I love this super flavorful red snapper recipe made with pan-fried snapper and a spicy tomato, olive, and herb sauce. This easy fish recipe is quick to make and full of flavor!
I love how fresh, light, and zesty this snapper recipe is. It’s also all made in one pan, which is always a win in our book. The fish is cooked simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, we make a quick pan sauce with tomatoes, olives, citrus zest, and red pepper flakes to make it a bit spicy.
I love serving this snapper dish with a side of bread or flatbread to scoop up all that incredible sauce. I love homemade focaccia or these easy flatbreads, which only take 30 minutes to make!
Key Ingredients
- Snapper: I used a red snapper fillet for this recipe. Snapper has a mildly sweet and delicate taste. However, some snapper stocks may be overfished, so I encourage you to check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website for sustainable options in your area. The good news is that you can easily substitute any firm white fish, like tilapia, Pacific halibut, Pacific cod, or black cod (sablefish), for the snapper in this recipe.
- Shallot, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes: These three ingredients form the flavorful base of our tomato sauce. I prefer shallots for their mild sweetness, but you can also use yellow or sweet onions.
- Citrus Zest: I use a microplane to add lemon and orange zest to the sauce. The combination of orange, olives, and tomato is simply irresistible!
- Olives: I toss in Kalamata olives for their briny, salty bite. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can use green Castelvetrano olives, which are buttery and delicate.
- Tomatoes: While fresh tomatoes work well, I usually opt for canned diced tomatoes for convenience. If you have fire-roasted canned tomatoes on hand, they’ll add even more depth of flavor.
- Herbs: I always finish this dish with a handful of fresh herbs to enhance the taste. I used parsley, dill, and chives in our photos, but mint or cilantro would also be delicious.
How to Make Snapper with Spicy Tomato Sauce
I keep the fish preparation simple and let the spicy tomato sauce be the star of the dish. The trick is to season the snapper fillets with salt and pepper, then pan-fry them until they are almost cooked in the middle.
I remove the fish from the pan before it’s fully cooked, then make the sauce in the same pan. Once the sauce is ready, I nestle the pan-fried snapper back into the pan, allowing it to finish cooking in the flavorful sauce. This technique keeps the fish moist and helps it absorb all those incredible flavors.
For more easy fish recipes, see our easy baked trout, maple soy glazed salmon, and this swordfish recipe with lime.
Easy Seared Snapper
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
I love this easy snapper recipe with pan-seared fillets, spicy tomato, and olive sauce. If you cannot find a sustainable red snapper, substitute it with another firm white fish (see tips below for suggestions). The search feature from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch is very helpful in determining the best, most sustainable choices when it comes to seafood.
You Will Need
1 pound (450g) red snapper fillets, see tips for substitutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 large shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you want the sauce
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, try a combination of parsley, dill, and chives
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
1Season both sides of the snapper fillet with salt and pepper.
2Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the olive oil. Then, carefully place the seasoned fillet in the hot oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. The fish should be slightly undercooked in the center. Transfer the snapper to a plate.
3Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.
4Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
5Add the lemon zest, orange zest, olives, and canned diced tomatoes with their juices to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6Stir in the herbs and taste the sauce. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
7Gently nestle the snapper fillets back into the sauce, spooning some sauce over the top. Cook until the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
8Transfer the snapper and sauce to a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges and additional herbs.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Snapper alternatives: This recipe works well with any firm white fish. Try tilapia, Pacific halibut, Pacific cod, and black cod (sablefish).
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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I stumbled across your blog through other blogs, and I made this recipe for my parents one night. Let me tell you what… they LOVED it… so did I!!! I’ve made it 3 times since. I did make a few adjustments though: I used salmon instead of snapper (it was on sale at the grocery store.) And, I threw in some cooked shrimp as well. We made a pot of couscous, and used that as a “bed” to put the fish and tomato mixture on top of. YUM!!! Keep the good recipes coming! 🙂
Jenny, We are SO glad you enjoyed it! My mother just made it for the first time two nights ago and had some leftover, she then ate the rest last night and said it tasted even better. Thanks so much for commenting, we truly appreciate the feedback! Oh, and salmon instead of the snapper would be wonderful!
Just wondering what type of Snapper you used? Red Snapper is severely overfished so you should stick with something like Yellowtail Snapper.
Megan, thank you so much for your comment! We bought our snapper from our local store, which does attempt to provide more sustainable options (I believe this was yellow, not green). You (rightly so) reminded us how important is it to really understand what we are buying no matter who we are buying it from. Alternatives to Snapper in this dish are as follows: Halibut (Pacific), Pacific Cod, Pacific Black Cod (Sablefish) and even Striped Bass.