Quick & Zesty Ina Garten Seafood Salad Recipe For Summer

Seafood salads bring coastal memories dancing across taste buds with vibrant, fresh ingredients that transform simple proteins into extraordinary culinary experiences.

Mediterranean-inspired combinations spark excitement for adventurous home cooks seeking elegant yet approachable meal solutions.

Fresh oceanic flavors create elegant statements on dinner plates, promising sophisticated yet simple dining moments.

Delicate marine proteins blend harmoniously with crisp vegetables, developing complex flavor profiles that surprise and delight.

Precise ingredient selection determines the success of these beautiful coastal-inspired creations, where quality matters more than complicated techniques.

Professional techniques transform ordinary ingredients into extraordinary dining experiences that connect people through shared gastronomic pleasure: Get ready to impress!

Why Seafood Salad Is Light and Satisfying

• Seafood Symphony: Dive into a delightful medley of shrimp, scallops, calamari, and mussels poached to perfection with Old Bay seasoning, creating a luxurious oceanic experience.
• Vibrant Flavor Explosion: The zesty dressing combines limoncello, fresh lemon, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, transforming simple seafood into a bright, tangy masterpiece that awakens your taste buds.
• Elegant Make-Ahead Magic: This recipe offers ultimate convenience by allowing complete preparation in advance, with flavors melding and intensifying during a 3-hour (or overnight) chilling period, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining.
• Versatile Serving Sensation: Enjoy the salad cold or at room temperature, making it an ideal dish for summer gatherings, picnics, or sophisticated dinner parties that requires minimal last-minute preparation.

What Goes Into Ina’s Seafood Salad

• Shrimp: Sweet and tender seafood that provides delicate protein and adds ocean flavor.
• Scallops: Buttery and soft seafood with a mild, sweet taste that complements other ingredients.
• Calamari: Tender sea ingredient with a subtle, slightly chewy texture that absorbs marinades well.
• Mussels: Briny shellfish that brings rich maritime flavor and interesting texture to the salad.

• Garlic: Pungent ingredient that provides depth and warm flavor to the seafood base.
• Oregano: Earthy herb that adds Mediterranean-style freshness and complexity.
• Parsley: Bright green herb that offers fresh, clean taste and beautiful color contrast.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Spicy ingredient that introduces a gentle heat and subtle warmth.

• Olive Oil: Rich, smooth base for sautéing and creating a silky dressing.
• White Wine: Acidic liquid that helps poach seafood and adds subtle complexity.
• Limoncello: Sweet Italian liqueur that brings bright citrus notes.
• Lemon: Versatile citrus fruit providing zest, juice, and fresh garnish.
• Old Bay Seasoning: Classic seafood spice blend with robust maritime flavor.
• Salt and Pepper: Essential seasoning for enhancing and balancing overall taste.
• Fennel: Crisp vegetable with mild anise flavor that adds textural interest.
• Tomatoes: Fresh ingredient that contributes sweet and tangy undertones.

How to Prep and Chill This Elegant Dish

Step 1: Prepare Seafood Poaching Liquid

Fill a large pot with water, Old Bay seasoning, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil.

Step 2: Cook Shrimp

• Add shrimp to boiling water
• Simmer gently for 3 minutes
• Transfer cooked shrimp to a large mixing bowl

Step 3: Poach Scallops

• Pour wine into the remaining water
• Bring liquid back to a boil
• Add scallops
• Simmer for 2 minutes
• Transfer scallops to the same bowl

Step 4: Cook Calamari

• Return liquid to a boil
• Add calamari
• Simmer for 2-3 minutes
• Transfer calamari to the seafood bowl

Step 5: Steam Mussels

• Bring liquid to a boil
• Add mussels
• Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes
• Discard any unopened shells
• Remove cooked mussels from shells
• Add mussels and 12 decorative shells to the bowl

Step 6: Create Flavorful Dressing

• Reserve 1/2 cup poaching liquid
• Drain seafood
• Heat olive oil in a sauté pan
• Add: Minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes

Cook for 1 minute

Step 7: Enhance Dressing

• Add chopped tomatoes
• Cook for 2 minutes
• Mix in: Reserved poaching liquid, limoncello, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, black pepper
• Simmer for 1 minute

Step 8: Combine and Dress

• Pour dressing over seafood
• Gently toss to coat
• Add chopped fennel
• Sprinkle fresh parsley

Step 9: Marinate and Chill

• Thinly slice half a lemon
• Add lemon slices to salad
• Cover with plastic wrap
• Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight

Step 10: Final Touch and Serve

• Sprinkle additional salt and pepper
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice
• Taste and adjust seasoning
• Serve chilled or at room temperature

Tips for Mixing Without Overpowering the Seafood

• Master Seafood Timing: Precision is key when cooking different seafood types. Each variety requires careful attention to avoid turning delicate proteins tough or stringy.
• Flavor Fusion Technique: Refrigerating the salad allows ingredients to marry and develop deeper, more complex tastes. Letting it rest for several hours intensifies the overall flavor profile.
• Smart Seasoning Hack: Always taste and adjust just before serving. A quick splash of lemon or pinch of salt can elevate the entire dish from good to extraordinary.
• Safety First with Shellfish: Pay close attention to mussel preparation. Discard any unopened shells after cooking to prevent potential foodborne illness and ensure peak freshness.
• Texture Preservation Pro: Gentle handling keeps seafood tender and appetizing. Cool ingredients quickly after cooking to maintain their delicate, succulent texture.

Best Storage Methods for Seafood Salads

• Refrigeration Method: Seal the seafood salad in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid to maintain maximum freshness. Keep ingredients crisp and prevent flavor absorption from other foods by placing the container on the top shelf.
• Ingredient Separation Technique: Store mayonnaise-based dressing separately from seafood and vegetables if planning to keep the salad longer than 24 hours. Pour dressing just before serving to prevent soggy ingredients and preserve the salad's original texture.
• Quick Consumption Strategy: Enjoy the seafood salad within 48 hours for optimal taste and quality. Check for any signs of spoilage like unusual odors or discoloration before consuming leftover portions, discarding immediately if any questionable changes are detected.

Ways to Add New Life to Seafood Salad

• Mediterranean Herb Seafood Mix: Replace oregano with fresh thyme and rosemary, add chopped kalamata olives for extra Mediterranean flavor and saltiness.
• Spicy Cajun Seafood Salad: Swap Old Bay seasoning for Cajun spice blend, increase red pepper flakes, incorporate diced bell peppers and green onions for robust Cajun-style profile.
• Citrus Infused Seafood Salad: Use orange zest instead of lemon, add orange segments, substitute limoncello with orange liqueur for a brighter, sweeter citrus undertone.
• Asian-Inspired Seafood Salad: Replace limoncello with rice vinegar, add minced ginger, swap parsley for cilantro, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds for an Asian-inspired twist.

Final Thoughts on Ina’s Seafood Salad

Mediterranean seafood symphonies rarely match Ina Garten’s exquisite recipe.

Coastal ingredients dance harmoniously through delicate poaching techniques and zesty Mediterranean touches.

Complex flavor profiles emerge from carefully selected seafood selections, creating nuanced culinary experiences.

Limoncello’s subtle sweetness mingles with fresh herbs, elevating each marine morsel beyond traditional salad boundaries.

Sophisticated palates will discover layer upon layer of oceanic brilliance in this remarkable dish.

Passionate cooks can craft restaurant-quality magic right in their kitchens – share this spectacular recipe, sprinkle your enthusiasm across social platforms, and invite fellow gastronomes into this delectable Mediterranean celebration.

Ina Garten Seafood Salad Recipe

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4.9 from 26 reviews

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s seafood salad brings Mediterranean coastal flavors to your table with fresh shrimp, crab, and a zesty lemon-herb dressing. Crisp ingredients and delicate seafood combine for an elegant lunch or dinner starter that will transport palates straight to seaside dining.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Seafood:

• 1 ½ pounds (16- to 20-count) peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 pound sea scallops, halved crosswise
• 1 pound cleaned fresh calamari, sliced crosswise in ½-inch-thick rings
• 2 pounds fresh mussels

Seasonings and Aromatics:

• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Additional Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups dry white wine
• ½ cup good olive oil
• 3 plum tomatoes, seeds, and pulp removed and medium-diced
• ⅓ cup limoncello liqueur
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, lightly packed
• 2 lemons

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Instructions

1. Prepare a large pot with 2.8 liters (3 quarts) of water, combining Old Bay seasoning and salt for the poaching liquid.
2. Gently immerse shrimp into the seasoned water, allowing them to simmer for precisely 3 minutes before carefully transferring to a large mixing bowl.
3. Introduce white wine to the remaining poaching liquid, bringing it to a robust boil, then delicately add scallops and simmer for 2 minutes before transferring to the seafood bowl.
4. Return the liquid to a vigorous boil, submerge calamari, and poach for 2-3 minutes until just tender, then transfer to the seafood collection.
5. Reintroduce the liquid to a boil, add mussels, cover the pot, and steam for 4-5 minutes until shells fully open. Discard any unopened shells, cool slightly, and extract mussel meat, reserving 12 decorative shells.
6. Strain and reserve 120 milliliters () of the poaching liquid, draining the seafood thoroughly and returning it to the mixing bowl.
7. In a medium sauté pan, warm olive oil and infuse with minced garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute to release aromatic oils.
8. Incorporate diced tomatoes, simmering for 2 minutes, then add reserved poaching liquid, limoncello, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, cooking for an additional minute to meld flavors.
9. Gently fold the warm dressing over the seafood, ensuring even coating without breaking delicate pieces. Introduce thinly sliced fennel and freshly chopped parsley.
10. Thinly slice one lemon half and fold into the salad. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop.
11. Prior to serving, sprinkle with additional salt, freshly ground black pepper, and squeeze remaining lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve chilled or at ambient temperature.

Notes

• Prevent seafood from becoming tough by cooking each type precisely until just tender.
• Refrigerate the salad for minimum 3 hours, allowing flavors to blend and ingredients to cool completely.
• Sample and adjust seasonings right before serving, enhancing taste with extra salt, pepper, or citrus notes.
• Remove unopened mussels immediately after cooking to guarantee food safety and optimal freshness.
• Select fresh, high-quality seafood from reputable markets to ensure the best flavor and texture in your final dish.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 300 kcal
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 10 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 25 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg