If you think that the only way to eat seafood is by sitting at the pier and slurping oysters, crab, or shrimp cocktails, you’ve got it all wrong. Seafood dishes are some of the tastiest foods out there. They come in various flavors, textures, and, most importantly, preparations. You don’t have to be stuck with eating them raw or with mayonnaise as your only option. As long as you have a little bit of creativity—and perhaps even a few cookbooks under your belt—you can make delicious seafood dishes right at home, even if you’re a newbie in the kitchen. Here are the top 5 best seafood dishes you can make at home easily.

Mussels Provencal

Mussels will be the star of your dinner table if you make them in the Provencal style. This French mussel recipe calls for lots of herbs and tomatoes that are common in Provencal style cooking. It is best to use fresh mussels for this recipe to avoid the bad taste of canned mussels. Once you’ve cleaned the mussels, you need to place them in a pot with all the herbs, tomatoes, and spices and pour in the white wine. Cover the pot with a lid and steam the mussels for about 15 minutes until their shells open up. Serve the mussels with French bread and prepare for rave reviews.

Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en Papillote is a classic French dish that also happens to be one of the healthiest meals you can make. You don’t even have to be a chef to make it at home. All you need is a sheet of parchment paper, a few ingredients, and a little bit of creativity. Place the salmon fillets (or other fish), vegetables of your choice, and some herbs inside the parchment paper. Seal the paper shut and pop it in the oven for about 15 minutes. The paper will turn crispy and brown when ready. Drizzle some olive oil on top before serving to make this dish even tastier.

Pan-Seared Blackened Shrimp

Who says seafood has to be eaten raw? If you love seared shrimp with that perfect texture and taste, you can make pan-seared blackened shrimp at home.  You can do this using this pan seared blackened shrimp recipe. Note that this is not a dish you can make with frozen shrimp; you have to use fresh shrimp, and they have to be peeled and deveined. Coat the shrimp with paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Fry the shrimp in a skillet with butter and oil. This seafood dish will be best served with rice or even cornbread for an authentic Southern American experience.

Tuna Steaks with Wasabi Mayonnaise

If you are a fan of raw tuna sashimi, this is a recipe for you. First, you have to mix together soy sauce, wasabi, some lemon juice, and chopped green onions. Next, pour the soy mixture over the tuna steaks and let them marinate for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Once marinated, grill the tuna steaks for about 5 minutes on each side. You can also mix some mayonnaise with lemon juice and chopped green onions as a side dish. Finally, serve the tuna steaks with the mayo on the side.

Salmon and Chickpea Tabbouleh

If you love salmon and also love tabbouleh, the dish below is the best of both worlds. You can serve this salmon dish with some toasted sourdough bread or pita bread. You can also serve it with some quinoa or rice. This recipe is easy to make and can be served as an appetizer or a main course. All you need to do is mix some chopped vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, and scallions together with some cooked and cooled quinoa, olive oil, lemon juice, and some crumbled feta cheese. Place the salmon on top of the tabbouleh and serve.