25 Best Caribbean Seafood Recipes: Jamaican Fish, Salmon & Saltfish Dishes

Brithany NeathJanuary 16, 2025

Blessings, family! Whether you are craving a quick weeknight dinner or planning a Caribbean-themed gathering, these 25 Caribbean seafood recipes bring island flavor to your table. From Jamaican escovitch fish and brown stew fish to honey jerk salmon, saltfish fritters, and crispy popcorn shrimp, every recipe here was cooked, photographed, and written in our own kitchen. As the Psalmist says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8), so grab your seasoning and let’s get cooking.

Not sure where to start? Try our Jamaican Escovitch Fish for a true classic, or the Honey Jerk Salmon Rasta Pasta if you want something creamy the whole family will love.

Salmon Favorites

Salmon takes on Jamaican flavor beautifully, from honey jerk glazes to creamy coconut curry. These six dinners are the easiest place to start.

1. Honey Jerk Salmon Rasta Pasta

Creamy Jamaican rasta pasta topped with sticky honey jerk salmon. It is quick, colorful, and loved by kids and adults alike.

👉 Get the Honey Jerk Salmon Rasta Pasta recipe

2. Pan-Fried Jamaican Coconut Curry Salmon

Salmon seasoned with Jamaican curry powder, pan-fried, then simmered in creamy curry coconut milk. Spoon the gravy over rice. A great pick if you are not usually a salmon fan.

👉 Get the Pan-Fried Jamaican Coconut Curry Salmon recipe

3. Honey Garlic Salmon

A sweet and savory salmon dinner that hits the table in under 30 minutes and wins over the whole family.

👉 Get the Honey Garlic Salmon recipe

4. Jerk Blackened Salmon

Coated in a bold jerk spice blend and pan-seared until crisp at the edges. A healthy, low-carb dinner ready in about 15 minutes.

👉 Get the Jerk Blackened Salmon recipe

5. Cajun Salmon Bites

Tender, seasoned salmon bites that cook fast, which makes them perfect for a relaxed weeknight meal.

👉 Get the Cajun Salmon Bites recipe

6. Escovitch Salmon Bites

Crispy salmon bites topped with tangy Jamaican escovitch sauce and served over creamy mashed potatoes. Great as an appetizer or a full dinner.

👉 Get the Escovitch Salmon Bites recipe

Escovitch & Classic Jamaican Fish

Escovitch, brown stew, and steamed fish are the heart of Jamaican seafood cooking. Grab snapper, king fish, or porgy and get cooking.

7. Jamaican Escovitch Fish

A Jamaican classic: whole fried fish marinated in a tangy blend of vinegar, onions, carrots, and peppers, enjoyed for generations.

👉 Get the Jamaican Escovitch Fish recipe

8. Escovitch King Fish

Sliced king fish floured and fried until crispy, then covered in zesty pickled vegetables. Snapper works beautifully here too.

👉 Get the Escovitch King Fish recipe

9. Escovitch Fish Tacos

Crunchy fish, soft tortillas, and crisp pickled vegetables, with vinegar and lime balancing the heat of the scotch bonnet.

👉 Get the Escovitch Fish Tacos recipe

10. Jamaican Brown Stew Fish

Fresh snapper seared, then cooked down in a rich brown stew sauce. Comforting, traditional, and perfect for any occasion.

👉 Get the Jamaican Brown Stew Fish recipe

11. Jamaican Steamed Fish

Porgy stuffed with spicy cabbage and mixed vegetables, wrapped in foil, and baked until tender. Any fish will work.

👉 Get the Jamaican Steamed Fish recipe

12. Coconut Curry Snapper

Snapper simmered with coconut milk, curry, onions, peppers, and carrots for a spicy, creamy dish with no bland bites.

👉 Get the Coconut Curry Snapper recipe

13. Jamaican Fish Tea Soup

An aromatic, easy soup served piping hot with fried dumplings or crusty bread. Pure comfort on a chilly evening.

👉 Get the Jamaican Fish Tea Soup recipe

Saltfish & Mackerel Breakfast Staples

Saltfish and mackerel are pantry heroes in Jamaican kitchens. These recipes show why they still show up on breakfast tables across the island.

14. Jamaican Saltfish (Cook Up Saltfish)

Saltfish sauteed with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

👉 Get the Jamaican Saltfish (Cook Up Saltfish) recipe

15. Jamaican Salt Fish Fritters (Stamp and Go)

Golden, flavorful fritters packed with saltfish, onions, sweet pepper, and tomatoes. Eat them for breakfast, as a snack, or as an appetizer.

👉 Get the Jamaican Salt Fish Fritters (Stamp and Go) recipe

16. Jamaican Salt Mackerel

Salty, savory, spicy, and budget friendly. A traditional Jamaican breakfast staple that is also called pick up mackerel.

👉 Get the Jamaican Salt Mackerel recipe

17. Jamaican Saltfish and Baked Beans

Salted cod meets smoky, sweet baked beans in a comforting dish that shows off Jamaica’s blend of cultures.

👉 Get the Jamaican Saltfish and Baked Beans recipe

18. Jamaican Tin Mackerel in Tomato Sauce

Also known as Dutty Gyal. A quick, nutritious, budget friendly meal ready in under 30 minutes.

👉 Get the Jamaican Tin Mackerel in Tomato Sauce recipe

19. Ackee and Saltfish Sushi Roll

A fun island twist on sushi that brings Jamaica’s national dish into a quick, easy roll.

👉 Get the Ackee and Saltfish Sushi Roll recipe

Shrimp & Scallop Favorites

For the shrimp and scallop lovers, here are six more ways to bring Caribbean flavor to your table.

20. Jerk Shrimp Tacos

Easy jerk shrimp tacos with simple seasoning and fresh toppings, on the table in less than 30 minutes.

👉 Get the Jerk Shrimp Tacos recipe

21. Crispy Popcorn Shrimp

Tender, seasoned bites fried golden and crunchy. Serve with cocktail sauce for game day or a dinner party.

👉 Get the Crispy Popcorn Shrimp recipe

22. Garlic Butter Jerk Scallops

Scallops seasoned with Jamaican jerk, seared golden, and finished in garlic butter. Restaurant-worthy with garlic mash and asparagus.

👉 Get the Garlic Butter Jerk Scallops recipe

23. Garlic Butter Shrimp Rasta Pasta

A creamy, colorful Jamaican rasta pasta with garlic butter shrimp.

👉 Get the Garlic Butter Shrimp Rasta Pasta recipe

24. Jamaican Curry Shrimp

Curry powder, carrots, onions, scallions, thyme, and scotch bonnet make this a flavor-packed dinner in under 30 minutes.

👉 Get the Jamaican Curry Shrimp recipe

25. Jerk Shrimp Quesadilla

Spicy jerk shrimp, melty Monterey Jack and cheddar, and a spicy sour cream tucked into a crisp tortilla.

👉 Get the Jerk Shrimp Quesadilla recipe

Caribbean Seafood Recipe FAQs

What is escovitch fish?

Escovitch fish is a Jamaican dish of fried fish topped with a tangy pickled mix of vinegar, onions, carrots, and scotch bonnet pepper. It is served hot or at room temperature, often with fried festival or bammy.

What fish is best for Jamaican recipes?

Snapper, king fish, and porgy are the most popular choices for escovitch, brown stew, and steamed fish. Salmon also works well in curry, jerk, and rasta pasta dishes.

What is Jamaican saltfish?

Saltfish is salted and dried cod, a pantry staple in Jamaica. Soak it or boil it in fresh water to remove the extra salt, then cook it up with onions, peppers, and tomatoes.

What should I serve with Caribbean seafood?

Rice and peas, fried plantains, festival, bammy, steamed cabbage, and fresh salad are all classic sides.

A Word of Wisdom

“For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”

I John 5:7 NKJV

The biggest mystery in life is God. We have all probably asked ourselves, is there a God? Is there a creator? The Bible says yes, and we say Amen. Our God is 3 in 1: the Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

He created all things through Jesus Christ, the visible image of the invisible God. Jesus showed us who He is through His works. He healed the sick, cast out demons, helped the lame to walk and the blind to see, and the greatest thing of all, He died for our sins, rose from the grave after 3 days, and ascended into heaven.

Anyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life. There is a God, and Jesus Christ, His Son, is who we all need to know. It is time to know the Father, know the Son, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Brithany Neath

Brithany Neath is the cook, recipe developer and voice behind Jerk Tavern, the Jamaican and Caribbean food blog she runs with her husband Rackesh from their Florida kitchen. Over five years they have published more than 300 original recipes — jerk chicken, oxtail, curry goat, rice and peas, homemade sauces from scratch and Caribbean fusion dishes — every one cooked, photographed and written by the two of them. Their work has been featured in the Jamaican Gleaner and Jamaican Eats Magazine, and Brithany is a Pinterest Golden Recipe winner with Food52.