pasta sounds fancy and tastes incredible—but even home cooks who shy away from seafood can easily master it.
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Shrimp & Crab Casserole

This quick, easy recipe is truly delicious. The succulent, melt-in-your-mouth seafood flavors and textures make for elegant comfort food. To make ahead, just assemble, cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready. —Jan Bartley, Evergreen, North Carolina
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Classic Crab Boil

Dig in to Dungeness crab boiled in a special mix of spices. —Matthew Hass, Franklin, Wisconsin
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Seafood Lasagna

A deliciously decadent twist on the classic red-sauce staple, our seafood lasagna recipe combines shellfish and crabmeat in a delicate white sauce. Bake it in the oven for a weeknight meal, or serve as an elegant dish for company.
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Steamed Mussels with Peppers

Use the French bread to soak up the deliciously seasoned broth. If you like food zippy, add the jalapeno seeds. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Lemon Shrimp Linguine

I like recipes with elegant taste and easy technique like this lemony shrimp pasta. Bring on the Parmesan and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. —Patty Walker, West Des Moines, Iowa
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Warm Crab & Spinach Dip

In Maryland, we stayed at a hotel that sent guests home with a crab dip recipe and a spice pouch. Now I’ve made my own dip that rekindles memories of that trip. —Kristina Wenner, Jamison, Pennsylvania
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Spicy Fresh Seafood Cioppino

Using prepared pasta sauce makes this hearty and hot one-pot dinner a cinch. —Doris Mancini, Port Orchard, Washington
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Lobster alla Diavola

I’ve cooked lobster alla diavola (devil’s style) since I was first married. We serve lobster at family celebrations, usually with linguine or capellini. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida
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Shrimp Appetizer Spread

There's no secret to this creamy seafood appetizer—it's simply delicious! I originally tasted it at a friend's house, and I liked it so much that I requested the recipe. It's since become a family favorite. —Brenda Buhler, Abbotsford, British Columbia
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Baked Crab Dip

We enjoyed this exquisite dip at my grandson's wedding reception. It looks fancy but is easy to make. You can even make this crab dip recipe ahead of time by filling the bread bowl early in the day and chilling it until serving. Just remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. —Marie Shelley, Exeter, Missouri
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Pan-Seared Cod

Cod has a soft, buttery appeal that goes with cilantro, onions and crunchy pine nuts. This pan-seared cod is the easiest preparation I’ve found. —Lucy Lu Wang, Seattle, Washington
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Stuffed Salmon

Our stuffed salmon recipe is simple to make, but fancy enough to serve for special occasions The crab filling is loaded with creamy cheese, savory spices and buttery rice.
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Simple Herbed Scallops

Living in Kansas, fresh seafood can be hard to come by. Luckily, frozen scallops aren't. This dish offers coastal flavor to those of us in the Midwest. —Sarah Befort, Hays, Kansas
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Oysters Rockefeller

This old-school oysters Rockefeller recipe is decadent and dressed-up, yet easy to make at home. That just might be why it's been around for over 130 years.
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Asparagus Shrimp Linguine

My family really enjoys asparagus and shrimp. We often have this on busy weeknights because its healthy and cooks quickly. —Ehnes Wannetta, Eagle Bend, Minnesota

Up Next: Learn how to host an unforgettable Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve