When it comes to red snapper recipes, this one is a favorite. It takes less than 20-minutes to make and bursts with bright lemony flavo.
This is an absolute winner when it comes to crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside fish, and it reminds me so much of my Egyptian childhood where I first learned how to cook red snapper.
I love this recipe so much, I shared it in my second cookbook, The Mediterranean: Dish Simply Dinner, where I serve it with a pomegranate salsa, but I’ve topped this dish with endless combinations. It’s such an easy recipe to make when we need a quick fish dinner that wanted to share it here too.
A quick squeeze of lemon juice or a little refreshing Cucumber Salsa is the perfect finish.
Why You’ll Love This Red Snapper Recipe
- It’s ready in less than 20 minutes!
- You can easily make it Gluten-Free by using chickpea flour or your favorite GF Flour
- I season the fish directly, then sprinkle it with flour for more flavor
- The thin flour coating protects the red snapper from soaking up too much oil but still creates a delicious, crispy texture.
How to Cook Red Snapper
Fried red snapper is relatively easy to make, but there are a few tricks I’ve learned to get the best results. One involves a slotted fish spatula! Here’s how I make it.
- Make the spice rub. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon each ground cumin, ground coriander, sweet Spanish paprika, Aleppo pepper, and garlic powder. Place 1/2 cup all-purpose or chickpea flour on a small plate. Cut a lemon into wedges.
- Season and dredge the snapper. Pat 1 1/2 pounds skin-on red snapper fillets (or any thin white fish fillets), dry with a paper towel, then season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper. Rub the flesh with the spice mixture, then dredge the fish in the flour on both sides, gently shaking to remove the excess.
- Sear skin-side down. In a large nonstick pan set over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the fish fillets skin-side down. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute on medium-high, while gently pressing down the fillets with a slotted fish spatula (this will help prevent curling). Lower the heat to medium and allow the fish to cook for another 3 minutes or so, until the skin turns crispy and golden brown.
- Flip and cook. Turn the fish over to the flesh side and let it finish cooking, 45 to 90 seconds, depending on thickness. Your fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork.
- Finish and serve. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and squeeze a lemon wedge or two all over. Serve immediately with the rest of the lemon wedges on the side.
Ways to Serve Pan Fried Red Snapper
What I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to switch things up. Keep things simple and serve it with a slice of lemon or make it fancy. Here are my favorite ways to top red snapper fillets:
- This Cucumber Salsa recipe is bright and refreshing.
- For something colorful, borrow this pomegranate salsa from my Blackened Salmon Recipe.
- In the Mediterranean, we love zesty sauces; drizzle red snapper with Zhoug, Pesto, or Chermoula.
Perfect Red Snapper Pairings
- Make it into a fish sandwich smilar to my Egyptian Fish Sandwich recipe.
- Try it with a Mediterranean Chickpea Salad or a Caeasar Salad.
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Pan Fried Red Snapper
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets or any thin white fish fillets, skin on (thawed, if frozen)
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1 batch cucumber salsa (optional)
Instructions
-
Make the spice rub. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, coriander, paprika, Aleppo pepper, and garlic powder. Place the flour on a small plate.
-
Season and dredge the snapper. Pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and black pepper. Rub the flesh with the spice mixture, then dredge the fish in the flour on both sides, gently shaking to remove the excess.
-
Sear skin-side down. In a large nonstick pan set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. If necessary, add more, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the fish fillets skin side down. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute on medium-high, while gently pressing down the fillets with a slotted fish spatula (this will help prevent curling). Lower the heat to medium and allow the fish to cook for another 3 minutes or so, until the skin turns crispy and golden brown.
-
Flip and cook. Turn the fish over to the flesh side and let it finish cooking, 45 to 90 seconds, depending on thickness. Your fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork.
-
Finish and serve. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and squeeze a lemon wedge or two all over. Serve immediately with the rest of the lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- No snapper? Try this method with any thin, skin-on fish fillets including branzino, or even tilapia—just make sure the fillets are dry before cooking for the best crisp texture.
Nutrition
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