There are a lot of people who choose to follow vegan, vegetarian or pescetarian diets these days. But even though there are plenty of reasons to eat more seafood, we know it can be hard to adjust your cooking habits—especially when it comes to grilling.
Luckily, there’s no need to forgo your favorite barbecue meals. In fact, cooking seafood on the grill is comparable to grilling meat. With a few simple swaps, you can continue to enjoy burgers, kebabs and other barbecue dishes, as evidenced by these five delicious recipes.
Before you start cooking, we recommend you check out our seafood grilling guide—especially if this is your first time throwing fish on the grill.
Tilapia Fish Burger
For a lighter take on the traditional burger, use fish patties instead of meat. This recipe combines healthy ingredients like Tilapia, egg and garlic with a mix of delicious spices and herbs, including paprika, basil and onion powder. Serve on a toasted bun and garnish with sliced avocado or juicy peach mango salsa.
Try the recipe: Tilapia Fish Burger from Slender Kitchen.
Spiced Crab Tacos
Zesty crab tacos are a fresh take on a classic Latin dish. This colorful recipe features ingredients like chopped mint, cilantro, lime juice, bell peppers, tomatoes and radishes. The addition of grilled jalapenos and Sriracha adds an extra kick that’s sure to please the spicy-food lovers in your life. Not a fan of crab? Make this recipe with Tilapia instead.
Try the recipe: Spiced Crab Tacos from Food & Wine.
Grilled Garlic Cajun Shrimp Skewers
These shrimp skewers—made with a butter, lemon juice, garlic and cajun spice marinade—take under 30 minutes to prep and grill. They pair well with satiating side dishes like rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes or baked zucchini fries.
Pro tip: Remember to save any leftover marinade you might have—it will complement most seafood dishes.
Try the recipe: Grilled Garlic Cajun Shrimp Skewers from Natasha’s Kitchen.
Grilled Scallops with Avocado and Corn Salsa
If you want a fun-yet-sophisticated dish to serve at your end-of-summer party, give these grilled scallops a try. The honey-lime vinaigrette and delectable fresh salsa (made with grilled corn, avocado, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime) is guaranteed to impress your guests—they’ll love its variety of color and texture.
Try the recipe: Grilled Scallops with Avocado and Corn Salsa from No Spoon Necessary.
Herb-Marinated Tilapia Kebabs
When you think of kebabs, meat and veggies probably come to mind. But these parsley-seasoned Tilapia skewers will make you think twice about your go-to ingredients. Tilapia’s firm texture means it’s suitable for grilling—plus it’s mild flavor pairs well with other kebab essentials like grape tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
Try the recipe: Herb-Marinated Tilapia Kebabs from Rachael Ray Every Day.
Choosing to follow a pescetarian diet doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite cooking technique—Tilapia and other seafoods can be thrown on the barbecue, too. And with plenty of tasty condiments and side dishes (think salsa, salad, avocado, relish and melted butter) on hand, it’s easy to replace your standard grilled meats with fresh and flavorful seafood alternatives.
Want to toss more ingredients on the grill? Check out our favorite grilled side dishes to serve with fish.
Photo Credits: Zapylaiev Kostiantyn / Shutterstock Inc., Slender Kitchen, Food & Wine, alisafarov / Shutterstock Inc., No Spoon Necessary, Anastasia_Panait / Shutterstock Inc.