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
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.
OTHER FRESH WHOLE FISH RECIPES TO TRY:
Cooking Whole Red Snapper
And here's how to cook whole snapper in a pan:
- 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.
- Pan-fry the fish for 3-4 minutes flipping it once.
- Pour in the water and lemon.
- Add the seasonings (fresh thyme, capers, paprika).
- Drop the heat to low.
- 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
Pan Seared Red Snapper (fresh, whole fish)
Ingredients
- 500 grams (1.1 pounds) red snapper (1 large or 2 smaller fish)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sprig of thyme divided into 5-6 single stems
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon baby capers
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- coarse sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- fresh lemon to serve with
Instructions
- Prepare the fish: Scale and gut the fish. Leave the head on or remove it if you prefer. Season the fish with coarse sea salt. Add some also inside its belly. Refrigerate for one hour.
- Mix paprika with lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat until smokey hot.
- Pat dry the fish with paper towels. Take the pan off the heat for a couple of seconds for the heat to drop slightly and add the fish.
- Cook the fish for 2 minutes (3 minutes for large fish) then drop the heat to medium (on a gas stove) or medium-high (on an electric stove).
- Flip the fish using two forks (be gentle so you won't tear its skin). Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the thyme, paprika-lemon water, and the capers.
- Drop the heat to low.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes more (4 if it's 2 smaller fish 6 if it's one large one), flipping the fish once.
- Serve with the pan juices, dried oregano, and freshly ground pepper on top. And some extra lemon squeezed on top if you like!
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