This Crispy Pan-Seared Whole Red Snapper is one of the easiest and most flavorful whole fish recipes you'll ever try. No oven, No Grill, just a stovetop, and you’ll get beautifully crispy skin, flaky flesh, and juicy, well-seasoned fish every single time.
Recipe Highlights
🕒 Quick & Easy: Done in under 20 minutes. No oven, no grill required.
🔥 Pan Seared Perfection: Crispy skin, flaky inside, cooked right on the stovetop.
🍽️ Perfect Pairings: Serve with coconut rice, plantains, or pepper sauce.
💯 Perfect for family dinners, casual weeknights, summer cookouts without a grill, and impressing guests with minimal effort.
Growing up, this no-oven fish recipe method was inspired by my grandma on days when we didn't have enough oil, and, of course, we didn't have any fancy equipment. Grandma made use of what she had to make a whole fish for dinner. Trust me, pan-fried fish turns out super crispy every time.
If you prefer using fish fillets or steaks, this easy and juicy pan-seared fish fillet recipe or crispy pan-seared fish steak is worth trying.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No Oven or Grill needed: You need just a stovetop and a good pan. No traditional deep-frying in hot oil is required.
- Quick and Easy: Ready in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
- Flavor-packed: Uses pantry herbs and spices to achieve deep, earthy flavors.
- Restaurant-style at home: Crispy skin, flaky inside, and saucy, with a hint of lemon butter sauce.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Whole Red Snapper: Cleaned, gutted, and pat-dried.
- Fish seasoning: Always opt for low-sodium or low-salt options to avoid excessive salt.
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Butter and oil
- Lemon juice
- Paprika
- Salt, bouillon powder, and black pepper to taste
Check the recipe card below for detailed ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use tilapia, sea bream, branzino (sea bass), trout, or mackerel. Cooking times for whole fish depend on their thickness. Branzino may need only like 4 minutes per side.
- Chili flakes or powder, hot sauce for a kick of heat.
- You can use ginger or garlic paste to marinate the fish.
- For the sauce, white wine and coconut are perfect options.
- Cajun, sazon, and adobo seasoning can be used as substitutes for the fish seasoning.
- No powder Bouillon? Use liquid bouillon or soy sauce for the umami flavour.
How to make Crispy Pan-Seared Whole Red Snapper
- Prep the fish: Gut, rinse thoroughly with a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and water. Pat dry with paper towels. Score the fish, making 2-3 diagonal cuts on both sides.
- Make the Seasoning: Mix the seasonings in a bowl. Reserve some seasoning for the sauce.
- Season Generously: Sprinkle and rub all over the fish, into the cuts, belly, cavity, and all surfaces.
- Pan Sear: Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sear 5-7 minutes per side, flipping with a spatula. Internal temp should be 145°F (63°C). Remove and set aside.
- Make the sauce: Melt the butter, add lemon juice, water, and reserved seasoning, and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Return the fish to the pan and baste with the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the fish dry to make the skin crispy.
- Score deep enough for quick and even cooking. Also, for the seasonings to penetrate.
- Use a spatula or a pair of tongs to flip the fish, ensuring it doesn't break.
- Let the fish sear untouched for 4–5 minutes. It will naturally release from the pan when it's ready to flip.
- Use a nonstick pan, stainless steel pan, or a cast-iron pan to pan-sear the fish. Allow the pan to be well-heated.
- Allow the fish to rest for 2-3 minutes, allowing the juices to redistribute before serving.
Serving Suggestion
- Pair with Puff Puff for a fun, African twist, great for dipping into that buttery lemon sauce.
- Turn it into a surf-and-turf plate by serving with your Easy Baked Lamb Chops for a celebratory family dinner.
- Complement your Easy Baked Tilapia with a second fish option to cater to guests who are picky eaters.
- Serve with crispy garlic herb roasted potatoes, baguettes, or crispy potato wedges.
Recipe FAQs
Start with a hot pan, use a high-smoke-point oil, and ensure the fish skin is dry before cooking
5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness
5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness
It should reach 145°F, and the flesh should flake easily with a fork.
Not quite, but this recipe mimics the flavor and texture of grilled fish using just a pan!
More Fish Recipes to Try
If you tried this pan seared red snapper recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Crispy Pan-Seared Whole Red Snapper
Equipment
- Turner sppon tongs
Ingredients
- 2 Whole Red snapper Medium sizes
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Fish Seasoning No or Low Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 3 tablespoon Cooking oil
For the Sauce
- 4 tablespoon Butter
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 2 teaspoon mixed seasoning from above
- Fresh Parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the fish with a mixture of lemon, vinegar, and water. Pat dry with paper towels/
- Use a sharp knife to score each fish 2–3 times on each side (about ½-inch deep cuts).
- Mix all the dry seasonings in a small bowl and rub them all over the fish, including the cuts, belly cavity, and all surfaces. Save 2 teaspoon of the seasoning for later.
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (shimmering), gently place the fish in the pan skin-side down. Sear for 4–5 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a spatula or tongs.
- The fish is ready when the skin is crispy and browned, and the internal temperature reaches 145°F or the flesh flakes easily with a fork. Remove and set aside.
- In a small pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add lemon juice, fresh parsley, water, and the reserved two teaspoons of seasoning, and simmer for 1–2 minutes.
- Bring the fish back into the pan and baste it with the sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve on a plate. Drizzle the sauce all over it.
Video
Notes
- Don’t skip drying the fish — moisture prevents crisping.
- Score deep enough, but not through the bone. This helps even cooking and seasoning penetration.
- Use a fish spatula or two spatulas to flip without breaking the skin.
- Works great with other whole fish, such as tilapia, sea bream, or trout.
- Add pepper sauce on the side for extra heat if serving Caribbean-style.
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Claudy says
No oven, No Grill, No air fryer. Just a pan on the stovetop. Turns out flaky and crispy everytime. Isn't this amazing? Save this recipe. So good!