Roasting a whole red snapper is easy and delicious. The skin gets crisp, the inside stays juicy, and lemon and herbs bring it all together. Perfect for a simple Florida-style dinner.
Jump to:
- Oven Roasted Red Snapper Recipe
- Where To Get a Fresh Red Snapper
- Seasonings For Baked Fish
- How to Roast A Whole Fish
- What You Need
- How to Roast a Whole Red Snapper
- How Long to Bake a Red Snapper
- What Kind of Potatoes Goes with Fish?
- Leftovers and Reheating
- Stuffed Red Snapper Recipe
- Recipes from The Florida Keys
- FAQ
- Roasted Whole Red Snapper
Oven Roasted Red Snapper Recipe
The snapper of the day is the Blackfin Snapper. The Blackfin Snapper (Lutjanus buccanella) is found in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. It has a red body with a silvery-white underbelly.
Although this snapper is red, it's called a Blackfin Snapper. Its identifying feature is the black spots on its pectoral fins.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Blackfin Snapper can grow up to 30 inches in length.
Where To Get a Fresh Red Snapper
Come on down to the Keys and hop on a fishing charter. We have a lot of fish down here!
Or you can go to a reputable fish market. When buying fish, the fish should feel firm and it should smell like the ocean with clear, bright eyes and firm, shiny flesh.
Get the freshest snapper the store has.
You can use red snapper, yellowtail, mango or mangrove snapper, gray snappers, and mutton snappers, to name a few. Any type of snapper or small white fish can be used with this recipe.
Seasonings For Baked Fish
This fish is seasoned with Mediterranean-style flavors, including oregano, parsley, garlic, lemon, and olive oil.
A sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper enhances the flavor.
How to Roast A Whole Fish
Roasting a whole fish at home is easy to do. You can have your fishmonger gut and descale your fish when you purchase it.
The outside of the fish is brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and then the cavity is stuffed with herbs.
I've surrounded the fish with lemon slices, slivered onions, chili peppers and little red potatoes that bake in the same time as the pound and a half fish.
The whole stuffed fish dinner is cooked in 20 minutes. It's so easy to make, and I'm sure you'll love it as much as we do.
What You Need
If you have more than 1 snapper, or a larger snapper, simply double this recipe.
- (1½ to 2 pound) whole and gutted snapper
- Lemons
- Fresh oregano, parsley (or cilantro, basil)
- Fresh garlic
- Red onion
- Old Bay seasoning
- Small red potatoes
- Red chili peppers (optional)
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Roast a Whole Red Snapper
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C) and line a large sheet pan or 13 x 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set the rack in the center of the oven.
- Rinse the fish under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Make three deep slashes on each side of the fish.
- Smash the garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife, peel and trim. Chop coarsely.
- Mix the garlic with the fresh oregano, parsley, Old Bay, a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and a tablespoon of oregano leaves with one tablespoon of olive oil, one teaspoon of salt, and some black pepper.
- Brush or rub olive oil on the outside of the fish. Season with salt and pepper inside and outside the fish.
- Stuff the inside of the fish with the garlic-oregano mixture.
- Insert a few lemon slices, red onion, and a few sprigs of fresh herbs over the garlic oregano mixture in the cavity of the fish.
- Place the fish on the sheet pan. Arrange the potatoes, onions, and lemons (face down) around the fish.
- Roast for 20 minutes, without turning, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Transfer the fish to a serving platter. Scatter the potatoes, onions, and lemons around the fish. Garnish the fish with flaky sea salt and lemon wedges.
How Long to Bake a Red Snapper
A one-and-a-half-pound stuffed fish takes about 20 minutes to cook through. The internal temperature should reach 145 °F (63 °C) with an instant-read meat thermometer, and the flesh will be white and opaque when finished.
When the fish is cooked through, the flesh will flake when you drag a fork through it. There shouldn't be any resistance. If there is, or the fish is not white and still translucent, roast another 10 minutes or so.
For a larger fish, increase the cooking time proportionally. Cook fish for 10 minutes per inch of thickness at the thickest part at 400°F (200°C).
For example, if your 1.5-pound fish took 20 minutes, a 3-pound fish will take around 40 minutes.
What Kind of Potatoes Goes with Fish?
If you have larger russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peel them and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Season them the same way as the whole little red potatoes.
- I'm using Tiny Red Potatoes, to roast alongside the snapper to make this a complete fish dinner in one pan.
- Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Roasted Russet Potatoes
- Poached Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Leftovers and Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheat leftover fish and potatoes in a small skillet with a little olive oil until heated through.
To reheat a whole fish, wrap the fish in aluminum foil and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Stuffed Red Snapper Recipe
This red snapper sheet pan meal is extraordinary! Roasting snapper on a sheet pan makes for an easy meal with minimal cleanup.
A Florida native, blackfin snapper is stuffed with seasonings, including lemon, oregano, parsley, Old Bay, and olive oil.
Little red potatoes, sliced red onions, and red chili peppers are seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and scattered around the fish.
Bake the fish in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes until the flesh easily flakes when pierced with a fork.
Enjoy this healthy delicious dish for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
For more Florida seafood recipes, visit Florida Keys Seafood and explore easy ways to cook fresh local fish at home.
Recipes from The Florida Keys
Make sure to try our Key Lime Pie for a refreshing taste of the Keys!
- Best Snapper Recipes
- Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi
- Crispy Pan-Fried Mahi Mahi
- Oven Baked Snapper Fillets with Key Lime Butter Sauce
- Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Air Fryer Snapper with Old Bay and Veggies
- Fresh Yellowtail Sandwich
When you're visiting us in The Keys, stop by the Hogfish Bar & Grill in Stock Island (Key West) for a great Grilled Red Snapper!
FAQ
Blackfin snapper is so good to eat. It has a mild, sweet flavor and it's definitely not fishy! It can be cooked by grilling, baking, roasting whole, and frying.
For a whole fish with bones, figure about 1 pound per person. This accounts for the weight of the bones, other inedible parts.
Yes, you can use frozen snapper. Make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
Vegetables like fresh cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, yellow onions, can all be chopped and scattered around the fish. If you have fresh zucchini or frozen vegetables, roast them in a different pan so it isn't wet.
Red snapper has a mild, clean flavor with a firm, flaky texture. It takes well to simple seasoning, so you can go in a few directions. Try Old Bay, lemon pepper, or a Cajun blackened blend. It all works.
Serve red snapper with your favorite sides. White rice, steamed potatoes, or a fresh salad all work well. A little melted butter and lemon on the side pulls the whole meal together.
Roasted Whole Red Snapper
Ingredients
- 1 1½ to 2-pound red snapper, scaled and gutted (or any other 2 pound white fish)
- 2-3 lemons
- ½ cup fresh herbs such as oregano and parsley
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 small red onion sliced thin, about ½-cup
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 12 ounces small red potatoes (2 cups)
- 3 red chili peppers (optional)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- flaky sea salt optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large sheet pan or 13 x 9-inch baking dish or with parchment paper. Set the rack in the center of the oven.
- Rinse the fish under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Make three deep slashes on each side of the fish.
- Smash garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife, peel and trim. Chop coarsely.
- Mix the garlic with the fresh oregano, parsley, Old Bay, a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with one tablespoon of olive oil, one teaspoon of salt, and some black pepper.
- Brush or rub olive oil on the inside and outside of the fish. Season with salt and pepper, in and out.
- Stuff the inside of the fish with the garlic-oregano mixture, lemon slices, and red onion.
- Roast for 20 minutes, without turning, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Transfer the fish to a serving platter. Scatter the potatoes, onions, and lemons around the fish. Garnish the fish with flaky sea salt.
Tanya says
This fish was moist and so good. We loved it thanks so much.
TANYA says
HEY-IM IN MARATHN FOR THE WEEK. I JUST PRINTED THIS FOR TOMORROW. WE'RE GOING FISHING IN THE MORNING. THANKS!
Felice Kaufman says
Hope you have a great day at sea! Send pictures! ❤️
Tanna says
I love this fish ❤️🦀🌴