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    Home » Seafood

    Pan-Seared Red Snapper

    Published: Feb 26, 2021 · Modified: May 28, 2022 · 21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    This delicious pan-seared red snapper is made with fish seared in butter and oil, and then served with a lemon and caper pan sauce.

    pan-seared red snapper on plates

    Two years ago, my husband and I had a pretty incredible chance to go to the Bahamas and help volunteer with storm clean-up.

    After long days of clean-up work and construction, we were hungry. No, I take that back. We were HUNGRY.

    And guys, we ate so much yellowtail snapper and red snapper in the Bahamas!

    It was my first time eating this tasty fish, and while I’m sure the ocean breeze made the snapper taste even more incredible, I’m also positive that it was, in fact, absolutely delicious.

    We had snapper at a Bahamian fish fry, fried snapper cooked by friends and (of course!) pan-seared snapper.

    When we got home, I found myself wanting more snapper! But snapper isn’t really something you can find easily at a grocery store in Kentucky.

    So, when I had a chance to order some frozen red snapper from a special “Gulf of Mexico” seafood box from Sitka Salmon Shares, I jumped at it!

    When the snapper arrived, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

    This pan-seared red snapper is cooked using the same French searing technique I use with other white fish, such as pan-seared halibut and hake. It’s served with an easy lemon caper sauce, and is so good that you’ll wish you had an endless supply of snapper!

    Want more East-coast seafood inspiration? Try making a grouper Reuben, grilled sea scallops with bourbon sauce and blackened shrimp and grits.

    What Does Red Snapper Taste Like?

    Red snapper, and actually, most varieties of snapper, are firm, meaty white fish.

    The flavor is sweet, nutty and mild, making it perfect with lots of different recipes.

    What If I Can’t Find Red Snapper?

    You can use any other variety of snapper or any firm white fish in this recipe.

    It works well with halibut and rockfish.

    How to Prepare the Snapper Fillets

    This recipe assumes your fish is already cleaned and filleted.

    Start by patting the fish dry.

    Dust the fillets with flour and season with a little salt and pepper. If you avoid gluten, you can swap an all-purpose gluten-free flour here, such as Cup 4 Cup and it will work perfectly.

    Dust Snapper with Flour
    Dust Snapper with Flour

    How to Pan-Sear Red Snapper

    Start by adding butter and oil to a heavy pan. I like to use this Lodge 12″ carbon steel skillet.

    When the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add the fish to the pan.

    Place Fish in Hot Pan
    Place Fish in Hot Pan

    Set a timer for four minutes, and avoid touching the fish as it cooks.

    After four minutes, use a thin metal spatula to test the fish. I use this Wusthof fish spatula, but I’ve heard great things about this Toadfish fish spatula.

    When the fish easily releases from the hot pan, it’s ready to flip. Flip the fish and top the fillets with a little more butter.

    Flip Snapper + Top with Butter
    Flip Snapper + Top with Butter

    Cook the fish for about four more minutes and then remove it from the pan.

    Make the Lemon Caper Pan-Sauce

    Add a little lemon juice and capers to the hot pan, and stir, stir, stir with a wooden spoon.

    Scrape up any bits of fish stuck to the pan. Add some fresh herbs to the pan.

    Serve the pan-seared red snapper along with the caper pan sauce. I like to serve the snapper along with garlic cauliflower mash and a green bean salad.

    pan-seared red snapper on plates
    pan-seared red snapper on plates
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    4.97 from 31 votes

    Pan-Seared Red Snapper

    This delicious pan-seared red snapper is made with fish seared in butter and oil, and then served with a lemon and caper pan sauce.
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time2 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time12 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: French
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 306kcal
    Freezer Friendly?

    No

    Will It Keep?

    No

    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces red snapper (2 fillets) Or swap other varieties of snapper (such as yellow)
    • 1 tablespoon flour Use gluten-free AP flour if needed
    • pinch salt, pepper
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon butter, divided
    • 1 lemon, juiced
    • 1 tablespoon capers
    • small handful fresh herbs (such as fresh rosemary, chives, or oregano)

    Instructions

    • Pat snapper fillets dry.  Dust with flour, and shake off any excess.  Sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper.
      Prepare a heavy pan with the olive oil and 1 TB butter. Heat on medium-high until butter is melted but not browned, then turn the heat down to medium.
      Dust Snapper with Flour
    • Place the fillets in the pan and cook about 4 minutes. Don't touch the fillets until they're ready to flip.
      Use a thin metal spatula to test the fish.  If you can slide the spatula under the fish without the fish sticking to the pan, it's ready to flip. If the fillets won't release, give them another 30 seconds. They'll release when they've finished cooking.
      After flipping, divide the remaining 1 TB butter over both fillets.
      Place Fish in Hot Pan
    • Cook fish another 3-4 minutes until done. Fish will be golden on both the top and bottom and opaque all the way through when finished cooking.
      Transfer the fish to plates, leaving the excess butter in the pan. Cover fish to keep warm, or set fish in a 200ºF oven.
      Flip Snapper + Top with Butter
    • Reduce heat to medium.  Add the lemon juice and capers, and stir with a wooden spoon. Add half the herbs and stir again. 
      Serve fish hot with pan sauce and remaining herbs.
      Add Lemon Juice, Capers, + Herbs to Pan

    Nutrition

    Calories: 306kcal (15%) | Carbohydrates: 8g (3%) | Protein: 24g (48%) | Fat: 20g (31%) | Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg (24%) | Sodium: 293mg (13%) | Potassium: 557mg (16%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 488IU (10%) | Vitamin C: 31mg (38%) | Calcium: 56mg (6%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
    « Pesto Mac and Cheese
    Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon Risotto »

    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made this
    1. Michael

      December 18, 2021 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is a simple but awesome recipe for this delicate white fish. If you can get your hands on fresh red snapper this is the way to prepare it. I did add a little white wine to the caper sauce. Delicious

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        December 19, 2021 at 1:30 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it, and the wine in the caper sauce sounds great. Thanks for letting us know!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    2. Max Schoenholtz

      March 06, 2022 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      What you’re describing sounds like my flounder piccata. If I can ever find snapper, I will use that! It’s YUMMY!

      Reply
    3. Carol

      April 07, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh! Best fish we’ve ever had! We picked it up today at the local fish store and got the whole fillet, over 1#. Was afraid of using the cast iron skillet (feared it would stick) so used a large teflon pan. Just the two of us, there is one serving left! Thank you, thank you!

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        April 08, 2022 at 11:28 am

        That’s great!! Thanks so much for letting us know!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
        • David A Blais

          December 17, 2022 at 6:54 pm

          5 stars
          No capers. Fried some jalepeno slices in the oil. Used french thyme in the oil. My wife loved it.

          Reply
          • Alisha Trenalone

            December 18, 2022 at 1:36 pm

            Great! Glad it was a success, your additions sound delicious.

            -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

            Reply
    4. Donald

      April 30, 2022 at 11:07 pm

      5 stars
      I used this recipe exactly as written for a piece of Yellowtail (Jack.) It was delicious. The only fresh herb that I had in my garden was Rosemary, so I used that in the sauce. So glad I found this simple recipe. I usually broil my fish but I’ve been having trouble getting my method dialed in on a new stove. I live just a few minutes from where the fishermen unload their catch in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico so I have access to a variety of extremely fresh fish.

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        May 01, 2022 at 7:52 pm

        Thanks for letting us know! So glad you enjoyed it!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    5. Deborah

      June 05, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe!! Thanks for sharing. My husband said it tasted like a 5 star chef made the fish. Thanks

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        June 06, 2022 at 12:57 pm

        That’s awesome, Deborah! Thanks for letting us know!!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    6. Patty

      June 26, 2022 at 11:14 pm

      4 stars
      Excellent! doubled the recipe for friends. Did not use fresh herbs. It was perfect. Will definately make this again and again. Living on the South Texas Gulf Coast this wonderful fish is readily available in the hot summer months. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        June 27, 2022 at 12:56 pm

        Glad you enjoyed!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    7. Jennifer

      June 29, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      We made this last and the entire family loved it!! This one will be on routine!

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        June 30, 2022 at 2:05 pm

        So happy you loved it! Thanks for letting us know!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    8. Anne Marie

      July 08, 2022 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      I made this for my husband and son, and they both loved it. Will definitely make it again. I followed the recipe exactly, except it took several minutes longer for the fish to cook all the way through, perhaps I had thicker fillets. I used fresh oregano and rosemary from my garden, they added the perfect touch of flavor and color. Thank you for the recipe!!

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        July 08, 2022 at 11:57 am

        Hi Anne Marie! So glad you loved the recipe! It’s true, cook times can vary depending on the thickness of the fillets (and, I’ve found, even the type of stove). The herbs you used sound wonderful on this. Thanks for letting us know!

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    9. Sam Rogers

      August 26, 2022 at 10:48 pm

      5 stars
      Used this recipe today. My first time cooking red snapper. The results were magnificent. Cooking time is very important. I will try it on guest next time.

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        August 27, 2022 at 12:52 pm

        So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know.

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply
    10. Wanda

      September 18, 2022 at 8:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight-OMG, I will be dreaming about eating the rest tomorrow. This was so good!! I prepared the fish, used salt substitute instead but the rest of the recipe as written. Thanks for this amazing recipe.

      Reply
      • Alisha Trenalone

        September 19, 2022 at 12:54 pm

        Fantastic! Thanks for letting us know, glad you loved it 😍

        -Alisha at Champagne Tastes

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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