Once reserved for royal banquets and celebratory feasts, abalone remains one of the ocean’s most prized delicacies.
For anyone wondering what is abalone, in Australia, this delicate mollusc is found along rugged coastlines like those of Tasmania, where chef and forager Analiese Gregory hand-harvests wild them for her open-fire feasts. Whether you’re searing it quickly in a hot wok or slow-steaming it with sake (abalone should be cooked either very fast or low and slow), it rewards simple, well-timed technique.
Cooked with care, abalone reveals a delicate, tender texture and savoury-sweet flavour. From crispy snacks to comforting soups, this list explores recipes to cook abalone across cultures and styles – a gateway to discovering what is abalone, how it shines in modern kitchens, and why it deserves a spot in your culinary rotation.
This creative take on classic pizza is a reminder that fresh abalone recipes are as wildly versatile as they are delicious. Homemade pizza dough is topped with slices of abalone, salty bacon, rich crème fraîche and finished with a drizzle of herb-infused oil – a fun option for entertaining.
Credit: A Girl's Guide To Hunting Fishing and Wild Cooking
Gentle and elegant, this stir-fry pairs snow pea tendrils and abalone in a buttery sauce, balancing grassy freshness with tender, oceanic slivers and a silky finish.
Abalone with snow pea tendrils and butter sauce Credit: Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
This elegant omelette walks the line between comfort and occasion. Abalone and mushrooms lend a luxe, umami-rich boost to a dish that’s as welcome at brunch as it is at dinner.
Abalone and Asian mushroom omelette Credit: Sharyn Cairns
This coastal combo brings together rich abalone and a crisp coconut-panko crumb crust. A herby yoghurt dip adds coolness and lift.
Coconut crumbed abalone Credit: Ainsley's Market Menu
Try this if you’re wondering how to cook abalone in a wok with maximum flavour payoff. XO sauce – that savoury Hong Kong condiment of dried scallops, shrimp, and chilli – adds punch to this noodle dish, with seared abalone layered over the top.
Credit: A Girl's Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking
Abalone meets French technique in this East-meets-West dish: a bright, citrusy yuzu butter adds lift to the mild, sweet shellfish. This dish is simple to prepare, but polished enough to impress guests.
Abalone with yuzu butter Credit: Born to Cook: Jack Stein Downunder
A great first dish for abalone newcomers: light, approachable and beautifully textured, especially when served with dipping sauce.
Tempura abalone Credit: Food Lab
A bounty of spiralised and julienned ('speghetti') fresh vegetables are sautéed with abalone in a soy-garlic sauce for a dish that is light, colourful and full of texture and flavour.
Abalone with spaghetti vegetables Credit: On Country Kitchen
In this Japanese one-pot rice dish, sliced abalone is gently simmered with soy, mirin and dashi, infusing each rice grain with umami and delicate brininess.
Crispy outside, tender inside. This recipe wraps abalone in a light but full-bodied beer batter that enhances its natural chew with a golden crunch, for a nostalgic twist on abalone recipes that Australia seafood lovers will appreciate.
Credit: Khanh Ong's Wild Food
This is how to cook abalone for maximum indulgence. Silky lo mein – a Chinese noodle dish made with soft, wheat-flour egg noodles that are tossed (not stir-fried) with a savoury sauce, vegetables or a protein and aromatics – meets two of the ocean’s richest offerings: tender abalone and buttery uni.
Credit: Adam & Poh's Malaysia in Australia
Poached abalone joins seasonal ingredients like mushrooms and leek in a seasonal Japanese-style stew, gently simmered with dashi and soy sauce. Perfect if you’re after fresh abalone recipes for cooler months.
In this nod to fish-and-chip shop nostalgia, a pub classic gets a twist white table-clothed elegance. It’s not about hiding the abalone – it’s about showcasing it in a playful, familiar format. Paired with a zippy homemade lemon mayo, it’s crisp, tender and balanced.
Credit: Gourmet Farmer Afloat
Sake-steaming enhances is a classic Japanese approach to cooking seafood, especially shellfish. Here, it enhances abalone’s tenderness, while a creamy liver sauce adds bold depth.
Sake-steamed abalone with liver sauce Credit: Adam Liaw
This quick dish proves you don’t need much to make abalone shine. A handful of ingredients – lemon, chilli and garlic, a quick marinade, and a hot work let natural flavours shine. Serve immediately while the edges of the abalone are caramelised, the centre tender and glistening.
