Seafood Entrées for $5 or Less!

With some savvy shopping, you can make a delicious seafood meal for four for less than $5 per serving!

Shrimp and Brie Linguine: $4 per serving 

Photo: Howard L. Puckett

Budget Tips: Buy medium or small shrimp. They make take longer to peel and devein, but there's more quantity per pound. Another tip: halve large shrimp lengthwise (three can look skimpy on the plate, but six...). Warehouse clubs have fantastic prices on sun-dried tomatoes and cheese—two items than can bust your budget if you don't shop carefully.

Ingredients
8 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed, if desired
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, coarsely chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. uncooked linguine
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Cube Brie and combine with next 7 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and let stand about 1 hour.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is al dente, add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes or until shrimp is done.

Drain pasta and shrimp, and immediately toss with Brie mixture. Serve immediately with fresh Parmesan.

Related: 15 Ingredients, 5 Easy Vacation Meals

Smoked Salmon Frittata: $4 per serving 

Photo: Howard L. Puckett

Budget Tip: Find ways to use smokes salmon—in quiches, tarts, eggs, etc. Its dense, rich taste means you don't need a lot of other ingredients to flavor the dish.

Ingredients
Whisk together 2 Tbsp. chives, eggs, sour cream, and mustard in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add egg mixture. As egg mixture starts to cook, gently lift edges with a spatula and tilt pan so uncooked portion flows underneath. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until uncooked egg mixture no longer flows underneath cooked mixture. Remove form heat. Sprinkle with salmon, cream cheese, and onion.

Broil frittata, 3 inches from heat, 3 minutes or until set and cream cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining chives. Cut into wedges, and serve immediately.

Related: 20 Super Salmon Recipes

Pasta with Clam Sauce: $2.20 per serving 

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Budget Tip: Pasta is great for the grocery budget—it's filling and inexpensive. Canned clams are always available, and even sometimes on sale. If you're in the mood to splurge, try this recipe with a pound of fresh peeled shrimp sautéed in 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

Ingredients
2 (10-oz.) cans whole clams in juice, undrained
12 oz. uncooked linguine
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Garnish: fresh basil leaves

Preparation
Drain clams, and reserve juice. Cook reserved clam juice in a small skillet over medium heat 15 minutes or until reduced by half; set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic, and cook until golden. Add reduced clam juice and parsley; cook 2 minutes or until parsley is tender. Stir in clams, wine, and basil, and cook 5 minutes or until wine has reduced by half. Add pasta and black pepper, tossing well to coat. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

Related: 26 Must-Try Shrimp Recipes

Grilled Halibut with Lemon-Mint Gremolata: $5 per serving 

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Budget Tip: There aren't a lot of fussy ingredients here, so start with the best piece of fish you can find. Try any firm white fish—thin fillets will fall apart on the grill. Pacific halibut is more plentiful, so you may see better prices in the market. Frozen fillets are an even better deal, but purchase from a retailer that has a high turnover so you don't get fish that's past its chilly prime.

Ingredients
4 (6-oz.) halibut fillets
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-Mint Gremolata
Lemon Wedges

Lemon-Mint Gremolata
Combine 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, 2 tsp. grated lemon rind, and 1 tsp. finely minced garlic in a small bowl; stir well.

Preparation
Brush fillets with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place fillets on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.

Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Place fillets on individual serving plates; sprinkle evenly with Lemon-Mint Gremolata, and serve with lemon wedges.

Related: Low-Fat, High-Flavor Seafood

Mussels with Red Pepper and Chorizo: $4.25 per serving 

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Budget Tip: Mussels are among the best seafood deals out there. Look for sustainably farmed mussels—they are clean and meaty. If you can't find chorizo, try smoked kielbasa sausage.


Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 (3 1/2-oz.) cured chorizo sausage, casing removed, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin, short strips
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
2 lbs. fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, and sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, paprika, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Increase heat to medium-high, and add mussels. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any that do not open. Stir in cilantro. Spoon mussels, sauce, and vegetables into 4 shallow serving bowls. Serve immediately with lime wedges.