Paleo Seafood Recipes: 5 Fish Dinners + Omega-3 Chart

By Paleo Life Coach Editorial Team · Last updated September 25, 2026 · Nutrition from USDA FoodData Central, fish advice from FDA

Most paleo weeks run on chicken and ground beef, and fish gets pushed to “when I have time.” That’s a shame, because seafood cooks faster than almost any other protein and brings omega-3 fats that meat can’t match. These paleo seafood recipes cover five dinners, from a sheet-pan salmon to a pot of mussels, with exact amounts. You’ll also get a table that shows how much omega-3 each common fish has and where it falls on the FDA’s mercury list, so you can pick fish with confidence.

The quick version: Seafood is fully paleo. Aim for at least 8 ounces a week, the Dietary Guidelines amount the FDA cites, and favor salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel for omega-3s. Per USDA data, 3 ounces of cooked farmed salmon has about 1,825 mg of EPA and DHA, while shrimp and cod have under 150 mg.

Is seafood paleo?

Yes. Fish and shellfish are on every paleo food list, including the one summarized in Harvard’s paleo diet review, which names lean meats, fish and shellfish as core foods. The only seafood to question is the processed kind: breaded fillets, imitation crab (usually made with starch and sugar) and fish canned in soybean oil or sauces with added sugar.

Canned fish is paleo when the label reads fish, water or olive oil, and salt. It’s also the cheapest way to hit your weekly seafood target, and canned salmon and sardines with soft bones add calcium, which is otherwise hard to find on a dairy-free plan. The paleo calcium guide explains why that matters.

How much seafood should you eat per week?

At least 8 ounces a week for most adults, roughly two servings. The FDA/EPA advice about eating fish cites the Dietary Guidelines recommendation of “at least 8 ounces of seafood (less for children) per week based on a 2,000 calorie diet.” Harvard’s fish page puts it the same way, twice a week, and notes that fewer than one in five Americans follow that advice.

For omega-3s specifically, Harvard describes research estimating that about 2 grams per week of omega-3 fats from fish, “about one or two servings of fatty fish a week,” is linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease. You can check your week against that figure with the table below.

Which fish have the most omega-3 and the least mercury?

Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and canned albacore lead on omega-3s; almost all of them are also on the FDA’s “Best Choices” list for mercury. Lean white fish and shrimp are low in mercury but also low in omega-3s, so they’re great protein, not an omega-3 source.

Which fish have the most omega-3 and the least mercury?
Seafood, cooked, 3 oz (85 g)	EPA + DHA (mg)	Protein	FDA/EPA mercury category
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed	1,825	18.8 g	Best choice
Salmon, Atlantic, wild	1,564	21.6 g	Best choice
Mackerel, Atlantic	1,023	20.3 g	Best choice
Salmon, pink, canned, drained	915	19.6 g	Best choice
Sardines, canned in oil, with bones	835	20.9 g	Best choice
Trout, rainbow, farmed	744	20.2 g	Best choice
Tuna, white (albacore), canned in water	733	20.1 g	Good choice
Salmon, sockeye	730	22.5 g	Best choice
Mussels, blue	665	20.2 g	Not listed by FDA
Pollock, Alaska	433	20.0 g	Best choice
Halibut	200	19.2 g	Good choice
Tuna, light, canned in water	190	16.5 g	Best choice
Scallops, steamed	150	17.5 g	Best choice
Cod, Atlantic	134	19.4 g	Best choice
Tilapia	115	22.2 g	Best choice
Catfish, farmed	76	15.7 g	Best choice
Shrimp	26	20.4 g	Best choice

Sources: EPA, DHA and protein from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy (dry-heat cooked unless noted), scaled to 85 g. Categories from the FDA/EPA fish advice chart, which lists clams and oysters but not mussels by name.

The FDA’s “Choices to Avoid” list is short: king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico and bigeye tuna. None of the recipes below use them. Note that the FDA chart is written for people who are or may become pregnant or are breastfeeding, and for children aged 1 to 11; it’s still a handy guide for anyone choosing lower-mercury fish.

Weekly omega-3 math: one 4-ounce serving of cooked farmed salmon gives about 2.4 g of EPA and DHA (2,147 mg per 100 g × 1.13), which alone reaches Harvard’s roughly 2 g per week. A week of shrimp and cod at the same portions gives under 0.4 g. Mixing one fatty fish dinner with one lean one covers both goals.

Five paleo seafood recipes with exact amounts

Each recipe serves 4 unless noted. Protein per serving is worked out from USDA raw values for the fish or shellfish only; vegetables add a little more. Cook fish to 145°F or until the flesh separates easily with a fork, per the FDA’s seafood safety guidance.

1. Sheet-pan salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli

1½ lb (680 g) salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1¼ lb), cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika
1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, grated
Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1½ tbsp oil, half the salt and the paprika. Roast 15 minutes.
Push the potatoes to the edges. Toss the broccoli with the remaining oil and add it to the pan. Set the salmon in the middle.
Rub the salmon with garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Roast 12 to 15 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 145°F.
Squeeze lemon over everything.

Per serving: 170 g raw salmon, about 34.7 g protein and 3.3 g EPA+DHA (USDA raw farmed Atlantic salmon: 20.42 g protein and 1,966 mg EPA+DHA per 100 g).

2. Garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles

1½ lb (680 g) large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 medium zucchini, spiralized (about 8 cups)
3 tbsp olive oil or ghee (if you include ghee in your paleo)
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, ¾ tsp salt
Pat the shrimp dry and salt lightly. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink, firm and opaque. Remove to a plate.
Add the remaining oil, garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and toss 2 to 3 minutes, just until warm. Zucchini noodles go watery if cooked longer.
Return the shrimp, add the lemon juice and parsley, and serve.

Per serving: 170 g raw shrimp, about 34.2 g protein (USDA raw shrimp: 20.1 g per 100 g). For a sauce twist, use one of the paleo salad dressings and sauces, such as a lemon-herb vinaigrette.

3. Canned salmon cakes (8 cakes)

12 oz (340 g) drained canned pink salmon, bones mashed in (they’re soft and edible)
2 large eggs
⅓ cup (about 35 g) almond flour
3 green onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (check for no added sugar)
1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp avocado or olive oil for frying
Mix everything except the oil. Chill 15 minutes so the cakes hold together.
Shape into 8 patties about ½ inch thick.
Fry in the oil over medium heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned and heated through.

Per serving (2 cakes): 85 g canned salmon, about 19.6 g protein from the salmon plus about 5 g from the eggs and almond flour. With the bones mashed in, USDA lists drained canned pink salmon at 283 mg of calcium per 100 g, so each serving carries roughly 240 mg. These keep well for lunches; see the make-ahead paleo lunch ideas for packing tips.

4. Cod lettuce-wrap tacos with mango salsa

1½ lb (680 g) cod fillets
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¾ tsp salt
1 ripe mango, diced
½ small red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
Juice of 2 limes, ¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 heads butter lettuce or 12 romaine leaves
1 avocado, sliced
Stir together the mango, onion, jalapeño, half the lime juice and cilantro. Set aside.
Rub the cod with oil, spices and salt. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or pan-sear 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it flakes easily and reaches 145°F.
Flake the fish, squeeze the remaining lime over it, and spoon into lettuce cups with salsa and avocado.

Per serving: 170 g raw cod, about 30.3 g protein (USDA raw Atlantic cod: 17.81 g per 100 g). Cod is low in omega-3s, so pair this dinner with a salmon or sardine meal the same week.

5. Mussels in tomato-garlic broth (serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter)

2 lb (about 900 g) live mussels in the shell
2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped, and 4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, no sugar added
½ cup bone broth or water
½ tsp red pepper flakes, 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Rinse the mussels and pull off any beards. Following the FDA’s advice, discard any with cracked or broken shells, and any open ones that don’t close when tapped.
Warm the oil in a wide pot. Cook the shallot and garlic 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth and pepper flakes and simmer 5 minutes.
Add the mussels, cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pot once, until the shells open. Throw out any that stay closed.
Scatter parsley over and serve in bowls with the broth. A roasted sweet potato on the side soaks up the sauce.

We haven’t given a protein figure here because the meat yield from mussels in the shell varies too much to calculate honestly. Homemade paleo bone broth makes the richest base.

How do you buy and store fish for paleo meals?

Buy what’s fresh or frozen well, keep it cold and cook it within a day or two. The FDA’s seafood buying tips are specific:

Smell: fish should smell fresh and mild, “not fishy, sour, or ammonia-like.”
Look: fillets should have firm flesh that springs back when pressed, with no darkening or drying at the edges. Color alone isn’t a reliable freshness sign.
Shrimp and scallops: the flesh should be clear with a pearl-like color and little or no odor.
Thawing: thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator overnight, or seal it in a bag and submerge it in cold water.

Frozen fillets are often the better buy if you don’t live near a coast; they’re frozen soon after catch and let you cook fish on a Tuesday without a special trip. Cooked fish also freezes reasonably well; our paleo freezer meals guide covers storage times.

Common paleo seafood mistakes

Only eating shrimp and white fish. They’re great protein but have almost no omega-3s. Put one fatty fish on the menu each week.
Overcooking. Salmon and cod go dry within a minute or two of done. Pull them at 145°F.
Buying canned fish in soybean oil or sauces. Choose water or olive oil, and read the label for sugar.
Throwing away canned salmon bones. They’re soft, edible and one of the best dairy-free calcium sources.
Skipping fish because it seems complicated. Four of these five dinners take under 30 minutes. For more fast options, see quick paleo meals under 30 minutes.

Frequently asked questions about paleo seafood recipes

Is all seafood paleo?

Unprocessed fish and shellfish are all paleo. Processed products are where you need to read labels: imitation crab usually contains starch and sugar, breaded fish contains wheat, and some canned fish is packed in soybean oil or sweet sauces. Canned fish in water or olive oil with salt is a paleo pantry staple.

What is the best fish to eat on paleo?

Salmon, sardines, Atlantic mackerel and rainbow trout give the most omega-3 fats and are on the FDA’s “Best Choices” list for low mercury. Farmed Atlantic salmon has about 1,825 mg of EPA and DHA per cooked 3-ounce serving in USDA data. Mix one of these with lean fish like cod or pollock through the week.

How often should you eat fish on the paleo diet?

At least twice a week, or about 8 ounces total, which is the Dietary Guidelines amount the FDA cites for adults on a 2,000-calorie diet. Harvard’s fish page also recommends fish twice a week. Making one of those meals a fatty fish like salmon or sardines covers the omega-3 side.

Is canned tuna paleo?

Yes, as long as it’s packed in water or olive oil with salt and nothing else. Canned light tuna is on the FDA’s “Best Choices” list; albacore (white) tuna is a “Good Choice” because it carries more mercury. Albacore has more omega-3s, about 733 mg per 3 ounces versus 190 mg for light tuna, based on USDA values.

How do you know when fish is done?

Cook most seafood to an internal temperature of 145°F, according to the FDA. Without a thermometer, fish is done when the flesh looks opaque and separates easily with a fork. Shrimp and scallops turn firm, pearly and opaque, and clams, mussels and oysters are done when their shells open.

Your next step: put two seafood dinners on this week’s plan

Pick one fatty fish recipe (the sheet-pan salmon or the salmon cakes) and one lean one (the shrimp or the cod tacos) and put them on your plan for this week. That’s your 8 ounces and your omega-3s covered. For more ideas across every meal, browse the full paleo recipes hub.

Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA data. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or feeding young children, follow the FDA fish advice chart, and talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about how much fish is right for you.

Paleo Seafood Recipes: 5 Fish and Shellfish Dinners, With Omega-3 and Mercury Numbers for Every Fish