15 Healthy & Satisfying Pescatarian Dinners Where You Will Not Miss the Meat

Looking for healthy pescatarian meals for beginners?  These 15 pescatarian recipes are so tasty and satisfying you will never miss the meat.

Quick & Easy Pescatarian Recipes

I started my series on the pescatarian diet last week by sharing my journey to becoming a pescatarian, what the diet is, and what to eat if you are a pescatarian.  If you are just starting out I suggest reading this and then popping back over here for my pescatarian meals for beginners.  You can also find my 5 Day Pescatarian Meal Plan- Grocery List & Pescatarian Meal Prep tips here.  You can also read about the difference between pescatarian vs vegetarian diets.

These pescatarian recipes though are the perfect place to dive into the pescatarian lifestyle and start cooking.

Where do I find pescatarian meals?

Today I thought I'd dive into some of my favorite dinner recipes and share some healthy pescatarian meals for beginners.  I know getting dinner on the table daily is a chore no matter what your diet is so I thought I'd share the recipes that I make pretty frequently as a pescatarian.  These are the pescatarian recipes that are hearty enough to fill my meat-eating hubby.

Since being a pescatarian doesn't mean I eat fish for every meal, I wanted to share a good balance of vegetarian recipes and fish or seafood-based or pescatarian recipes.  The first ten listed are either vegetarian or vegan and the last five are fish or seafood-based.  I try to feature lots of fresh vegetables in most of my meals!

Seafood Cooking Tips

Before we dive into the pescatarian recipes I wanted to share a few quick tips for those of you who aren't used to cooking seafood.  I also have a quick Q & A at the bottom of this post if you wanted to learn more about being a Pescatarian.

The first is that it is surprisingly easy.  Fish is simple to prepare and season.  I find cooking it in the oven is easiest for me but grilling works very well too.  It's also really delicious to pan-sear it on the stovetop but for beginners, I find it's easiest just to bake.

The second is to not overcook your fish or seafood.  Fish and seafood cooks fast and overcooking it is the easiest way to make it taste bad.  Fish usually cooks for around 10 minutes in the oven... depending on the type and thickness.  It is done as soon as it starts to flake apart with a fork.  Shrimp takes just a few minutes to cook and is done when the shrimp turn pink and just start to curl.  I give individual cooking times in my recipes but it does vary due to the size and thickness of the seafood you happen to have.

Now let's get cooking!  Here are my favorite healthy pescatarian meals for beginners.

 

Healthy Pescatarian Meals for Beginners

Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi & Vegetables

Sheet pan meals are my jam.  They are an easy way to make dinner without a lot of hands-on time or clean up.  This veggie-packed meal uses simply packaged gnocchi (which are hearty and delicious) and adds a rainbow of fresh veggies.  My version of this meal features Italian seasoning and veggies, but you can customize this idea to fit your taste in veggies and spices.  It's a great meal that everyone will love that features lots of vegetables.

 

 

 

Vegetarian Taco Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms are such a great base for vegetarian dishes.  They are rich and meaty giving you the satisfaction of eating something more substantial.  I love this taco stuffed mushroom because it's filled with a high protein blend of quinoa and beans that is perfectly spiced.  If that's not enough it's topped with cheese and yummy guacamole.

Another one of my favorite stuffed mushroom recipes is this Lightened-Up Three and Spinach Cheese Stuffed Portobellos.

 

 

Black Beans and Cilantro Lime Rice

This humble meal never looks as nice as I want it to in photos BUT give it a chance.  I have been making a version of this recipe for nearly 20 years because I love it so much.  It features peppers, onions, canned tomatoes, and canned black beans.  I add lots of tasty spices.  It tastes so good and is super satisfying.

The rice here is my homemade Cilantro Lime Rice.  You can serve it with any type of rice you prefer though.  Top it with lime, cilantro, cheese or even avocado depending on what you like.

 

 

 

Crock Pot Vegetarian Taco Soup

This recipe is a staple in my house during the cooler months.  It's simply made with canned beans, peppers, onions and lots of spices.  I serve mine with cheese, plain greek yogurt and a handful of tortilla chips.  This is a great option for healthy pescatarian meals for beginners.

 

 

Crock Pot Award-Winning Vegetarian Chili

Here's another great soup recipe where you will never miss the meat.  Click over to the post to find out how this chili won a cookoff against meat competitors.

 

 

Homemade Southwest Black Bean Burger

If you think you will miss the burgers on a pescatarian diet, think again!  My Homemade Southwest Black Bean Burgers are filled with flavor and healthy goodness.  You'll love the guacamole on top.  They are simple to make and a total crowdpleaser.

You could also try my Portobello Mushroom Burger if you want a different type of vegetarian burger.

 

 

 

Kale Pasta

This Kale Pasta recipe isn't flashy but it's is another staple in our house.  I love the way the lemony kale comes forward with creamy greek yogurt pasta.  It's the perfect combination of comfort food and healthy food.  I usually make it with some sort of protein boosted pasta.  It's a great way to get some greens when you aren't in the mood for salad.

 

 

 

 

6 Ingredient Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad

This simple recipe is so tasty and good.  It starts with your favorite frozen tortellini and gets a nutrient boost with all sorts of fresh and colorful veggies.  I use my Homemade Greek Salad Dressing and feta cheese to give it a big flavor boost.

 

 

4 Ingredient Stuffed Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Marinara

Here's another recipe that's on regular rotation at my house.  It's like a rich baked pasta topped with cheese BUT instead of pasta I used a spaghetti squash giving this dish all sorts of veggie-packed nutrients.  Plus can you beat a 4 ingredient dinner?

I usually serve it with garlic bread!

 

 

Easy & Healthy Thai Noodle Salad

If you like Asian or Thai flavors, you will love this noodle salad.  It uses my Thai Peanut Dressing which is flavorful and delish.

 

 

 

6 Ingredient Shrimp Pineapple Kabobs

This simple shrimp recipe is nearly fool-proof! You marinate the shrimp in a simple sauce and then grill the shrimp.  In the cooler months, you could skip the skewers and bake this in the oven.

Serve it with rice and a salad.

 

 

Foil Salmon Packets & Rainbow Veggies

If you think you can't cook fish... start here!  This salmon dish cooks in foil WITH the veggies and could not be tastier.  The fish comes out moist and delicious.  This is the perfect place to start for healthy pescatarian meals for beginners.

I like to serve this with a simple baked potato.

 

 

 

No Clean-Up Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Here's another great sheet pan meal using shrimp!  I make the fajitas in the oven and then have warm tortillas, greek yogurt, salsa, cheese and cilantro, and the table.  Sometimes even guacamole or avocado.  So much healthier than going out.

 

 

 

Salmon & Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

This salmon salad is perfection!  The salmon is perfectly roasted with a lemon on top.  The salad has my Lemon Tahini Dressing, pine nuts, pomegranate, and avocado.  It's a superfood explosion! 

This recipe also includes the recipe of how I cook my salmon most of the time, so be sure to check it out.  If you aren't in the mood for a salad you can use the salmon recipe and serve it with other vegetables.

 

 

 

Shrimp Burgers with Mango Avocado Salsa

This is recipe is amazing.  If you haven't tried shrimp burgers out yet you MUST!  Trust me!

 

 

Where do I find more Healthy Pescatarian Meals for Beginners?

My entire site is filled with healthy vegetarian and pescatarian meals!  I'm sure you've seen the main page of my site but I also have a recipe page that features the recipes by category to help you find something you'd like to make.

Scroll down and you'll see green boxes showing categories like smoothies, salads, soups, crock pot, breakfast, and even seafood!

 

Meal Plan Including Healthy Pescatarian Meals for Beginners

Need an entire meal plan full of pescatarian meals and recipes?  Make sure to pop over to my 5 Day Pescatarian Meal Plan for Beginners.  It includes everything you need to cook healthy pescatarian and vegetarian meals for 5 days including a shopping list.

 

Pescatarian FAQ

I get a LOT of questions about being a pescatarian so I thought I'd answer a few of them here.

What can a Pescatarian eat?

Pescatarians eat a mainly vegetarian and plant-based diet with fish and seafood also included.  They eat fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, beans, eggs, and dairy.  NO, they don't eat chicken.

Can you eat eggs if you are a pescatarian?

YES! Many pescatarians eat eggs AND dairy.  I do and enjoy both.  However, diets vary from person to person so this if often a personal choice for the person who decided to become a pescatarian.

Can you lose weight being a Pescatarian?

YES! A pescatarian diet can be very healthy if you also include lots of colorful plants and seafood that is low in mercury.  Seafood is often lower in calories and fat and most plant-based diets where you eat lots of fresh vegetables is a very healthy way to eat.  If done in the right way, without a lot of processed junk food, you can lose weight.

 

There are LOTS more questions about being a Pescatarian and I answer them all in the first post in this series.

Don't forget to check out the first post in my series... A Starters Guide for Pescatarian for Beginners.

Also, check out the rest of my resources on the pescatarian diet.

• Pescatarian Starters Guide
• Pescatarian vs Vegetarian: Which Diet Might Work for You
• 5-Day Pescatarian Meal Plan & Grocery List
• Pescatarian Meal Prep

Like these healthy pescatarian meals for beginners? Pin for later!

 

Your turn!

Do you have any other questions about being a pescatarian?