Pan Seared Red Snapper (fresh, whole fish)

This pan-seared red snapper recipe is a must-try! It's one of the best and easiest ways to cook whole snapper fish on the stovetop and keep it really juicy and tasty.

In this whole red snapper recipe, you pan-fry the fish in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. Then pour some water and lemon juice, and cook the fish for a few minutes. This keeps the fish very moist and tender. Plus you get to serve the fish with the delicious pan juices!

Table Of Contents

• Ingredients
• How To Prepare Red Snapper
• Cooking Whole Red Snapper
• How To Eat A Whole Snapper
• Serve With
• Recipe

Ingredients

Fresh fish doesn't need much seasoning. You have to enhance its flavor without covering it with strong flavorings. For this pan-fried red snapper recipe, the only ingredients used are:

• Fresh whole red snapper/s (I use two smaller fish of about 250 grams each but you can use one large one of about 500 grams instead)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh lemon juice (balances the fatty flavor from the frying)
• Fresh thyme (adds a herby freshness)
• Baby capers (their saltiness combines so well with fresh fish and all seafood really)
• Dried oregano (it ain't Greek without it!)
• Sweet paprika (the best red snapper seasoning! It enhances red snapper's natural sweetness and makes it taste similar to red mullet)
• Coarse sea salt (the best to season fresh fish)
• Freshly ground pepper

Additional Ingredients:

• Garlic clove minced (add together with the capers)
• Cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes (add together with the paprika)

How To Prepare Red Snapper

To prepare fresh red snapper scale it like any other fish using a fish scaler or a serrated knife. Then gut the fish, by making a lengthwise incision to its belly and removing everything from the inside.

Rinse the belly very well, until the water runs clear. Run your finger all over its skin to make sure there aren't any leftover scales.

Optional: You can remove the head if you like. I'm cooking it Greek-style, so the head stays on!

Now season the fish with coarse sea salt (add some inside its belly also) and refrigerate for one hour. This helps season the meat to its core. Finally, pat dry the fish with paper towels (most salt will fall off at this point and that's okay). Because if there's too much moisture on the skin it won't sear properly the moment it gets into the hot oil.

Cooking Whole Red Snapper

And here's how to cook whole snapper in a pan:

1. Heat olive oil over high heat. The oil needs to be almost smokey hot to sear the fish properly. Take the pan off the heat for a moment to add the fish then return to the heat.
2. Pan-fry the fish for 3-4 minutes flipping it once.
3. Pour in the water and lemon.
4. Add the seasonings (fresh thyme, capers, paprika).
5. Drop the heat to low.
6. Slow-cook for a few minutes flipping the fish once.

COOKING TIP: Use a non-stick pan for this recipe. Otherwise, coat the fish in flour so it won't stick if using a plain pan.

How To Eat A Whole Snapper

If you're not accustomed to eating whole fish, I have a few tips to help you out.

First, begin by pulling away the top and bottom fins. Now you can insert a fork through the top incision (the one you made by removing the top fin). Gently open up the top fillet with the help of the fork. Next, remove the spinal cord, head, and tail all in one piece. You're left with two flat-open fish fillets.

Carefully remove the small bones most of which are located at the belly of the fish and right in the middle of each fillet (where the spinal cord was).

The trick to feeling confident eating fresh fish is knowing where the bones are located. And this you get accustomed to with some practice and repetition. My advice is to feel (run a finger through the meat) and remove bones with your fingers, this way you won't miss any.

TIP: The best, most tender part of fish is inside the cheeks. Insert your fork under the eyes to pull it out. Especially in bigger fish, this is a must-try!

Serve With

Serve sauteed red snapper with a Herby Greek Potato Salad, some Lemony Greek Spinach Rice, Greek Horta (sauteed greens), a Classic Greek Salad, or a Marinated Tomato Salad.

Recipe