15 Fancy Seafood Dishes for Special Occasions

Nothing says celebration like luxe seafood to pair with bubbly.

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on November 20, 2023

Lobster Thermidor — Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Fresh, pristine seafood like oysters, buttery salmon, and sweet, plump scallops can elevate any special occasion menu. Here's an array of extra-elegant, Champagne-worthy seafood recipes with which to celebrate, from shared starters like layers of caviar dip and a vibrant raw tuna appetizer, to centerpiece-worthy Salmon Wellington and Lobster Thermidor. Here are some of our most fancy seafood dishes for gatherings.

01 of 15

Barbecued Oysters with Smoky Uni Butter

platter of bbq oysters with uni butter — Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Max Rappaport

Briny uni and acidic lemon, mixed with smoky paprika and rich butter, combine to make an extraordinarily flavored butter to top oysters before roasting.

02 of 15

Four-Layer Caviar Dip

Four Layer Caviar Dip Recipe — Justin Walker

Layers of creamy egg salad, crisp red onion, herbed cream cheese, and salty, briney caviar come together in a beautiful molded dip that serves up an entire caviar platter in one dish.

03 of 15

Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail

Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail — Aubrie Pick

Serve this irresistible shrimp cocktail around the rim of a coupe glass with a quick garlic aioli and super spicy fish sauce–based dipping sauce.

04 of 15

Gougères with Smoked Salmon, Caviar and Prosciutto

Smoked Salmon and Caviar Gougeres — Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman

Gougères are one of those snacks that deliver a lot flavor and are easy to make. Topped with smoked salmon and sevruga caviar, they're perfect for a cocktail party and can be ready in an hour.

05 of 15

Neoclassic Seafood Salad

Neoclassical Seafood Salad — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Alfred Portale's recipe for this famous stacked salad from Gotham Bar and Grill is simple: high-quality ingredients, good execution, and an elaborate presentation.

06 of 15

Tuna Tiradito with Ají Amarillo Leche de Tigre

Tuna Tiradito with Aji Amarillo Leche de Tigre — Greg DuPree

Raw sashimi-grade tuna is draped in a sauce of lemon juice, orange juice, chiles, and ají amarillo chiles, which give the sauce its brilliant color and are about twice as hot as jalapeños. Serve this flavorful dish with blue potato chips for a bold pop of crunch and color.

07 of 15

Spicy Tuna Sushi "Biscotti"

Spicy Tuna Sushi Biscotti — Victor Protasio

Crispy thin cakes of fried sushi rice with toppings like spicy tuna or miso-basted eggplant play well with wine pairings based on the texture of the fish and the sauce used.

08 of 15

Littleneck Clams In the Style of Escargot

Littleneck Clams in the Style of Escargot Recipe — Victor Protasio

Easy-to-find littleneck clams stand in for snails in this riff on the French classic. The quick wine-brightened garlic butter melts into the clam liquor to create an irresistible broth.

09 of 15

Lobster Thermidor

Lobster Thermidor — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Classic lobster thermidor stuffs gently cooked lobster meat back in its shell with a wine-based sauce and a touch of cheese before coming together under the broiler. The natural sweetness of lobster still shines through the rich, but not heavy, cremini mushroom and dry Sherry-laced creamy sauce.

10 of 15

Salmon Wellington

Salmon Wellington Recipe — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Barrett Washburne

Wrap salmon loin with cabbage leaves, then layer it with shrimp, nori, and puff pastry before baking it for this impressive dish that's a perfect seafood centerpiece.

11 of 15

Mussels with Harissa and Basil

Mussels with Harissa and Basil Recipe — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

A creamy, smoky red pepper puree gets swirled into these harissa-spiked steamed mussels for a striking presentation.

12 of 15

Crisp Paupiettes of Sea Bass in Barolo Sauce

Crisp Paupiettes of Sea Bass in Barolo Sauce — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Risha Carnes

Daniel Boulud's paupiette with sea bass, Idaho potatoes, leeks, and Barolo was the result of “a succession of inspiration," with the textural contrast of crisp potato and delicate fish served at Le Cirque and then restaurant Daniel. A worthy main course for any special occasion.

13 of 15

Scallop Crudo with Pecans and Ponzu Sauce

Scallop Crudo with Pecans and Ponzu Sauce — © Con Poulos

This super-simple recipe from chef Eric Ripert features thin slices of fresh, high-quality, raw sea scallops topped with the delicious combination of chopped toasted pecans, Japanese ponzu sauce, and aged balsamic vinegar.

14 of 15

Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce

Scallops with Potato Pancakes and Caviar Sauce — © John Kernick

Vinny Dotolo found inspiration for this elegant dish by thinking about New Year's Eve classics. Both Champagne and caviar flavor the butter sauce that he spoons over seared scallops set on mini potato pancakes.

15 of 15

Black Cod with Miso

Black Cod with Miso — © Chris Court

Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's iconic, buttery miso cod recipe is both easy and elegant. This streamlined recipe delivers all the luxury and flavor in a fraction of the time.

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