My Blackened Red Snapper with fresh fruit salsa and lime margarita sauce will simply blow you away! The big, bold flavors of the cajun seasoning, tempered with the fruit salsa and margarita sauce, make this restaurant-quality dish a culinary masterpiece!
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If you’re looking for a red snapper recipe that’s easy to make and will seriously impress your friends and family,
During my restaurant days, blackening fish like Red Snapper was a favorite of my guests. Adding my Lime Margarita Sauce made it even more delicious.
Ingredients to make Blackened Red Snapper
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Cajun Style Florida Snapper. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
What other types of fish can I use for this dish?
If you don’t like snapper or simply can’t find it at your grocery store, there are many types of fish you can use instead of snapper.
- Grouper
- Rockfish
- Mahi-Mahi
- Halibut
you can always use your personal favorite if it’s not listed, but I would stay away from steak-style fish, such as tuna and swordfish. Tilapia and Flounder would work, but the white fish fillets are more delicate, and they would have a tendency to break apart.
How to make Blackened Red Snapper
- Trim the snapper fillets if needed, and rinse them in cold water. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels.
- Mix the Cajun seasoning with cracker meal and brown sugar.
- Press one side of the snapper fillets into the seasoning mixture, coating the fillet evenly. Make sure you get enough of the spice mixture on the snapper.
- High heat is necessary to properly blacken the snapper. When the saute pan is hot and add just enough olive oil to keep the snapper from sticking.
- Carefully place fish fillets, seasoned side down, into the pan.
- Allow the fillets to cook undisturbed until the coating has browned, then turn to sear the other side of the fish.
Remove the seared snapper from the pan and place it in a baking dish. Add a little water to the pan to help keep the fish moist while baking.
Place the baking dish in a preheated 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
How to make fruit salsa.
Making the fruit salsa is really easy. Mix the diced fruit, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt together. (strawberries will soften and bleed, so if you make this ahead of time, don’t add the strawberries until serving time)
What kind of fruit can I use to make fruit salsa?
The salsa recipe can be made with a variety of fruit. Peaches, nectarines, apricots, watermelon, kiwi, and blueberries can be substituted in any combination you like.
Onions do add that salsa flavor, as well as the cilantro, but both of those could be left out if you can eat them.
Remember this is your dinner and should be made the way you like to eat!
How to make lime margarita sauce
- In a small saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and after it melts, add the brown sugar and blend well.
- Add the lime juice and tequila, and allow the alcohol in the tequila to burn off. Add in the last tablespoon of butter and allow the mixture to thicken.
**Do not overheat the sauce will break. Wait until you are ready to serve the snapper before the final heating of the margarita sauce.
Do I have to use Tequila in the sauce?
No, you don’t. If you can’t have alcohol or don’t like the taste, you can replace the tequila with apple juice, chicken or vegetable stock, or water.
If you don’t like tequila, you can replace it with rum, gin, white wine or your favorite spirit.
Then it is simply a matter of putting the dish all together and serving it with rice or your favorite grain along with the vegetable of your choice. And you’ve got a restaurant-style dinner at a fraction of the cost of dining out!
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Blackened Salmon with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
- Pan Seared Halibut
- How to Poach Mahi-Mahi (or your favorite fish)
- Grilled Atlantic Rockfish
Blackened Red Snapper
Ingredients
Cajun Style Red Snapper
- 2 tablespoons Cajun Style Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned cracker meal
- 16 ounce snapper fillets 2 -8 ounce fillets
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
Lime Margarita Sauce
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- juice from one lime
- 1 ounce tequila
Fruit Salsa
- 2 ounces diced mango peaches or cantaloupe can be substituted
- 2 ounces diced Pineapple
- 2 ounces diced Strawberries
- 2 ounces diced red onions
- 1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped
- pinch of sea salt
- juice from one lime
Instructions
Snapper
- Remove the skin and trim snapper fillets and rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels
- Mix Cajun seasoning with cracker meal and brown sugar. Place on a plate to coat the snapper.
- Press one side of snapper fillets into seasoning mixture coating it evenly
- In a very hot saute pan carefully add just enough olive oil to keep fish from sticking.
- Carefully add the prepared snapper fillets, seasoned side down into the pan
- Allow the snapper fillets to cook undisturbed until the coating has browned, then turn to sear the other side of the fish.
- Remove fillets from the pan, and place in baking dish seasoned side up, and add a little water to the pan
- Place baking dish in preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes
Fruit Salsa
- mix diced fruit, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt together. (strawberries will soften and bleed, so if you make this ahead of time, don't add the strawberries until serving time)
Lime Margarita Sauce
- In a small saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and after it melts, add in brown sugar and blend well.
- Add in the lime juice and tequila, allow the alcohol in the tequila to burn off. Add in the last tablespoon of butter and allow the mixture to thicken.
- **Do not overheat the sauce will break, wait until you are ready to serve the snapper before the final heating of the margarita sauce
Alli Smith says
I’m a seafood lover and to me, there’s nothing better than fresh fish. I’m looking forward to making your lime margarita sauce and your fruit salsa. This looks like the perfect seafood dish and the photos are making my mouth water!
Amber Myers says
I can see my family enjoying this. They are big on seafood. I don’t care for it, but once in a while I’ll make them a dish so they can get their fill!
Karen says
Holy moly! Why aren’t you on Food Network! Everything you share with us looks like something straight out of one of their shows. I can’t wait to give this a try!
robin rue says
My dad LOVES snapper. I am going to send him this recipe because I know he will want to make it right away.
Jan says
Making this now…. You recipes calls for juice from 1 lime. You say add lime to fruit salsa AND lime to the sauce. Do you use 1/2 of the juice for each or do you actually juice 2 limes? Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley says
sorry I missed this comment I was traveling. Both sauce and salsa get the juice from one lime
Sheila says
After fishing off the Florida Keys and coming back with a large amount of yellowfin snapper I needed a new recipe. This is our new favorite! The fruit salsa is a great combo and goes well with the fish.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I know what you mean, I love that fruit salsa! Happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe with that delicious Yellowfin Snapper!
christi says
Can you substitute vodka for tequila? Thank you
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Christi
yes you can.
Melissa Kostka says
I have never cooked fish and would like to try this recipe with the fish we caught on our deep sea fishing trip. I’m afraid I will overcook it. Can you tell me about how long to cook each side of the fish in the oil? Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
it all depends on how you like your fish cooked. If you’re okay with it being a little on the rare side. Rule of thumb is 2-3 minutes per side. If its a thick filet it could be longer.
Betsy says
Delicious dish!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Betsy!
Christine Bortoli says
Can you buy snapper all year round? Well i am in the Bay Area so i tend to find everything year round, but i am new to fish 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Christine
yes you can buy it all year round. I actually found some gulf snapper at Costco for a very good price.
Minnie@thelady8home says
Wow, that’s a great looking dish chef, the fish looks crispy and the pairing of the salad delicious. Thanks so much 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Minnie, it really was a delicious meal!
Christine from Cook the Story says
Dennis, your fish is just beautiful!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Christine, it was one of the best pieces of fish I’ve had in a long time!
Sylvia Ellie says
Snapper is one of my favorites, too. Your Lime Margarita Sauce sounds fabulous. I think this recipe will be on my menu very soon.
Chef Dennis Littley says
The margarita sauce was an excellent choice Sylvia and goes well with fish or chicken!
Trent @ Food Assault says
This looks fantastic Chef Dennis. We cook Snapper fen on the BBQ so this will be a pleasant change. Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Glad you liked it Trent, the Sauce and Salsa would go great with grilled fish or chicken as well!
Matt Robinson says
I love this! Yellowtail Snapper is one of my favorites and the seasoning on this seems too good to pass up. Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
It was exceptional Matt, a delicious blend of flavors!