Giada De Laurentiis’ Classic Seafood Recipes for an Italian Feast

Clams Casino is a popular Italian-American seafood dish, and Giada uses it as inspiration for this recipe. Robust bucatini is loaded with small clams, cheesy breadcrumbs, tomatoes and bacon, and is ready in just 30 minutes.

Cioppino is a fish and seafood stew with origins in San Francisco. Giada makes hers with tender shrimp, mussels, clams and a firm-fleshed fish like halibut or salmon in a rich tomato broth.

Grilled octopus is added to the popular Tuscan salad made with cubes of bread, peppery arugula, cherry tomatoes, briny olives and freshly grated Parmesan. Serve it as a side or a lighter main dish.

Inspired by Giada’s visit to the Italian island of Capri, fillets of sole are pan-fried and topped with a sauce of lemon, garlic, capers and chili paste.

A lemon-scented Arborio rice is combined with pancetta and two types of clams for a creamy seafood risotto. It perfectly pairs with a glass of Prosecco for a memorable dinner party dish.

This pasta dish, a favourite at Italian Christmas Eve feasts, combines tender crabmeat and plump cherry tomatoes with hearty noodles. For an extra kick, add a dash of Calabrian chili paste.

Plump grilled shrimp are served with a sweet and spicy homemade peach-white wine cocktail sauce. And don’t worry about the extra sauce because you can serve it as part of a cheese board or spread it on a sandwich.

Mussels are served on the half shell with a savoury filling of prosciutto, Parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs. It’s an elegant yet cozy appetizer.

If you like your seafood with some spice, this pasta dish will satisfy. Linguine is made with a spicy tomato sauce, homemade chili oil, and a medley of lobster, shrimp and clams.

Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue or just want a reminder of warmer weather when it’s chilly outside, this salad is a great appetizer or side. Made with grilled shrimp, zucchini and avocado, it’s tossed in a homemade dressing and garnished with a crispy Parmesan chip.

These always popular deep-fried nuggets of rice are given an extra special twist when they’re made with crab risotto. Make them as a dinner party appetizer, or bring them along to a potluck.

Salmon is pan roasted until golden, then served on a bed of pureed fennel and finished with crispy capers. It’s a simple yet elegant dish for an intimate dinner or when hosting guests.

A delicious snack made with shrimp and Parmesan in flaky puff pastry will be a hit with kids and the kid at heart. Serve them with an assortment of dipping sauces, like marinara and pesto.

Colourful and flavourful, spaghetti is tossed with shrimp, clams and arugula in a light sauce of white wine, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. Enjoy with a glass of Pinot Grigio and transport your tastebuds to Italy.

Bring a taste of the Maritimes and New England to your next event with Giada’s mini version of the famous lobster roll. Split-top hotdog buns are halved and filled with a creamy lobster salad for a guaranteed hit at your next get together.

In this simple and satisfying bistro-style meal, grilled littleneck clams are smothered in butter and seasoned with herbes de Provence. Serve it with crusty French bread for dipping.

Meaty swordfish steaks are grilled and served with an arugula salad and candied lemon segments. And if you can’t find swordfish at your local market, tuna will always do in a pinch.

A welcome addition to any Christmas Eve menu, this linguine is tossed with a tomato-cream sauce, morsels of cooked lobster meat, and a hint of smoky bacon.

These plump, juicy shrimp are tossed in zesty mix of Calabrian chile paste, lemon zest and freshly grated Parmigiano, and then oven baked to perfection. Serve hot with a spritz of lemon.

Skewers threaded with large shrimp and grapefruit segments are grilled and then drizzled with a sweet and spicy dressing. They’re an excellent party appetizer, or even a light main when paired with a green salad.

Puttanesca is a popular Neapolitan sauce made with tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, olives, capers and garlic. Giada uses its bold flavour to top delicate, pan-seared sea bass fillets.

In a dish that combines both land and sea, swordfish and eggplant are sautéed in olive oil, garlic, and red chili flakes, then tossed with cooked penne and cherry tomatoes. It’s a taste of Southern Italy in every bite.

Whether you’re dining al fresco on a warm, sunny day or trying to capture summer memories on a snowy day, this mouthwatering seafood salad is a dish to try. Not only does it have shrimp and calamari, it also has slices of eggplant and zucchini, ripe Roma tomatoes, creamy cannellini beans, and orzo pasta.