Easy Pan-Seared Red Snapper

Name: Easy Pan-Seared Red Snapper
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs red snapper skinless fillets (½ inch thick or less; if fillets are thicker, see my tips. ); 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning; 1 teaspoon lemon pepper; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 1 tablespoon butter; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 1 mango (peeled and diced, about one cup); ½ cup pineapple tidbits with juice (can substitute crushed pineapple); ¼ green bell pepper (with ribs and seeds removed, chopped); ¼ red bell pepper (with ribs and seeds removed, chopped); 1 jalapeno pepper (with ribs and seeds removed, finely minced); 1 clove garlic (peeled and finely minced); 1 shallot (peeled and finely minced); 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 pinch red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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Easy Pan-Seared Red Snapper served with mango salsa is an easy restaurant-quality seafood main dish you can have on the table in 20 minutes or less. This simple and tasty red snapper recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and makes a show-stopping dinner party entrée.

The mango salsa is the crowning glory; it brightens the dish and enhances the fish’s flavor with colorful and flavorful, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Pan Seared Red Snapper fillet covered with Mango Salsa on a white plate.

Whole fresh red snapper is also a breathtakingly beautiful fish with glistening red coloring and is highly prized by sportsmen and seafood lovers alike. Of course, if you don’t have snapper, you can use any firm white fish such as another type of snapper, grouper, mahi-mahi, halibut, or even tilapia in this recipe.

Pan-Seared Red Snapper with mango salsa like my Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Grilled Grouper with Mango Salsa is an easy dish to prepare, but it does involve some chopping. The good news is that you can make the salsa a day ahead. There is only one caveat; the mango salsa is so delicious it might not last in your refrigerator until it’s time to serve it.

Ingredients – Here’s what you will need:

A red snapper fillet and ingredients to make mango salsa.

Red snapper – is one of the tastiest and most beautiful saltwater fish. You will need skinless fillets about one-half inch thick. In this recipe, you can also substitute lane snapper, yellow tail snapper, grey snapper, or mangrove snapper.
Fish seasonings – Old Bay, lemon pepper, kosher salt, and garlic powder go hand-in-hand to enhance the snapper’s mild sweet taste.
Flour – the fish fillets are lightly dusted with a coating of all-purpose flour, making them crispy on the outside and moist and flaky inside.
Olive oil – is used in the salsa and to pan-sear the fish.
Butter – combines with olive oil to give a rich buttery taste to the fish as it cooks.
Fruits and vegetables – for the mango salsa, you will need fresh or frozen mango, canned pineapple tidbits, green and red bell peppers, and jalapeno pepper.
Salsa seasonings – fresh garlic, a shallot, fresh parsley, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and ground black pepper enhance and bring all of the salsa flavors together.

See the full recipe below for quantities.

Instructions – Here’s how to make this recipe:

To make the salsa, first, chop up the mango. Then remove any seeds and ribs from the bell peppers and chop them into small pieces. Next, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño pepper and mince finely. Next, peel and finely mince the shallot and garlic and chop the parsley.

Chopped mango in a bowl with other chopped vegetables on a cutting board.

Add the mango, bell peppers, garlic, shallots, parsley, pineapple, jalapeno pepper, two tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to a bowl. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

To prepare the red snapper fillets, pat them dry with a paper towel. Season with Old Bay Seasoning, lemon pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Lightly dredge in flour. Shake off any excess.

A snapper fillet cut in half and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and butter to a large skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fillets and sauté for two to three minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. They are done when the fillets become opaque and flake easily with a fork.

To serve the pan-seared snapper, spoon a generous amount of salsa over the fish and enjoy.

A pan-seared red snapper fillet on a plate topped with mango salsa.

Frequently asked questions:

What to serve with it?

Because this dish is so quick and easy to make, I like to keep my sides simple. My first choice to serve with pan-seared snapper is always Cheese Grits.

Other sides that pair nicely include Cheesy Mashed Potato Fritters, Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Southern Collard Greens, Baked Pineapple Casserole, Southern Fried Potatoes, or my Sweet Onion Casserole. Homemade Southern Hush Puppies would round things out nicely.

What’s the nutritional value of fish?

According to the Florida Department of Health, fish, including red snapper, is high in protein low-carb, and low in calories. Fish is also an excellent source of protein, potassium, selenium, and vitamin B12. A 4-oz serving of broiled red snapper comes in at roughly 100 calories.

How to tell if fish is fresh?

Fresh fish should have a mild salty scent and firm, moist flesh. Don’t purchase fish with a strong, fishy odor or if it is mushy to the touch.

What’s the best fish to pan-sear?

With its thinner fillets, the red snapper is the perfect fish for pan-searing. Other good choices include grouper, sea bass, mahi-mahi, catfish, tilapia, flounder, halibut, and Spanish mackerel.

What does red snapper taste like?

Snapper fillets have a slight pink tinge and a mild, fresh, sweet, and salty taste. Like grouper, snapper is a popular saltwater fish with a lean, firm texture.

What’s the best way to cook red snapper?

Snapper is a very versatile fish that lends itself to any preparation method. In addition to pan-searing it, you can pan-fry it, deep-fry it, bake it in the oven, or broil it.

In addition, you can also substitute it for grouper or cod in my recipes for Blackened Grouper, Fried Grouper, Blackened Cod, Blackened Mahi Mahi, or any of my other fish recipes.

What’s the difference between pan-searing and pan-frying?

Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, pan-frying usually calls for a few more tablespoons of oil or butter. Beyond that, both pan-searing and pan-frying involve cooking food at high heat for a short period of time in a small amount of oil.

How to keep fish from sticking to the pan?

Fish fillets will naturally release from the pan when they are perfectly cooked. If you have trouble with fish sticking to your pan, make sure your pan and the oil are hot before adding the fish, shake the pan just a bit after adding the fillets, and then let them cook undisturbed until they release naturally from the pan. Then, carefully turn them over.

Recipe variations:

This recipe for pan-seared red snapper can be modified by changing the sauce used to top the fish. For example, instead of the mango salsa, you could top it with lemon caper sauce, cajun cream sauce, beurre blanc, lemon butter cream sauce, or just a plain lemon butter sauce.

This recipe calls for skinless red-snapper fillets. Whether you leave the skin on or not is an entirely personal preference. However, if you choose to leave the skin on, here are a few extra steps you should take:

Gently scrape the skin side with a butter knife blade to remove extra moisture and any remaining scales. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.
Heat the pan and oil over high heat until it is hot, add the fillets (skin side down), shake the pan slightly to make sure it isn’t sticking, and then use a fish spatula or pancake turner and press down on the fillet for a few seconds to keep it flat and prevent the skin from drawing up.
If your fillets are one-half to one-inch thick, cook them skin side down for about four to five minutes, or until they release naturally, then turn the fillets over and cook for another minute or two or until they are done.

Sharon’s tips:

The mango salsa is fabulous by itself, and you can also use it as a topping for tacos, chicken, or even a dip. I like to spread a small amount of softened cream cheese on a toasted baguette slice and top it with leftover salsa. Voila is a quick, colorful appetizer that will make your guests think you spent hours in the kitchen.
If your fillets are over half an inch thick, increase the cooking time per side by a minute or two. If the fillets are 1-inch or thicker, you must use an oven-safe skillet and finish cooking them in the oven. To do this, place the skillet containing the fish in a hot 425-degree oven for about four to five minutes to finish cooking. The safe internal temperature for cooked fish is 145 degrees F when measured with an instant-read or meat thermometer.
If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can tell if the fish is done if the flesh has turned from translucent to opaque and flakes easily.

More seafood recipes:

If you like seafood as we do, I know you will also like these quick, easy, and delicious recipes:

Here is a link If you would like to browse all of my seafood recipes.

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**This recipe was originally published in August 2015. It has been revised with expanded instructions, the addition of a FAQ section, and new photos.