An Easy Italian Seafood Salad: A One-Pot Delight

Escape to the Mediterranean with this light, elegant dinner. Plump mussels, sweet shrimp, scallops, and tender red potatoes tossed together with fresh lemon, extra virgin olive oil, and herbs. Skip the mayo—this coastal salad is all about vibrant flavors. Just grab a loaf of crusty bread to soak up the incredible juices!

The Inspiration: A Sunny Afternoon on the Italian Riviera

This recipe goes back to a delightful trip my husband and I took to the gorgeous Italian Riviera. While exploring the Ligurian coast, my husband was on a mission to find the ultimate waterside seafood restaurant for lunch. Just outside of San Remo, in the charming town of Ospedaletti, we spotted Ristorante Byblos overlooking the sea. One of the standout dishes of the day was a simple warm octopus and potato salad dressed in nothing more than bright lemon juice and local olive oil. To this day, we still talk about that memorable meal.

A Smarter, One-Pot Twist on the Coastal Classic

Whenever we want to recreate that sunny afternoon, I make a version of this Italian seafood salad. While that original lunch featured tender octopus, it isn’t always the easiest seafood to find or cook at home. To recreate those Mediterranean flavors in my own kitchen, I adapted the recipe to use seafood that is readily available at almost any fish counter: plump mussels, sweet shrimp, and delicate scallops.

The absolute best part about this effortlessly elegant recipe? It’s a one-pot wonder. The mussels, shrimp, scallops, and potatoes are all cooked sequentially in the same white wine and garlic broth. As the mussels steam, they release rich, savory juices that serve as the base for an aromatic broth, infusing every single bite with deep seafood flavor.

How to Keep Seafood Tender (And Skip the Mayo)

Whether you want to serve this as a stunning appetizer or a quick weeknight dinner, the warm, waxy potatoes perfectly absorb the delicious juices from the tender shellfish. It recreates that exact magical Riviera flavor profile we fell in love with—no octopus prepping or mayo required.

Mediterranean Seafood And Potato Salad

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Servings: 2 (easily doubled)

Ingredients

The Seafood:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 lemon (plus an extra 1/2 lemon for dressing)
• 2 fennel stalks, cut lengthwise (saved from the salad base below)
• 1 lb. black mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 6–8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 3 to 4 per person)
• 4–6 large sea scallops
• 12 small red-skinned potatoes, cut into bite-sized piece

The Dressing:

• 1–2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from the remaining 1/2 lemon)
• 2 tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)

The Salad:

• 7–8 oz. arugula (or salad greens of your choice)
• 1 small bulb fresh fennel, thinly sliced (I use a mandolin)
• 12 (or more) grape or cherry tomatoes
• Simple Salad Dressing: 3 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard, a shake of garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Steam the Mussels: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, the white wine, the 1/2 lemon squeezed and dropped in, sliced garlic, and the fennel stalks. Add the cleaned mussels, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the shells pop open. Transfer the mussels to a bowl using a slotted spoon (discarding any that didn’t open), leaving the savory broth in the pot. Once cool enough to handle, remove the mussels from their shells and set aside.
2. Poach the Shrimp: Bring the seafood broth back to a gentle simmer. Drop the shrimp directly into the broth. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook, or they will become rubbery. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl with the mussels.
3. Poach the Scallops: Place the scallops into the simmering broth. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just opaque throughout. Remove with a slotted spoon and add them to the seafood bowl.
4. Boil the Potatoes: Place your cut red potatoes into the same pot of broth (if needed, add a small splash of water to ensure they are just covered). Boil until tender but still firm, about 10–12 minutes. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and add them to the seafood bowl, reserving the remaining broth in the pot. Remove the fennel and lemon and discard.
5. Reduce the Dressing: Simmer the remaining broth over medium-high heat until it reduces into a concentrated, glossy liquid (about 1/4 cup). Pour this reduced broth into a small bowl and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes..
6. Toss and Assemble: Pour the warm, reduced dressing over the seafood, potatoes, fresh oregano, and parsley. Toss gently so the warm potatoes absorb the flavors. In a separate large bowl, lightly toss your salad greens, sliced fennel, and cherry tomatoes with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice dressing.
7. Serve: Arrange the dressed greens on a large platter or divide them into individual bowls. Top with generous spoonfuls of the seafood and potato mixture. Serve immediately while warm with plenty of crusty bread. Alternately, it can be refrigerated for 1 to 2 hours so the flavors can mingle. Take out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to enhance the flavor.

NOTES FROM THE KITDHEN

Buying Mussels: Look for tightly closed shells. If any are open, tap them lightly on the counter; if they don’t close, discard them before cooking.  How Much Seafood: When determining how many shrimp and mussels to buy, go by their size and the number of people you are serving. I go by their size (so many per person) rather than weight.
Make Ahead: You can clean the seafood a few hours in advance, but the final assembly is best done right before serving so the heat of the potatoes slightly wilts the herbs and opens up their aromatics. If you don’t wish to serve it warm, it can then be refrigerated. Remove at least 30 minutes before serving for best taste.

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Simple ingredients, one pot, and a whole lot of flavor…this is a recipe I know you will enjoy. It’s perfect for a breezy weeknight dinner or an impressive weekend date night. You can serve this as an elegant first course or a hearty main meal. I believe that it will transport your taste buds straight to the coast of Italy.

Have you ever tried an oil-dressed Italian seafood salad, or do you usually stick to the classic mayo versions? I’d love to hear about your favorite Mediterranean food memories! Leave a comment below and let me know if you try this one-pot method.

Buon appetito!

Mediterranean Seafood and Potato Salad

An easy Italian one-pot seafood salad — mussels, shrimp, scallops and red potatoes served warm over greens with a reduced-broth dressing.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

The Seafood

• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• 1/2 lemon plus another 1/2 for dressing
• 2 stalks fennel stalks cut lengthwise
• 1 lb black mussels scrubbed and debearded
• 6-8 large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 4-6 large sea scallops
• 12 small red-skinned potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces

The Dressing

• 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon
• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste

The Salad

• 7-8 oz arugula or salad greens of your choice
• 1 small fresh fennel bulb thinly sliced (a mandolin helps)
• 12+ grape or cherry tomatoes
• Simple salad dressing: 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, garlic/onion powder, salt & pepper

Method

 

1. Steam the Mussels: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, the white wine, 1/2 lemon squeezed and dropped in, sliced garlic, and fennel stalks. Add the cleaned mussels, cover tightly and steam over high heat for 3–4 minutes until the shells pop open. Transfer mussels to a bowl (discard any that didn't open), leaving the broth in the pot. Once cool, remove mussels from their shells.
2. Poach the Shrimp: Bring the seafood broth back to a gentle simmer. Drop the shrimp in and cook 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque. Do not overcook. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the mussels.
3. Poach the Scallops: Place scallops in the simmering broth. Cook 2–3 minutes until just opaque throughout. Remove and add to the seafood bowl.
4. Boil the Potatoes: Add cut potatoes to the same broth (add a splash of water if needed to cover). Boil 10–12 minutes until tender but firm. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the seafood. Discard fennel and lemon.
5. Reduce the Dressing: Simmer the remaining broth over medium-high heat until reduced to a concentrated glossy liquid (about 1/4 cup). Pour into a small bowl and whisk in the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic/onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
6. Toss and Assemble: Pour the warm reduced dressing over the seafood, potatoes, oregano and parsley. Toss gently so the warm potatoes absorb the flavor. In a separate bowl, lightly toss the greens, fennel and tomatoes with the simple salad dressing.
7. Serve: Arrange the dressed greens on a platter or in individual bowls. Top with generous spoonfuls of seafood and potato. Serve immediately with crusty bread, or refrigerate 1–2 hours and remove 30 min before serving.

Notes

Buying mussels: look for tightly closed shells; tap any open ones — if they don't close, discard. Prep the seafood a few hours ahead if you like, but the final assembly is best done right before serving so the warm potatoes wilt the herbs.