Healthy and easy seafood recipes

Try these easy seafood recipes for a healthy fish dinner. These tuna dinner ideas make a family friendly meal that won’t break the budget.

I always have a can of tuna in the cupboard, and I’ve been making a dish for the family that we call Fish Dish, for years.  My mother made it, so I expect it dates from the 60s.  It’s a tuna mornay with eggs and a packet of chicken noodle continental soup for a flavour hit.

My kids, who are both grown up, love it and I make it as a family friendly family meal when they come home.  Sometimes I tweak it, but the consensus is, “Don’t mess with the Fish Dish”.

Not only is it a convenient cupboard staple, but it makes an inexpensive but protein-packed fish dinner. For around $4 for a big can, you get an excellent source of lean protein, vitamins and minerals. It’s also naturally low in saturated fat. Rich in Omega 3, tuna and salmon products are made using fresh fish, with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

Thankfully, tuna is sustainably fished. Safcol tells me that they are the pioneer of sustainable fishing in Australia and control its catch from ship to shelf. It consults with Greenpeace and is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and Earth Island Institute.

In partnership with dietician Ashleigh Feltham, Safcol has developed these healthy seafood recipes which are easily prepared in under 35 minutes.

I’d also call them comfort food and you might find one of these healthy seafood recipes become a family favourite.

Salmon pesto ricotta lasagne. Photo: Safcol

Tuna Broccoli Spinach Mornay is a family friendly meal. Photo: Safcol

TUNA BROCCOLI SPINACH MORNAY – it’s an easy seafood recipe!

Printable recipe card at the end

Ready in: 60 mins / Prep Time: 25 Minutes / Cook Time: 35 Minutes

An old-school family favourite, tuna mornay holds a special place in most Aussie hearts and this tuna broccoli spinach mornay is the perfect all-in-one meal! This healthy seafood recipe is loaded with vitamin C, rich in antioxidants and omega 3, making it an affordable meal that ticks all the boxes.

This tuna dinner idea is similar to my Fish Dish except there is no spinach or broccoli (that would cause a riot). The chicken noodle soup is pre-made with a reduced amount of water and added to the mix for flavour at the same time you would add the spinach.  My recipe also includes four boiled eggs, sliced and added at the end. I also serve mine with rice on the plate, so you would leave out the pasta as well.

I’ll try adding a bit more green next time but I think I could get the sack as chief Fish Dish cook!

Ingredients

• 1 x 425g can Safcol Tuna in Springwater, drained
• 300g spiral pasta
• 1 medium head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 100g washed baby spinach leaves
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 50g butter
• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1¼ cup grated tasty cheese
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. In a large pan, cook the pasta for one minute less than the instructions on the pack for al dente, so it’s just a little undercooked, then drain.
3. In a deep frying or sauté pan, on medium heat, cook the onion in butter, stirring occasionally until soft and just changing colour. Sprinkle the flour and stir into the onion & butter, cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in the milk, stirring all the time until smooth and well combined. Bring to a fast simmer, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir the spinach into the sauce, until it’s just wilted. Remove from the heat.
4. In the pasta cooking pan, fold in the tuna, broccoli florets, sauce, spinach and 1 cup of the grated cheese. Season with plenty of black pepper.
5. Pile the mixture into a large ovenproof dish, then top with the remaining cheese and scatter with breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve hot.

Try seafood for dinner. Photo by Kate on Unsplash

TUNA ROAST ASPARAGUS KALE TAHINI SALAD – this is a healthy tuna dinner idea!

Ready in: 15 minutes / Prep Time: 5 Minutes / Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Try this tuna dinner idea that uses fresh tuna roast in an asparagus kale tahini salad – a healthy tuna dinner idea or light lunch. You just can’t go past warm spring greens, nuts, seeds, tasty tuna, zesty lemon and tahini dressing. It’s the perfect low carb meal and an easy seafood recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut in short lengths
• 8 kale leaves, stems removed and chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 x Tuna Pouch with Oil Blend 74g
• ½ cup pepitas
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon of very finely shredded lemon peel

For the dressing

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the tahini, crushed garlic, 2/3rds of the lemon juice, and enough water to make a thick dressing. Season to taste.
2. On a high heat in a large frying pan add the coconut oil. Wait until hot, then add the asparagus and the kale. Cook until the asparagus is bright green and slightly charred and the kale is just slightly wilted. Remove from the heat, drizzle with the remaining lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving dish.
3. Layer up tuna and pepitas on the warm greens. Top with sprinkled toasted sesame seeds and finely shredded lemon zest.
4. Drizzle with the lemon and tahini dressing and serve warm.

Make healthy seafood recipes with tuna. Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

SALMON PESTO RICOTTA LASAGNE – you’ll love this fish dish for dinner!

Ready in: 60 minutes / Prep Time: 15 Minutes / Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Does creamy ricotta, tasty salmon, pasta and fresh spinach sound like a healthy seafood recipe?

If so, this salmon pesto ricotta lasagne will really hit the spot. It’s got all those great flavours and the extra taste hit of basil pesto.

This fish dish for dinner is hot and perfect for a warming meal anytime.

Ingredients

• 2 x 200g cans Safcol Salmon in Springwater, drained
• 8-10 lasagne pasta sheets
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1kg ricotta cheese
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup basil and parmesan pesto
• ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup finely grated cheese
• 300g baby spinach leaves, washed

To serve (optional)

• 2 tablespoons baby basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C
2. In a large heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over the baby spinach. Leave the water on the spinach for about 1 minute or just long enough to wilt it. Drain it and pour cold water over it to refresh. Allow it to sit in a sieve to drain further while you put the lasagne together.
3. In a medium bowl add the ricotta (with a two of tablespoons of the liquid in the pack) and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly and season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In a deep pie dish or roasting pan approximately 5cm x 20cm x 30cm, add the olive oil and line the base of the pan with uncooked lasagne sheets (break them as required to fit roughly)
5. Top with half the flavoured ricotta, and another layer of pasta.
6. Squeeze any remaining moisture from the wilted spinach.
7. Sprinkle the lasagne layer with one can of flaked drained salmon and one can of flaked salmon and its liquid. Spoon the pesto evenly over the salmon and top with an even layer of spinach leaves (you need to untangle the spinach to do this, but it’s very easy to do).
8. Finish with a final layer of lasagne sheets, trying to keep this layer as neat as possible.
9. Use a spatula to spread the seasoned ricotta over the final pasta layer and sprinkle generously with the grated cheese.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the cheese topping is golden brown. Serve hot, sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and basil leaves if using them.

More healthy seafood recipes

• Try this simple dressing for oysters
• Simple salmon dinner
• Matt Sinclair’s Fraser Isle Spanner Crab Fried Rice
• more seafood recipes from Safcol