The 27 Absolute Best Grilled Fish And Shellfish Recipes Slideshow

When planning a backyard barbecue, most people's minds probably go immediately to burgers, hotdogs, and ribs. Fish and shellfish, on the other hand, are woefully overlooked when it comes to their turn on the grill. Many types of seafood actually lend themselves really well to grilling; from grilling a whole fish to skewering shrimp and even using the grill for a clambake, we have gathered our top recipes here. Even if you are a fussy fish eater, peruse these recipes for grilled clams, oysters, salmon, lobster, and so much more, and surely you will find one to enjoy this summer.

Grilling is also a simple way to impart flavor onto regular fillets of fish, which can then be transformed into a healthy and tasty summer dinner. Grilled salmon, for instance, transforms a green salad into a protein-packed meal. Shred your grilled tilapia and use it to fill some spicy tacos, or serve grilled fish skewers alongside your favorite side dishes for a quick and easy summer lunch.

Rockfish is a firm, mild-flavored fish whose high oil content makes it perfectly suited to marinating. Pomegranate molasses and tamari make this marinade totally delicious.

For the Asian Pomegranate Grilled Alaskan Rockfish recipe, click here.

Why limit yourself to one kind of grilled seafood when you can have a plethora! Replicate a New England clambake using your grill for both direct and indirect heat.

For the Backyard Clambake on Your Grill recipe, click here.

Squid doesn't have to always be turned into deep-fried calamari. Put some whole squid on the grill this summer to add a smoky, charred taste to the delicate-flavored fish. You can tell when it's cooked when the flesh has turned from opaque to white.

For the Chargrilled Whole Squid With Chile and Mint recipe, click here.

Zhoug is a fiery-hot cilantro relish that pairs well with any seafood. This recipe uses zhoug along with couscous and grilled calamari to make a dish that is a perfect dinner on a hot summer's night.

For the Couscous Stew With Grilled Calamari and Zhoug recipe, click here.

Take your rinsed and scrubbed clams, place them on a hot grill in a single layer, cover them, and let them cook for five to 10 minutes. Make sure you discard any clams that don't open to avoid making yourself sick.

For the Grilled Clams With Charred Jalapeño Butter recipe, click here.

Cooking crab legs on the grill is really incredibly simple. You can even use frozen crab legs; just make sure they've thawed fully before you start cooking them. Place them on the grill shell-side down and let them cook for five minutes before flipping them over and charring the flesh for a few seconds.

For the Grilled Crab Legs With Garlic Butter recipe, click here.

Marinade a simple white fish, such as tilapia, in spices and lime juice, before grilling for about five minutes. Once cooked through, let cool slightly, break into smaller pieces, and use to fill your tacos.

For the Grilled Fish Tacos With Lime Cabbage Slaw recipe, click here.

Skewering shrimp makes them super easy to grill — no more fiddling about trying to turn each one individually. These kebabs with have lemon wedges squeezed on each end, adding flavor and providing a lovely piece of grilled citrus to squeeze over the cooked shrimp.

For the Grilled Lemon Pepper Shrimp Kabobs recipe, click here.

Lobster tails may sound like an extravagant dinner, but they are actually an incredibly simple, flavorful meal. Cut into the center of the tails so that you can stuff them with garlic, salt, butter, and citrus, and grill them for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, and closing the lid of the grill for the final few minutes.

For the Grilled Lobster Tails recipe, click here.

Place the mussels directly on the grill (making sure you've thrown away any that are already open), and cook for five minutes with the grill lid closed. When you open the lid, they should all have popped open (throw away any that haven't) and will be ready to be tossed in butter and served with crunchy bread and cold white wine.

For the Grilled Mussels With Garlic, Butter, and Lemon recipe, click here.

Cooking octopus at home may sound like a daunting task, but doing it on the grill makes it so much easier. Sear and boil it ahead of time, and when you're ready to grill, rub the tentacles with olive oil, and cook for around three minutes, turning once, until lightly charred.

For the Grilled Octopus With Lemon and Olive Oil recipe, click here.

Oysters don't always have to be eaten raw. Cook whole oysters on a hot grill until they pop open. Drizzle with brown butter to add a hint of rich nuttiness to the grilled shellfish.

For the Grilled Oysters With Rosemary Brown Butter recipe, click here.

Grill your fish the Mexican way: Marinade in chiles, garlic, and tomatoes, before cooking in a grill basket, flipping halfway through for a hot, spicy, crisp-skinned fish dish.

For the Grilled Red Snapper Zarandeado recipe, click here.

Rub salmon filets with olive oil and spices, and cook on a hot grill until done to your liking. Place on top of a crisp lettuce and avocado salad, and dress in a spicy, citrusy dressing.

For the Grilled Salmon and Avocado Salad recipe, click here.

This simple grilled salmon takes only 10 minutes to cook and is paired with a tasty Mediterranean relish than can easily be made the night before.

For the Grilled Salmon with Mediterranean Salsa recipes, click here.

Grill sea bass filets skin side down to get a crispy skin, before flipping over, topping with pistachio butter, and grilling for five minutes more until cooked through. This decadent fish dish is much simpler to perfect than you would imagine.

For the Grilled Sea Bass With Pistachio Crust recipe, click here.

There are multiple ways of cooking shrimp on the grill, but this is undoubtedly our favorite. Lightly marinade the shelled shrimp and grill for just a few minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Then toss the shrimp in your favorite dressing or sauce.

For the Grilled Shrimp With Miso Butter recipe, click here.

Soft-shell crab makes for another deceptively simple grilled seafood dish. Marinade them overnight, and grill for just three minutes on each side. They're obviously best when served with a grilled asparagus salad.

For the Grilled Soft Shell Crabs With Asparagus Salad recipe, click here.

Swap the beef for tuna for a lighter, heathier, but equally delicious burger. Make sure you cook the patties on a grill pan on top of the grill to stop anything falling into the flames.

For the Grilled Tuna Burgers With Wasabi Slaw recipe, click here.

One whole cleaned and scaled sea bass makes a decadent dinner party dish. It's simple to prepare, and looks impressive when served up at your dinner table.

For the Grilled Whole Fish With Kokkari Dressing recipe, click here.

Stuff your mackerel with lemon and oregano, tie together with kitchen string, and grill slowly and gently, turning carefully so the skin doesn't stick to the grates. Top with a lemon-oregano-olive dressing for an easy, elegant, and nutritious meal.

For the Grilled Whole Mackerel With Lemon, Oregano, and Olives recipe, click here.

These skewers make for a flexible recipe that can use any of your favorite firm white fish. Marinade the fish of your choice for 30 minutes before cooking for the most flavorful, moist grilled skewers.

For the Marinated Grilled Fish Skewers recipe, click here.

Barramindu is a white flaky fish that is native to Australia. The word barramundi comes from an Aboriginal language and means "large scaled silver fish." This recipe uses garlic, lemon, basil, and pomegranate seeds to season the versatile fish.

For the Plancha-Grilled Barramundi With Charred Cauliflower recipe, click here.

When cooking something a lovely as langoustine, it's great to keep things simple. Olive oil, parsley, and black pepper are all you need to dress this delicious shellfish, along with some fresh lemon wedges for a garnish.

For the Roasted Langoustines recipe, click here.

Salt your salmon an hour before you plan to grill it to allow the salt to penetrate the fish, rather than merely seasoning the surface. For such a simple recipe, it is important to buy the highest quality salmon you possibly can.

For the Sake Shioyaki (Salt-Grilled Salmon) recipe, click here.

Create a shiny, sticky glaze on your salmon fillets by marinating them in a sauce made of sugar, whiskey, teriyaki sauce, ginger, and garlic, before briefly cooking them on the grill.

For the Whiskey Ginger Grilled Salmon recipe, click here.

Tuna steaks are perfect for grilling, as they keep their shape and can be done exactly to your liking, whether that's well-done or rare. Top with a refreshing tomato salsa to make the most of our favorite summer vegetable.

For the Zesty Grilled Tuna With Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe, click here.