Friday

Fish Friday dinner ideas

Close the school week with salmon, shrimp, or fish tacos. Saturday is the grill. Sunday is the roast.

See the rest of the week Get the iPhone App

Fish Friday is the named night after a 30-minute Thursday. It is a real ritual — Catholic tables, Mediterranean tables, and anyone who wants a lighter plate before Saturday BBQ.

These Fish Friday dinner ideas stay weeknight-simple: air fryer salmon, sheet-pan honey mustard salmon, grilled salmon and asparagus, shrimp pasta, crispy fish tacos, and salmon rice bowls. You do not need a fishmonger. Grocery-store fillets are enough.

This is not a Lent-only page and not a diet page. It is Friday on the weekly dinner calendar. Leftover salmon becomes a Saturday lunch bowl before you light the grill.

Fish Friday recipes

Air Fryer Salmon

The Friday default. Crispy edges, lemon, 12 minutes.

17 minView recipe

Grilled Salmon and Asparagus

One pan or the grill. Same grocery-store salmon.

25 minView recipe

Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon

Sauce in a bowl, fish on a sheet, done.

30 minView recipe

Salmon and Roasted Vegetables

Dinner and the side cook together.

35 minView recipe

Salmon Rice Bowl

Friday dinner that becomes Saturday lunch.

25 minView recipe

Crispy Fish Tacos

Fish Friday that still feels like a treat.

30 minView recipe

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Seafood plus pasta. Friday without a restaurant bill.

25 minView recipe

Shrimp Tacos with Slaw

Lighter than beef tacos. Same tortillas you bought Tuesday.

25 minView recipe

Friday fish, Saturday lunch

Flake leftover salmon over rice or greens for Saturday lunch. Extra shrimp goes into leftover pasta or tacos.

Need the Fish Friday grocery list?

Salmon or shrimp, lemon, a starch. One short shop.

Generate Grocery List

Related meal plans

Weekly dinner plan: named nights Taco Tuesday dinner ideas Pasta Wednesday dinner ideas 30-minute Thursday dinners Saturday BBQ dinner ideas Sunday dinner ideas for families High-protein dinner meal plan Mediterranean week, already planned

Get the Spoon Simple iPhone app

Cooking made simple on your phone — plan your week, save recipes, and build grocery lists.

Download on theApp Store Learn more about the app

Frequently asked questions

What should I cook for Fish Friday?+

Air fryer salmon is the fastest. Fish tacos or shrimp pasta if you want it to feel like a Friday treat.

What fish is easiest for a weeknight?+

Salmon fillets and shrimp. Both cook in under 15 minutes and are hard to ruin if you watch the clock.

How do I cook salmon so it is not dry?+

Pat it dry, oil it, and pull it at 125–130°F. Air fryer salmon on this site is 10–12 minutes at 400°F.

Is Fish Friday only for Lent?+

No. It is a useful Friday name all year. Use it in Lent if you want. Use it in July with the grill.

What sides go with Fish Friday?+

Rice, roasted vegetables, a simple salad, or tortillas. Asparagus and salmon can share a pan.

Can kids eat these fish dinners?+

Mild salmon, shrimp tacos, and fish tacos with slaw on the side are the most kid-friendly. Keep hot sauce off the table until they ask.