A Practical Pescatarian’s Comfort Food Meal Plan
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When you hear the word pescatarian, you might immediately think of elaborate seafood preparations—delicately rolled maki, thinly shaved crudo, and other oceany dishes that require you to have a premium fish market in the neighborhood.
But with the exception of a piece of cod to kick off the week and a pot of fresh clams to celebrate the weekend, my take on a pescatarian comfort food meal plan gets most of its fishy flair from pantry ingredients—a tin of anchovies that will add umami backbone to your lemony risotto, a flash of fish sauce for salinity in an otherwise vegan larb, and some briny kimchi to add personality to your midweek grilled cheese. This weeklong menu is perfect for anyone (seafood lover or not) who’s trying to eat a bit less meat and a few more vegetables.
For even more dinner inspiration, check out this year's Vegetarian Comfort Food Meal Plan and Vegan Comfort Food Meal Plan too.
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio1/7MONDAY: Spiced-Tomato-Braised Fish
I love Rachel Gurjar’s approach to cooking cod for two reasons. First of all, simmering it right in the tomato sauce infuses the entire fish with tomato sweetness and the warmth of the cinnamon and cumin. Second, because you’re simmering it in a sauce, it’s very hard to overcook or dry out. Add some toasted sourdough and steamed greens, and you have a cozy dinner that will brighten the darkest winter night.
2/7TUESDAY: Turmeric Rice Pongal With Eggs and Beet Acharu Pickle
This bright, nourishing pongal comes from one of my favorite cookbooks of the year: Rambutan, by Cynthia Shanmugalingam. While Shanmugalingam explains that the rice and mung bean porridge isn’t traditionally eaten with eggs and pickles in Sri Lanka, the combination is her tribute to the popular Japanese breakfast combination of rice, eggs, and pickled vegetables. If you’re not big on beets, take a tip from Shanmugalingam and swap in carrots, red cabbage, or cucumbers.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman3/7WEDNESDAY: Inside-Out Kimchi Grilled Cheese
You’ve made it to Wednesday, so you deserve the luxury of not overthinking dinner. Instead, go for this kimchi grilled cheese which calls for just five ingredients. The extra-cool move here is that these sandwiches have a layer of crispy cheese on the outside of the bread, so you get some contrast between melty cheddar and crunchy, toasted cheddar.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris4/7THURSDAY: Lemony Risotto With Fennel and Parmesan
Have some more arborio rice in the bag you bought to make Tuesday’s pongal? Switch gears and turn it into a bright, lemony risotto with fennel and Parmesan. A few anchovy fillets play off the umami of the cheese, and since you’re already opening a tin, consider making this chicory salad with an anchovy and date dressing.
Photo by Alex Lau5/7FRIDAY: Roasted Cauliflower Larb
This cauliflower larb from chef James Syhabout is herby, spicy, salty, and satisfying—just what you need to celebrate the end of the work week, maybe with a cold beer. Serve the larb with plenty of greens and cucumbers for assembling lettuce cups, and consider ending the meal with an easy microwaved take on coconut sticky rice with mango.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton6/7SATURDAY: Spaghetti With Red Clam Sauce
If your Saturday finds you out and about town, running errands and seeing friends, consider picking up a bag of clams to help turn your kitchen into an Italian red sauce joint. Set out the red-checkered tablecloths, and make a batch of garlic bread for a comfort food feast.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton7/7SUNDAY: Chunky Potato Soup With Dill
This Polish potato soup, seasoned with plenty of dill, is a warming, hearty way of kicking off the new week (and setting yourself up for plenty of packed lunches over the next few days). Eat it with a stack of saltines, or open your best tin of smoked oysters for a batch of these spicy, crunchy smoked oyster toasts.
