November Meal Plan: Celebrate Friendsgiving with Seafood

Happy November, Seafoodies! 

We love November because it’s the official kick-off of the holiday season! That’s the only excuse we need to  start cooking. Friends and neighbors have been there during a very crazy year, so safely sharing a holiday meal with our “bubble” just feels right. Seafood is simple to prepare, but it also makes people feel special. We think it’s the perfect ingredient to show someone you are thankful for them! The November Meal Plan aims to capture this sentiment whether it’s a cozy meal with family, a casserole for the next door neighbor or celebrating the BEST made-up holiday: Friendsgiving. Whatever the size of your gathering, the Meal Plan has you covered to celebrate Friendsgiving with seafood! 

These recipes are a surefire way to show your family and friends how much they mean to you. Not only will you be serving them a cravable seafood dish, you’ll also be helping them meet the U.S. recommended dietary guidelines to eat seafood 2 to 3 times per week. Best of all, these holiday dishes require minimal hands-on attention.  

For starters, how about make-ahead munchies like Tuna Croquettes and Cranberry Basil Shrimp? 

Then take your meal up a notch with splurge-worthy dishes like tender scallops wrapped in bacon, luscious oyster casserole and a triple-seafood stuffing. And for the main event, we’re featuring entrees that showcase our seafood faves and incorporate fall flavors. Think baked stuffed whole fish and tangy roasted salmon with pomegranate. Both make for a show-stopping presentation. Or, try pumpkin ravioli with crab sauce—the epitome of comfort food! 

These festive seafood recipes will make your celebration shine and can be scaled up or down for gatherings of any size. We hope you enjoy them!

Snack

Simple Tuna Croquettes

Here’s one of our favorite “fresh from the pantry” recipes that’s a natural for Friendsgiving. A light and tangy lemon-caper sauce serves as the ideal foil for these lightly sautéed tuna patties. The croquettes can be prepped up to 3 hours before cooking!

Easy Cranberry Basil Shrimp Cocktail

Put those leftover cranberries to good use! Your guests will be sure to enjoy this refreshing take on the classic shrimp cocktail. This satisfying and flavorful hors d’ oeuvre is a low-fat, low-carb antidote to holiday indulgences. 

Appetizer

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Scallops are marvelous mollusks! In this recipe, they are wrapped with bacon, brushed with a maple-soy sauce glaze and broiled to perfection. These juicy-crisp morsels will get snapped up in a hurry if you pass them around, so we suggest plating them as an appetizer to ensure everyone gets a taste.

Side Dish

Oyster Casserole

Our taste-testers raved about this recipe! It features plump oysters baked with mushrooms, parmesan and cream and topped with buttery breadcrumbs. One bite, and we’re sure this decidedly decadent Southern classic will become a holiday tradition in your home!

Lobster Seafood Stuffing

You really can’t go wrong with shrimp, scallops or crabmeat, and this stuffing features all three!

This recipe makes an elegant pescatarian entrée when used as a stuffing for whole lobsters, but is equally delicious on its own as a side dish. With its complex flavors, this dish is an excellent accompaniment to turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving fare. 

Find the recipe here.

Dinner

Baked Stuffed Cod or Haddock

Fun fact: New Englanders have been known to enjoy stuffed fish—“Cape Cod turkey”—for their Thanksgiving feast. We say, why not keep up the tradition? We love protein-rich cod because it’s a great source of omega-3s and is such a breeze to cook. If you’ve never tried baking a whole fish before, try this simple preparation that’s just right for small gatherings. Bacon adds a touch of smokiness and keeps the fish moist while cooking.

Roasted Pomegranate Salmon

This dazzling dish showcases the brilliant colors of fall foliage. It features miso- and citrus-spiked salmon, studded with jewel-like pomegranate seeds atop a warm bed of braised fennel. With such a colorful presentation and distinctive Moroccan flavors, this is a holiday-worthy feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. 

Pumpkin Ravioli with Creamy Crab Sauce

Short on time? In this quick recipe, delicate crab and fresh herbs elevate store-bought ravioli into a special occasion meal bursting with autumnal flavor. Your friends will never know you whipped it up in less than 30 minutes!