• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cooking in The Keys

  • Recipes
  • Journal
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Journal
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Follow

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Journal
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Follow

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Seafood

    Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper

    January 7, 2020 by Felice Kaufman

    fried yellowtail

    Pan-fried Yellowtail Snapper is delicious! I've breaded it with almond flour and some seasonings and then pan fried it in a little oil and butter. Yellowtail is abundant in South Florida. They are relatively small and have sweet, flaky meat and a mild taste, making them perfect for a quick pan fry.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    how to pan fry yellowtail

    How to Purchase Florida Yellowtail

    Come to the Florida Keys! What are you waiting for? You can catch your own or visit a local fish market (not the big grocery stores) to get fresh fish.

    When purchasing any fresh fish, the fish should have clear eyes and red moist fins. The fish should not smell fishy, yet it should smell like the sea.

    Yellowtail fillets should have moist, bright flesh. The tail and fins should be intact and show no signs of wear and tear. When purchasing, have the fishmonger remove the bones for you.

    yellowtail_key_largo_fisheries

    I bought this Yellowtail this morning at Key Largo Fisheries. They have an extensive selection of freshly caught wild fish, and their website boasts, "Our market has the freshest local seafood around. How local? It came right off the boat next door." It's true!

    What You Need

    fried yellowtail ingredients
    • Fresh Yellowtail
    • Almond Flour
    • Garlic Powder
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Light Olive OIl
    • Unsalted Butter
    • Lemon

    How to Pan Fry Yellowtail Snapper

    Rinse the fish and pat the fish dry with a paper towel. I've dredged the filets in almond flour and spices. If you prefer, you can use rice flour, white or brown. If you don't eat carbs, you can omit the flour and distribute the seasonings directly on the top and bottom of the fish.

    fresh_yellowtail_snapper

    Heat butter and oil on medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the fish and cook for three minutes without moving it. Flip the fish with a wide spatula, or fish turner, and continue cooking for about two minutes until golden brown.

    Be careful when flipping thin filets. A fish turner, has a wide 3" wide flexible blade that easily slides under the fish and lifts it out of the pan.

    pan-fried yellowtail
    how to cook yellowtail

    Shown here is Pan-Fried Yellowtail with Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes add a sweet touch to this dish as well as vibrant color. I have scattered fresh oregano leaves to top it off.

    What to Serve with Yellowtail

    I served this meal with steamed green beans. Roasted Broccoli with Garlic would also be a great option. You can roast the broccoli before you cook the fish.

    how to fry yellowtail

    How to Store Leftovers

    You can refrigerate your leftovers in a sealed container for one day. I don't recommend freezing.

    If you like this recipe, try These Florida Keys Favorites:

    • Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Salad
    • Seared Mahimahi with Basil Butter
    • Stone Crabs
    • Florida Keys Shrimp Cocktail
    fried yellowtail in florida keys

    Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper

    Cooking in The Keys
    Yellowtail is a sweet, flaky thin fish from the Florida Keys. This recipe cooks the fish in a combination of oil and butter and cooks up in five minutes.
    24
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Entrees, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 servings
    Calories 657 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ lb fresh Yellowtail Snapper
    • ½ cup almond flour
    • ½ teaspoon pink salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 4 tablespoon light olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2 lemons

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse fish under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.
    • On a dinner plate, combine almond flour with teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder until evenly mixed.
    • Spread flour mixture on a dinner plate. Dredge fish in flour so all sides are evenly coated. Gently shake off extra flour.
    • Heat oil and butter in a 10" or 12" skillet over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add fish in a single layer.
    • Cook fish three minutes without moving and then carefully turn over using a fish turner or wide spatula. Squeeze half a lemon over fish.
    • Cook an additional two to three minutes and carefully move to a serving plate. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

    Notes

    A 12" skillet is preferred, so you have more room to flip the fish without it breaking.
    To cook more than two filets, use 2 skillets with 4T oil and 2T butter in each. Do not reuse the oil after the first batch.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 657kcalCarbohydrates: 17.4gProtein: 30.8gTotal Fat: 55.1gSaturated Fat: 12.4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 72.1mgSodium: 659.2mgPotassium: 650.2mgFiber: 6.3gSugar: 3.7g

    Nutrition Information

    The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and it comes from online calculators. Although we try to attempt to provide accurate information, these figures are estimates only.

    Tried this recipe? Please share it!Mention @cookinginthekeys or tag #cookinginthekeys

    Pan fried Yellowtail is delicious! I've breaded it with almond flour and some seasonings and then pan fried it in a little oil and butter. Yellowtail is abundant in South Florida. They are relatively small and have sweet, flaky meat and a mild taste, making them perfect for a quick pan fry.

    « Tostones with Pink Sauce
    Chicken Salad with Grapes »

    Primary Sidebar

    felice_sundowners

    Hi! I'm Felice Kaufman. Join me on my culinary adventure in Key Largo, Florida, where I eat, cook, shop, and travel for fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, and more!

    LEARN MORE →

    Join our email list




    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Cooking in The Keys

    • About
    • Journal
    • Recipes
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Cooking in The Keys | All rights reserved