This quick and flavorful recipe for Oven Baked Snapper with Key Lime Butter Sauce only takes 25 minutes to make. This is the fastest way to make a blackened fish dinner with an easy sauce that your friends and family will love!
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What is Snapper?
The term 'snapper' typically refers to various species of fish found in warm waters. Known for its mild flavor and firm texture, snapper is a popular choice in seafood cuisine.
The body style of snapper can vary somewhat but they all have notoriously strong mouths full of very sharp teeth and are known to actively snap their jaws shut repeatedly when out of the water as a defense mechanism. Most of snapper identification is achieved by looking at body shape and body and fin colors and patterns which may change somewhat from juveniles to adults.
Source: Coastal Angler Magazine
What Is The Best Kind of Snapper To Eat?
The best kind of snapper to eat depends on availability. Some popular varieties include:
- Red Snapper: Known for its firm texture and sweet, nutty flavor, red snapper is widely enjoyed in various cuisines, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico region.
- Yellowtail Snapper: Known for its delicate, mild flavor and tender flesh. It's commonly found in the Caribbean and Florida.
- Mangrove Snapper: Mangrove snapper has a slightly stronger flavor compared to other snapper species, with a moderately firm texture.
- Mutton Snapper: Lane snapper has white flesh and a mild, sweet flavor.
The fresher the fish is, the better!
Yellowtail fish is plentiful in the Keys, so I cook a lot of it. Whether you have Red Snapper, Yellowtail, Mangrove Snapper, or Mango Snapper (or if you catch or buy them), they will all work with this recipe.
Other white fish such as Hogfish and Tripletail work well with this recipe.
For thicker fish like Grouper and Swordfish, bake or roast the fish until it flakes easily, about 10 minutes per inch.
How To Season Snapper
This yellowtail fish is seasoned with Homemade Blackened Seasoning. I prepare a jarful of this spicy spice mixture and use it in many of our seafood dishes.
Blackened or Blackening seasoning is a flavorful spice blend commonly used in Cajun and Creole cuisine. This technique involves coating fish or meat with a mixture of herbs and spices, followed by cooking it in a hot, cast-iron skillet.
The spices are paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. The recipe is below on the recipe card. Mix the spices and taste a bit of it. Add more cayenne pepper if you want a spicy dish.
Alternatively, you can use Old Bay seasoning or a sprinkle of jarred Italian seasoning. Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic and Old Bay (original flavor) are available at most grocery stores and should be stocked at your local fish market.
In a pinch, plain old salt and pepper works too!
What You Need
- Skinless Yellowtail fish fillets (or other thin white fish fillets)
- Blackened seasoning, Old Bay, or jarred Italian seasoning
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh parsley or basil
- Key limes, limes, or lemons
- Salt and black pepper
See the recipe card for the full recipe.
How to Make Blackened Fish
Snappers are quick-cooking fish so everything should be made (the sauce, sides, etc.) before cooking the fish. For other fish, the cooking time will vary due to various factors such as freshness and weight of the fillets.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, with the rack in the center of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse the fish and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place the fish on the pan and season both sides with a little salt and pepper.
- Lightly brush the fish with olive oil and then season with a teaspoon or so of blackened seasoning.
- Roast the snapper for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. There is no need to flip it.
- While the fish is cooking, heat the butter, key lime juice, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan.
- Once the fish turns golden brown and flakes easily with a fork, remove the pan from the oven.
- Plate the fish and spoon the melted herb butter over each fillet.
- Serve hot, garnished with sliced key limes or lemon slices.
Your fish will be cooked through to an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
What To Serve With Baked Fish
This dish was served with Jasmine rice. I took the seasonings from the fish and added them to a bowl of white rice.
I cooked a cup of Jasmine rice and seasoned the warm rice with key lime zest, chopped parsley, a little warm butter sauce, and flaky sea salt.
You can also try some of our side dish recipes. I love Lemon Asparagus Rice with seafood.
TropicalΒ Mango Pico de Gallo, is a great tasting and refreshing side, especially with blackened fish. Also, a cold salad like this Chickpea Cucumber Salad would be easy to combine and serve with blackened fish.
Some of the easiest sides for fish are steamed green beans, boiled potatoes with butter, steamed rice, green salad with citrus vinaigrette, and all of theseΒ Roasted Vegetable RecipesΒ are easy to make.
How To Reheat Fish
I try to make big dinners every day so I have leftovers the next day and yellowtail is one of my favorites.
I like to reheat last night's dinner in a 10" skillet over moderate heat. It takes 5 minutes.
Although convenient, microwaving is okay, but be sure to remove the food from its plastic container or you'll be eating plastic. Yikes!
Takeaway
Prepare a delectable Oven-Baked Snapper with this quick and tasty recipe that only takes 20 minutes. Infused with a homemade blackened seasoning and a luscious buttery sauce, this snapper meal promises a burst of fantastic flavors.
Blackened snapper promises a blend of flavors, with the key lime butter sauce adding that extra touch. It is one of the best ways to cook snapper. Quick and easy to prepare, it's perfect for midweek meals. Make extra and pack it for lunch!
If you love blackened seafood, make sure to check out our comprehensive list of the Best Blackened Seafood Recipes!
FAQ
The cayenne pepper brings the seasoning its heat. You can control the spiciness of the blackened seasoning according to your taste preferences.
Yes, you can! While yellowtail snapper is recommended for this recipe, other snapper varieties or even similar white fish like grouper or mahi can be used.
Blackened seasoning is a flavorful spice blend typically used in Cajun and Creole cuisine. You can make it at home by combining paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
Cook the snapper for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the fish easily flakes with a fork. Cooking times will vary based on the thickness of the fillets
Absolutely! The cayenne pepper brings the seasoning its heat. You can control the spiciness of the blackened seasoning according to your taste preferences.
The best sides for yellowtail fish are steamed green beans, grilled pineapple, boiled potatoes with butter, steamed rice, mango salsa, and roasted vegetables are all easy to make.
"π Recipe"
Oven Baked Snapper with Key Lime Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 2-3 skinless and boneless snapper fillets, about ΒΎ of a pound
- 2 teaspoons blackened seasoning (see below for recipe) or Old Bay, or jarred Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- lemon wedges or key lime slices for garnish
FOR THE SAUCE
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 minced garlic clove
- ΒΌ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, or slivered basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons juice from 2 or 3 key limes (sub lemon or lime juice)
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400β, with the rack in the center of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Place the fish on the pan and season both sides with a little salt and pepper. Lightly brush the fish with olive oil and then season with a teaspoon or so of blackened seasoning.
- Bake the snapper for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. There is no need to flip it.
- While the fish is cooking, heat the butter, lime or lemon juice, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan.
- Once the fish turns golden brown and flakes easily with a fork, remove the pan from the oven.
- Plate the fish and spoon the melted herb butter over each fillet. Serve hot, garnished with sliced key limes or lemon slices.
Notes
- Β 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- Β½Β teaspoonΒ onion powder
- 1Β teaspoonΒ garlic powder
- ΒΌ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more if you want it spicy)
- Β½Β teaspoonΒ dried thyme
- Β½Β teaspoonΒ dried oregano
- 1 Β½Β teaspoonsΒ salt
- Β½Β teaspoonΒ ground black pepper
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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