How To Cook Red Snapper (7 Amazing “Do It Yourself” Recipes)

Who else loves Red Snapper!!!

Red Snapper are fun to catch, they taste amazing, and they are a type of fish that you can enjoy catching with your entire family (assuming your state doesn’t block you from catching them…)

I can still recall my very first offshore charter fishing trip where I pulled up my first red snapper from the depths, threw him on ice in an old Igloo cooler, and then had the snapper for dinner that evening.

Pretty cool experience to go from “boat-to-table” all while in my possession.

Of course, in that particular instance I did not cook the red snapper myself (I was a bit too young to be cooking back then). But knowing what I know now, I would almost always prefer to cook fish myself.

There is just something special about creating a fish dinner all by yourself and having your friends and family rave about how amazing it was. Not to mention, trying different recipes, different spices, and testing out different ways to make your taste buds zing is contagious!

And nothing says “thank you” like seeing your friends and family’s faces light up when they taste your home cooked fish, when they are asking for second helpings, and of course, if they are still talking about it the next day, you know you hit a home run!

Impress your friends and family with these 7 easy to make Red Snapper Recipes

Some of these red snapper recipes are easier than others, and some take longer than others to make (make sure to always check out both the preparation time and the cooking time), but they can all be done from home, completely DIY, and most of them have only a handful of ingredients that can be found at any local grocery store.

I hope you enjoy these red snapper recipe ideas, and I can’t wait to hear some feedback and some success stories!

Note: I have put a link to the full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions for each red snapper recipe. I have also included a video for each recipe. However, please know that not all of the videos are completely identical to the full recipe in terms of extras, toppings, sides, etc.

1. Veracruz-Style Red Snapper

The “Veracruz-style” recipe is one of the most popular and talked about red snapper recipes out there.

It is really great because you have so many options with it, not to mention it is pretty healthy (as are most of the red snapper recipes below).

You can make this recipe as spicy as you want by loading up the jalapeno peppers, or you can simmer it down a couple of spice levels for young kids. Either way, after you cook this easy DIY red snapper recipe, you will quickly understand why it is so popular.

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to cook the “Veracruz-style” Red Snapper.

2. “BBQ” Broiled Red Snapper

This red snapper recipe is for all of you that know you want to eat fish (perhaps for health reasons, your spouse or the person you are dating loves to eat fish, etc), but you just can’t seem to stomach anything that tastes remotely “fishy”.

But I can even assure even you “fish haters” that this amazing BBQ fish recipe will have you wondering why you aren’t eating fish more often.

Because if you try this BBQ red snapper and still hate eating fish, then I can only assume you also hate puppies…

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to cook the BBQ Red Snapper.

3. Cajun Style Blackened Red Snapper

This is one of my personal red snapper favorites, as I love anything with some cajun spice.

This snapper recipe is also one of those that is ideal to serve to people that do not like the “fish taste”, while also appealing to those that like fresh fish with some spice (like me).

Add in some scallops and shrimp on top of the fish (like he does in the video below) from some added Pa-POW!

You will certainly get smiles and comments from your guests after they eat this snapper dish.

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to cook the Cajun Style Red Snapper.

4. Pan-Seared Red Snapper

This is a very popular red snapper dish because it is so quick to make.

Even with the preparation and total cooking time, you can have pan-seared red snapper on a plate and ready to eat in 20 minutes flat!

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to cook the Pan Seared Red Snapper.

5. Grilled Red Snapper (Stuffing Optional)

This is my brother Luke’s favorite way to cook red snapper: Grilled

And it’s hard to argue after looking at the picture of a perfectly grilled red snapper filet.

What’s nice is you have the option to stuff the fish with the seafood filling and/or fresh vegetables, or you can simply spoon the stuffing on top of each fish fillet.”

Either way, you will love this recipe when cooked to perfection.

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to cook the Grilled Red Snapper.

6. Lemon Red Snapper with Herbed Butter

This is another family favorite because it is very simple and quick to make.

Check out these stats:

Prep: 9 minutes; Cook: 13 minutes

The amazing recipe below calls for fragrant herbed butter and roasted lemon slices to complement the sweet, nutty flavor of red snapper for a super-fresh dish. Complete the meal with colorful Sautéed Zucchini and Bell Peppers for full balanced meal.

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to cook the lemon Red Snapper with butter.

7. Whole Oven-Baked Red Snapper

I still recall my first day in Uganda. I had been traveling for a little over 30 hours with layovers to get there, and I was STARVING to say the least.

I had eaten very little on the plane, and the only thing on my mind was a cold beer and a thick burger.

But our gracious Ugandan hosts had other plans…

As I anxiously awaited my “mystery meal” (they never let us order), I saw the waiter bringing over the plates and lay each one in front of us.

And as I looked down I saw two things:

1. Rice
2. An entire fish with nothing removed

Little did I know how much I would love whole cooked fish (in that case it was Tilapia).

So although this final red snapper dish isn’t one you would serve to people that aren’t big fish lovers, it is an incredible meal that will be talked about for a long time if you serve up whole fish to big fish eaters.

Click here for the full recipe and step-by-step instructions.

Here is the video below on how to bake a whole Red Snapper.

Conclusion

Yes, it is nice to go out for dinner at a seafood restaurant and have some amazing Red Snapper cooked up for you every now and then.

But for me, and you other cooks and do it yourself-ers, there is nothing more rewarding that preparing and cooking a meal yourself.

The smiles, the thank you’s, the second helpings, and my friends and family asking me, “Where can I get that recipe” is enough to make it all well worth the time and effort.

I hope you enjoy these delicious and easy to make red snapper recipes. If you have any great snapper recipes that you would like to share, please put them (or a link to it) in the comments. If I get enough new snapper recipes in the comments, I will create a second post and give you a mention.

Thanks again.

Fish ON & Cook ON!

Joe

Related Post: “The Top 10 Red Snapper Pictures on Instagram This Week” (see them all by clicking here)

Related Video: “How to Grill Snook to Perfection” (watch it here)

P.S. – If you think your friends would like this red snapper recipe post, please share it. I would greatly appreciate it (and so will they). You Rock!