There’s something undeniably comforting about a slow-simmered seafood dish infused with the bold, sun-drenched flavors of the Mediterranean. This braised Mediterranean Seafood with olives & tomatoes recipe brings together the tanginess of olives, the richness of shallots, and the sweetness of tomatoes, all harmonized by a fragrant blend of Mediterranean spices. Inspired by the coastal kitchens of Southern Europe, where the sea meets the spice-laden breeze, this dish is both rustic and elegant—a perfect centerpiece for a leisurely dinner. Serve it with crusty bread to soak up the savory broth or over a bed of rice for a meal that transports you straight to the shores of the Mediterranean.
This is Mediterranean seafood recipe is a paella-inspired dish but with very different flavor profiles. Think of it as Spain meets Greece. It’s amazing either way. When deciding what fish to use, we prefer to use snapper and swordfish, but any light white fish will be a great base for these flavors. For the seafood components, we have used shrimp, scallops, clams, and just a bit of lobster, since it’s so expensive, but just a little bit gives great flavor. You can also just simply use fish, if you want to keep it simple.
We make this same dish with chicken thighs, Chicken Thighs with Mediterranean Spice Medley, Olives & Tomatoes and it is fabulous, too. You can also consider using both fish and chicken together, which would definitely give the feeling of a paella dish, which often consists of chicken, sausage, and seafood. We have not included chicken in the ingredients, but if you choose to add them, we suggest one boneless, skinless chicken thighs per person. Brown them the same way you brown the seafood and tuck into the veggies along with the fish and seafood.
Mediterranean seafood dishes with olives and tomatoes are not just delicious—they’re loaded with nutritional and culinary benefits. Here’s a breakdown of why they’re so good for you …
Mediterranean Cuisine Uses Heart-healthy Fats
Olives and olive oil provide monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce bad cholesterol and support heart health.
Seafood (like sardines, anchovies, or white fish) is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and great for your heart and brain.
Olives and Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants
Tomatoes and olives are packed with lots of vitamins ands flavonoids. Tomatoes provide Vitamins C and E, as well as beta-Carotine. Flavonoids (phytochemical compounds present in many plants, fruits, vegetables) have powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Olive oil adds to this antioxidant capacity, and these compounds work together to combat oxidative stress in the body, protecting cells from damage and potentially reducing the risk of various diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Tomatoes, olives and herbs also support good digestion and a healthy gut micro biome.
Seafood is high in protein and low in fat
Please do your own research, but what we’ve learned is that seafood provides high-quality, lean protein that supports muscle maintenance, satiety, and overall metabolic health. It is considered to be low in saturated fat and helpful in the production of HDL (good cholesterol), which is funny, because we always thought that shrimp was fatty and had high bad cholesterol. That is, apparently, not the case and never has been. Now, if you bread it and fry it, that would be a different story all together!
Mediterranean Seafood with Olives and Tomatoes
Ingredients
Spice Blend Mixture
- 4 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. ground oregano
- 2 tsp. Spanish paprika
- 1 tsp. Pink Himalayan salt
- 2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
Seafood & Fish or Chicken
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 1/4 lbs. fish filets or steaks (any combination of: swordfish, snapper, or other light white fish)
- 8 sea scallops
- 8 medium shrimp
- 8 clams
- 2 4 oz. lobster tails (Cut into 4 portions)
Olives, Tomatoes and Shallots
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 large shallots (thinly slice or finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted (reserve 1/4 cup of the brine)
- 1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted (reserve 1/4 cup of the brine)
- 1/2 cup Spanish olives, pitted (reserve 1/4 cup of the brine)
- 1 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes, halved (we like to use multi-colored cherry tomatoes for this recipe)
- 3/4 cup combined olive brine
Instructions
- Blend spice mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
- Pat the fish and seafood dry using a dry paper towel. Generously season with 1/2 of the seasoning blend.
- Heat 2-3 tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, sear fish and seafood in batches, until golden brown on both top and bottom, but not cooked through, about 1-2 minutes per side. You can do this step in batches if you prefer or don't have enough room in the skillet. Once seared, remove from pan. Set all aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, add about 2 tbsp. of the olive brine to the skillet and heat over medium heat to deglaze the pan, scraping up any pieces of remaining fish. Heat remaining oil in the same skillet and cook shallots with remaining spice blend until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add 2 tbsp. olive brine one more time to deglaze the pan. Turn heat to medium-low, add olives and cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue to cook until tomatoes begin to soften. Add in remaining brine, cover, and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Tuck seared fish and seafood, in between the cherry tomatoes and olives. Arrange the clams on top of everything. Cover pan and simmer until seafood is cooked to desired doneness and clam shells have opened, exposing the clams inside.
