Blackened Red Snapper is coated in zesty, Cajun seasonings and then pan seared in butter until browned and flaky. Serve with a savory red pepper and tomato dipping sauce.
If you love bold flavors and quick seafood dinners, this blackened snapper is going to be a favorite. Our love for blackened food is sprinkled throughout this blog. My family can't resist the flavors from blackening seasonings. Add to that a really quick cooking method that guarantees a crispy crust, it's no surprise I've created many blackened recipes! Try some of these: Salmon, Chilean sea bass, Grouper, Cod and Swordfish.
Why this recipe is just so good....
- Quick and easy recipe - The fish cooks in less than 10 minutes and uses seasonings you probably have in your kitchen.
- Adaptable - Although many people love cajun seasoning, you can use many other seasoning blends.
- Flavorful sauce - The icing on the cake, so to speak, is the dipping sauce. It has the perfect blend of a little bit spicy and savory. My husband loved it so much he used the leftover on some grilled chicken the next day.
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this snapper recipe:
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
Red Snapper fillets - The most common types of fillet found in seafood markets and grocery store are the red snapper and yellowtail. They both have a sweet flavor and tender texture. Some others are: Lane and Mutton Snapper which have delicate flavors and Mangrove snapper that is a stronger tasting variety.
This recipe will be delicious with any white fish. So if you don't have snapper, you can use tilapia, cod, flounder and haddock. The cooking times will be close to each other but it is best to test with a thermometer.
Blackening Seasonings - To "blacken" food involves the cooking method of pan searing food in a hot skillet more so than the flavor. The cajun inspired seasonings can be substituted with other spice blends like:
- Lemon Pepper: lemon zest, onion, salt, pepper
- Herb seasoning: dill, parsley and Italian seasoning
- Italian seasoning: oregano, basil, garlic, onion and thyme
- Smoky Chipotle: chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cumin
- Low sodium: salt-free seasoning blend (like Mrs. Dash)
How to cook Blackened Red Snapper?
Step 1: Stir together the seasonings, rub each fillet with oil and pat top and bottom with seasoning.
Step 2: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and swirl to coat pan. Add fillets and cook for 3 minutes. Carefully flip over and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Test with thermometer to see if it registers at least 145°F. (I used a heat gun since I wanted to test the accuracy of an internal meat thermometer. It was within a few degrees of each other.)
How to make Red Pepper and Tomato sauce
Step 1: Combine chopped tomatoes, red peppers and seasonings in mini processor.
Step 2: Blend for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add olive and blend for another 1-2 minutes until fully combined. Store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Recipe Testing Tips
- Always pat the fish with paper towel to dry it. Wet fish will steam instead of searing.
- If you use frozen fillets, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and make sure there not any ice crystals. You can also defrost it in cold water. Place the packages in a bowl and fill with cold water. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Check if defrosted. If not, replace with more fresh cold water and leave it for another 15 minutes or so.
- Once fish is in the hot pan, don't move it for at least 3 minutes. Carefully slide a metal spatula underneath. The fish should have some give to it, not sticking to pan. If it is, let it cook another 1 minute and check again before trying to flip it.
What to Serve with Blackened Snapper?
The snapper cooks so quickly so I would suggest cooking the vegetables before the fish and just cover and keep warm. Try some simple steamed vegetables and a potato or cauliflower, white or brown rice. I like to saute' the rice in a skillet with a bit of olive oil and some seasonings for a minute or two for extra flavor.
You can do a quick stovetop veggie dish such as Mexican Green Beans or Marinated Broccoli. A simple light salad would be great with a fish dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Overcooking can cause fish to turn rubbery in texture. Always test the fish at the time listed. If you fish is on the thin, test 1 minute sooner. If on thicker side, test 1 minute later.
While some people like the simple flavoring of a squeeze of lemon, most of us just can't resist a dipping sauce. Here are some ideas. Garlic Sauce, Baja Sauce, Lemon Aioli, Lemon Butter Sauce, or Tartar sauce all have different buy complimentary flavors.
I wouldn't recommend cooking frozen fish since it won't cook evenly and would probably be mushy. Defrost it fully by keeping in refrigerator overnight. Or place the packaged fish in a large bowl of cold water for 45-60 minutes. After 30 minutes, refresh the cold water. Then make sure you pat the fish totally dry before adding the seasonings.
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you gave it a rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
Here are MORE seafood recipes to try:
Blackened Red Snapper with Red Pepper sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Blackened Snapper is a white fish that is coated in zesty, smoky seasonings and then pan seared in butter until browned and flakey. Serve with a savory red pepper and tomato dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 6 ounce snapper fillets
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning *
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cayenne pepper
- lemon wedges, optional
Red Pepper Tomato Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes or other chopped tomatoes*
- ¼ cup roasted red peppers
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
1. Stir together the seasonings. Pat the fillets dry, rub each with some olive oil and press the seasonings onto the top an bottom of fish.
2. Heat a cast iron or other skillet over medium-high heat. Place butter in pan and swirl around. Place fish in skillet and cook for 3 minutes. If pan begins to smoke, turn down heat to medium or low-medium. But you do want the fish to sear on each side.
3. Don't move the fish for at least 3 minutes. Use a metal spatula and slide underneath to flip over. If the fish is sticking, let it cook another minute.
3. The snapper is done when it is golden brown and a thermometer registers at least 145°F. It should also be flaky.
Red Pepper and Tomato Dipping Sauce
- Place all ingredients except oil in a mini food processor, immersion blender, food mill or whisk.
- Blend for 1 minute. Add oil and blend another 1-2 minutes to completely combine.
- Pour into cup, cover and refrigerate until needed.
Notes
* Old Bay can be substituted for ¼ teaspoon each celery salt, paprika, chili powder and dried mustard. It won't be the exact flavor but similar.
*You can use other tomatoes instead of the cherry. Roma would be preferred since they have less seeds than beefsteak variety. Canned diced tomatoes can be used in a pinch just make sure to drain well.
*For very thin pieces of meat or fish, I like to use a digital thermometer or heat gun. It registers the temperature without sticking anything into the thin meat, which is not always accurate. But if you use a regular meat thermometer, slide it in sideways to check the fish.
*This recipe serves two. If you need to make a larger quantity, just make sure you pan sear the fish in a single layer. Don't crowd the fish and cook in batches if necessary.
*The nutrition is calculated as an estimate from Nutrifox.com allowing 3 tablespoons of sauce per fillet. Leftover sauce can be used in a salad, with vegetables or even on a sandwich. Or you could halve the recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 387
- Sodium: 698 mg
- Fat: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 6.8g
- Fiber: 2.4g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Deb Belsha says
I served this again last night and instead of the red pepper sauce, I made a simple lemon butter sauce. This fish is so versatile and was so delicious!