Pan-fried red snapper with panko breadcrumbs is crispy, golden, and full of flavor. This easy fish recipe is made with wild-caught red snapper, though yellowtail snapper or any mild white fish fillet works just as well.
Jump to:
- Pan Fried Red Snapper
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Best Fish for This Recipe
- How To Remove Pin Bones From Snapper
- Ingredients
- How to Prepare Fried Snapper Fillets
- What to Serve with Fried Fish
- Can I Bread The Fish Early?
- How to Reheat Crispy Breaded Fish
- Storage
- More Snapper Recipes
- FAQ
- Pan Fried Red Snapper with Panko Breadcrumbs
Pan Fried Red Snapper
Whether you have red snapper, yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, or tripletail, this is an easy way to make crispy fried fish at home. Dip the fillets in egg, coat them in panko breadcrumbs, and pan-fry them until golden brown.
The fish cooks quickly and comes out crisp on the outside and tender inside. Serve it with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, cilantro lemon rice, or a mixed garden salad.
This recipe is similar to my Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper, which is crusted with almond flour.
Panko Breadcrumbs
Panko breadcrumbs make the snapper light and crispy. They are flakier than regular breadcrumbs, so the coating fries up crunchy without covering up the flavor of the fish.
You can use plain panko or seasoned panko. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
Best Fish for This Recipe
This recipe works with almost any mild white fish fillet. The timing depends more on thickness than the type of fish.
Thin fillets like yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, hogfish, grunts, and pompano cook quickly and stay sweet and tender.
Firmer fillets like red snapper, mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, and tripletail hold together well and give you a sturdier bite. Red snapper is a great choice for panko because it holds up well to the crust.
When buying fish, choose the freshest fillets you can find. Look for domestic, wild-caught fish when possible. Fresh fish should smell clean and briny, never fishy. The flesh should look firm, moist, and shiny.
If your fish is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Pat the fillets very dry before breading so the coating sticks and fries up crisp.
How To Remove Pin Bones From Snapper
Some snapper fillets have a small row of pin bones near the thickest part of the fish. Run your fingers over the fillet before cooking so you can feel where they are.
To remove them, make a shallow cut on both sides of the bone line with a sharp knife. Lift out the narrow strip with the bones attached.
This is easier to show than explain, so I included a photo below. Once the strip is removed, the fillet is ready to season, bread, and fry.
Ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients to make crispy snapper.
- Snapper: Use red snapper or another mild white fish fillet. If the fillets are large, cut them into smaller portions before breading.
- Flour: All-purpose flour or rice flour both work.
- Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder season the flour.
- Eggs: Eggs help the panko stick to the fish.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Use plain or seasoned panko. Gluten-free panko works too.
- Oil: Vegetable oil works best for frying because it gives the fish a crisp, even crust. You can also use light olive oil or avocado oil.
- For serving: Lemon wedges, tartar sauce, and chopped parsley.
How to Prepare Fried Snapper Fillets
- Pat the fish dry with paper towels. If the fillets are large, cut them into smaller pieces so they fit in the pan.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Coat each piece of fish in the flour mixture and shake off the extra.
- Dip the fish into the beaten eggs.
- Press it into the panko breadcrumbs until coated on both sides.
- Heat about ¼ inch of vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Drop in a few panko crumbs. If they sizzle right away, the oil is ready.
- Add the fish without crowding the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side, until the crust is golden brown.
- Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the fish is golden and flakes easily with a fork.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, and parsley, if using.
What to Serve with Fried Fish
Serve fried snapper with lemon wedges and a creamy sauce, such as tartar sauce or spicy mayo.
Good side dishes for fried fish:
Can I Bread The Fish Early?
Yes. You can bread the fish a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. For the crispiest fish, fry it right before serving.
How to Reheat Crispy Breaded Fish
Reheat fried fish in the oven or air fryer so the crust gets crisp again.
Heat the oven to 325°F. Place the fish on a parchment-lined baking sheet. For the best texture, set a cooling rack over the baking sheet and place the fish on the rack. This lifts the fish off the pan and lets the heat circulate around it.
Warm the fish for 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through and crisp.
You can also reheat fried fish in a preheated air fryer for about 2 minutes, or until hot and crispy.
Avoid the microwave if you can. It will soften the panko crust.
Storage
Store leftover fried snapper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Snapper Recipes
If you loved this crispy fried snapper, here are a few more ways I like to cook it:
- Pan-Fried Yellowtail Snapper: A lighter almond flour crust instead of panko.
- Air Fryer Snapper: Crispy fillets with barely any oil.
- Coconut Crusted Snapper: The same crispy idea with a golden, tropical coconut crust.
- Snapper Tacos: Turn crispy fillets into an easy taco night.
- Roasted Whole Snapper: A showstopper when you land a whole fresh red snapper or yellowtail.
- Gluten-Free Coconut Fried Shrimp: Not snapper, but the same crispy, golden coconut-panko crust.
FAQ
Use a non-stick or seasoned cast-iron skillet, and pat the fish dry with paper towels before breading. Preheat the pan and oil over medium-high heat, and use enough oil. Once the fish is in, don't move it. Let the crust set before flipping.
Red snapper has a mild, slightly sweet, nutty flavor that is not fishy at all. The meat is lean and firm with a clean taste, which is why it takes so well to a crispy panko crust. If you have had it fresh from Keys waters, you know it is one of the best mild white fish you can cook.
Yellowtail is thinner and more delicate with a sweeter flake, so it cooks fast and light. Red snapper is a larger, firmer fillet that takes a bit longer and holds up to a heavier crust. Reach for yellowtail when you want a quick, light dinner, and red snapper when you want something sturdier. Whatever you buy, fresh always beats the species, so let freshness decide.
Season the flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Panko crumbs are large, so the seasoning mixes in better with the flour.
Plan on 4 to 6 ounces of fish per person. If the fillets are large, cut them into smaller pieces before breading.
Yes. Brush the fish with a thin layer of mayonnaise, melted butter, or oil, then press it into the panko breadcrumbs. Eggs work best, but these can help the crumbs stick.
Pan Fried Red Snapper with Panko Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 1 pound snapper fillets (red snapper, yellowtail, mangrove snapper, etc.)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
- ½ cup vegetable oil for frying
- ¼ cup chopped parsley (optional garnish)
- lemon wedges and tartar sauce for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the flour with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl.
- Beat the eggs in a second shallow bowl.
- Place the panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl or plate.
- Dredge each fish fillet in the flour mixture and shake off the extra.
- Dip the fish in the egg, then press it into the panko until coated on both sides.
- Heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Drop in a few panko crumbs. If they sizzle right away, the oil is ready.
- Add the fish without crowding the pan.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, and parsley, if using.
