For a fine dining experience in your kitchen, try your hand at some must-try surf and turf dinner recipes. Run through the recipes provided here, and become an expert in no time.
What’s it all about?
A main course in American cuisine, surf and turf brings the freshness of seafood and the boldness of meat together in a humble unity.
As the name goes, “surf” means seafood, which includes lobster, prawns, and shrimp, and “turf” means steak. This combination is quite popular in American cuisine and is served in many steakhouses and pubs.
Do you love seafood? What’s your take on meat? If your answer to both these questions is a ‘yes’, then you’ve got to try your hand at preparing some of the best surf and turf recipes.
Delicious and Simple Surf ‘n’ Turf Recipes
It may sound like a lot of work, but these surf and turf recipes are easy to prep for and fun to eat. Whether you’re cooking for two or entertaining company, these recipes will make anyone lick their fingers clean.
Surf and Turf with Grilled Vegetables
Surf and Turf
Ingredients
- Boneless rib eye steak, 4 cut into 1¼” pieces
- Large shrimp, deveined and peeled, 2 pounds
- Canola oil, 2 tablespoons
- Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
- Lemon juice, 1 tablespoon
- Garlic clove, crushed, 1
- Cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon
- Paprika, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
Heat the grill to high, oil it, season steaks with salt and black pepper on both sides, and place over the grill to cook until golden brown and slightly charred on either side. Place the steak onto a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. For the shrimp, preheat the grill on medium, and oil it. In a bowl, combine garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, lemon juice, and olive oil. Make a paste, and toss shrimp in, to coat evenly. With tongs, place shrimp on the grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until it turns opaque. Transfer shrimp onto the cutting board.
Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
- Mushrooms, diced, 12
- Green onions, roots cut off, 12
- Red bell peppers, seeded and halved, 3
- Yellow squash, sliced lengthwise, 3
- Zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 3
- Japanese eggplant, sliced lengthwise, 3
- Balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons
- Olive oil, 3 tablespoons
- Garlic cloves, minced, 2
- Asparagus bunch, trimmed, 1
- Parsley, chopped, 1 teaspoon
- Basil, chopped, 1 teaspoon
- Rosemary leaves, chopped, ½ teaspoon
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
We can grill the vegetables on the same grill as the shrimp. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Grill vegetables in batches―first the bell peppers, then yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms, and finally, asparagus and green onions. Place the grilled vegetables in a bowl. Now to prepare the dressing, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary together. Add salt and black pepper in the end, and pour over the vegetables.
For serving
Take a plate, and place the steak at the bottom. Arrange the grilled vegetables around the steak, and add shrimp on the top. Garnish with a few rosemary leaves and serve.
Grilled Surf and Turf with Spinach Pilaf
Surf and Turf
Ingredients
- Porterhouse steak, 2″ thick
- Lobster tail, butterflied, 1, 7 ounce
- Shallots, sliced, 2
- Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons
- Chives, chopped, 2 tablespoons
- Tarragon leaves, chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon
- Garlic clove, minced, 1
- Butter, room temperature, 1 cup
- Balsamic vinegar, ¾ cup
- Ketchup, ⅔ cup
- Honey, ¼ cup
- Hot sauce
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- Chive sprigs, for garnish
Directions
Preheat the grill to high, and oil the grate. Season steak with salt and black pepper on both sides. For the meat sauce, combine balsamic vinegar, ketchup, honey, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard together in a pan. After cooking for about 15 minutes, strain the sauce, and whisk ½ cup butter in. Brush the sauce over the meat as it cooks. For the lobster tail, keep the grill on medium. In a bowl, combine ½ cup butter, chives, tarragon, garlic, hot sauce, and black pepper properly. Brush the tail with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Place the cut side of lobster over the grill, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn it over, and add a spoonful of the butter mix on top. Grill for another 4 minutes or so, and remove from the grill to serve.
Spinach Pilaf
Ingredients
- Fresh spinach, roughly chopped, 1 pound
- Water, 3 cups
- Basmati rice, uncooked, 1½ cups
- Onion, chopped, 1 cup
- Vegetable oil, 1½ tablespoons
- Butter, melted, 1½ tablespoons
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a pot, sauté onions in vegetable oil till it turns soft. Add water, and bring it to a boil. Now include rice, salt, and black pepper in, and stir properly. Keep heat on low, cover the pot, and let the rice cook for 20 minutes. In a pan, melt butter over low heat. Add spinach, and toss to coat properly. Once the rice is cooked, add spinach in, and toss gently.
For serving
In a plate, place the steak on one side and the spinach pilaf on the other. Using the tongs, keep the lobster tail in the plate.
Grilled Surf and Turf with Mashed Potatoes and Onion Rings
Surf and Turf
Ingredients
- Jumbo shrimp, deveined in shell, 16
- Rib eye steak, 2 pounds
- Garlic clove, crushed, 1
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
- Cream, 1 cup
- Mint leaves, chopped, ¼ cup
- Red wine, ¼ cup
- Chives, chopped, ¼ cup
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven at 375°F. Season the meat with salt and black pepper on both sides. In a frying pan, add olive oil, and cook the meat for 2 minutes on each side. Take a baking tray, and transfer the meat on it. Place the tray inside the heated oven for about 12 minutes. Bring the meat out, and let it set for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, take the same frying pan to combine wine, garlic, and cream together to prepare the sauce. Once the mixture is thick, keep it on the side for later. Preheat the griddle as the onion rings are getting ready. To grill the shrimp, first season with salt and black pepper. Place on the grill for about 2 minutes on each side till the shell turns pink and shrimp looks opaque. Squeeze lemon juice over the shrimp, and remove from the griddle.
Mashed Potatoes and Onion Rings
Ingredients
- Potatoes, 3 cups
- Lemons, halved, 2
- Baking powder, 1½ teaspoons
- Egg, 1
- Onion, 1 cut into ¼” rings
- Spinach bunch, blanched, 1
- Sifted flour, 1 cup
- Butter, 1 cup
- Cream, 1 cup
- Extra-virgin olive oil, ½ cup
- ⅔ cup milk
- Frying oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
Directions
Take a deep pot to boil potatoes in salted water till it turns tender. Bring potatoes out of water, peel, and cut into chunks. In a pan, melt ½ cup butter, and add the potato chunks in. You can even mash the potatoes before you add it in the pan. Add a pinch of salt, 1 cup cream, and combine till you get a smooth mixture. For the onion rings, place the cut rings in a bowl of ice water for about 20 minutes. Remove the rings from cold water bath, and drain on some paper towels. Meanwhile, take three bowls to prepare the batter to dunk the onion rings in. In one bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder together. In another bowl, separate the yolk from the white, beat it, and add milk, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the flour mixture. Now, beat the egg white, and add to the first mixture. Fold the egg white in the batter, and dunk the onion rings in. Heat oil and carefully cook the onion rings till they turn golden brown.
For serving
On a plate, place blanched spinach, and add a big spoonful of mashed potatoes. On top goes the steak, onion rings, and shrimp. Drizzle the sauce on top, and serve the dish.
Surf and Turf Satay with Peanut Sauce
Surf and Turf
Ingredients
- London broil, 2½ pounds cut in ½” wide strips
- Shrimp, deveined, 1 pound
- Scallions, sliced, 4
- Brown sugar, 3½ tablespoons
- Ginger, grated, 3 tablespoons
- Fish sauce, 2 tablespoons
- Coriander seeds, toasted and ground, 2 teaspoons
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground, 2 teaspoons
- Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon
- Lemongrass stalks, peeled and chopped, 2
- Garlic cloves, grated, 2
- Lime juice and zest, 1
- Canola oil, 1 cup
- Light soy sauce, ½ cup
Directions
To prepare marinade for meat, whisk soy sauce, ¼ cup canola oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice and brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons garlic and ginger together. Place the meat inside a resealable bag, pour the marinade on top, seal the bag, and toss to coat properly. Leave the bag in the refrigerator for an hour. To prepare marinade for shrimp, mix the rest of the ingredients in a food processor. Place shrimp in a big bowl, and add the marinade on top. Coat properly, cover the bowl, and place in the refrigerator for an hour. To make satay, you will need skewers that have been soaked in water for about 30 minutes. To cook surf and turf, turn the grill on at medium-high and oil it. Thread beef strips onto the skewers. Place the skewers on the grill, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes (depending on how charred and well-done you want) on each side. Follow similar technique with shrimp.
Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- Garlic cloves, minced, 3
- Water, 3 tablespoons
- Lime juice, 3 tablespoons
- Soy sauce, 3 tablespoons
- Fish sauce, 1 tablespoon
- Hot sauce, 1 tablespoon
- Ginger, minced, 1 tablespoon
- Creamy peanut butter, 1½ cups
- Coconut milk, ½ cup
- Cilantro, chopped, ¼ cup
Directions
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, except for cilantro, to prepare the sauce. Include the cilantro right before serving.
For serving
Once the meat and shrimp are ready, place skewers onto a platter with peanut dipping sauce. Drizzle lime juice over the satay, and enjoy.
Invite your family and friends over for a wonderful, home-cooked dinner. Prepare any of these dishes mentioned above in the article, and mesmerize everyone with the first bite.