The crunchy sweetness of the pecans with that moist sweet nutty red snapper .....sigh. Then add it a few jumbo shrimp to make it extra special and my famous margarita sauce and you've got a restaurant-style dish for a fraction of the cost of going out to dinner!
When it comes to Red Snapper there is no better way to prepare than my restaurant-style Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper. You’ll love the flavor combination and that OMG delicious margarita sauce. What’s for dinner at your house tonight?
Living in Florida, surrounded by water we have a delicious supply of fresh seafood. That being said fresh is not always the most economical way to purchase our favorites like Red Snapper, and that’s when I turn to sustainable wild-caught seafood.
Now you may think that’s all you need to look for, but you’d be wrong. Wild Caught has become the new buzzword for seafood and it’s not just about being wild-caught, its where the seafood came from, or who has processed the seafood.
Make sure to turn over the package to see if your wild-caught Alaskan fish was processed in the US or another part of the world, like China. Check to see if that beautiful wild-caught flounder came from the eastern seaboard of the US or Vietnam.
I bet you thought didn’t have to worry about the source, did you? That you could trust your favorite grocery store or big box store.
Just make sure to find a good source for seafood, that it’s not farmed (unless it’s U.S. farmed) and it comes from reputable waters, where there are strict controls.
What do I need to make Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper with a Lime Margarita Sauce?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I have to add shrimp to the Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper?
No, you don’t. The shrimp are optional. You could also add lobster or jumbo lump crabmeat instead of the shrimp.
The first step is preparing the pecan topping for the snapper. Place the prepared ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
Do I have to use Pecans in the topping?
No, you don’t. If you have nut allergies feel free to leave the pecans out. If you don’t have pecans, walnuts, pistachio’s or hazelnuts will work with this topping.
The only tricky part in preparing the dish is getting the pecan mixture to stick to the fish. I found that adding the honey directly from the bottle (a little on each) and spreading it with your fingers is the best way to get the honey on the snapper. This helps you get a nice coating of the pecan crust.
The next step is pressing the honey side of the snapper into the pecan mixture. Try and use up as much of the pecan mixture as you can, adding it to spots that might be missing the topping.
**This step can be done ahead of time. After coating the snapper it can be placed into the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.
Then it’s pecan side down into a hot pan (with a little olive oil) for about 1 minute or just long enough to get some color. Sear the other side briefly, then onto a baking dish with a little water added to keep the Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper moist while it bakes for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Chef Dennis Tip:
You can saute the snapper ahead of time and refrigerate until you’re ready for dinner. Allow an extra 5 minutes in the oven if you premake the snapper.
The Pecan topping fell off my snapper fillets.
That’s okay, it happens. Gather any of the pecan topping that fell off while sauteing and place it back on top of the snapper fillet.
If you have a complete failure with the topping. Make the topping again and saute it by itself in a little butter then add it to the top of the snapper fillets. It will be our little secret.
While the snapper is in the oven, make the margarita sauce.
Should I flambe the Margarita Sauce?
The sauce is pretty easy to make, just make sure to stand clear if you decide to light up the tequila ( I use a long reach butane lighter), it does burn pretty hot. Of course, you can just let it burn off without flaming, which is a lot safer.
Do I have to use Tequila in the Lime Margarita Sauce?
No, you don’t. Just omit the tequila if you don’t use alcohol. A little extra of each ingredient will help make enough sauce without the tequila.
If you don’t have tequila or just don’t like the taste you can use other spirits. My suggestions would be:
- Rum
- Vodka
- Bourbon
If you want to kick the dish up a bit, add a few gulf shrimp into the pan before you make your sauce, removing them after they are almost cooked. Once the shrimp are cooked you can make your sauce in the same pan, adding them back before serving the snapper.
You’ll love serving this delicious restaurant-style dish in your own home and it’s a great dish for a dinner party. The red snapper can be prepared ahead of time (up to the point of baking) and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve your guests. Then it’s about 20 minutes in a 325-degree oven and you’re ready to serve dinner.
You might also like these fish recipes:
- Blackened Salmon with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
- Ginger Garlic Pan Roasted Swordfish
- How to Poach Mahi-Mahi (or your favorite fish)
- Grilled Atlantic Rockfish
Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 oz snapper fillets 2 fillets
- ½ cup pecans finely chopped
- ¼ cup bread crumbs I used Panko and non-seasoned.
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp honey
Lime Margarita Sauce
- 1½ tbsp butter
- 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- juice from one lime
- 1½ ounce tequila
- 1½ tbsp butter
Instructions
Snapper
- Finely chop the pecan and mix with bread crumbs and Cajun seasoning.
- Spoon or squeeze on a teaspoon of honey onto each fillet, and use your fingers to spread it over the top of each fillet.
- Press the honey side of the fish into the pecan mixture, make sure that a good layer of the pecan mixture adheres to the snapper.
- Heat a saute pan (allow it to get hot before adding the olive oil), add 2 tbsp of olive oil and gently place the snapper, pecan side down in the hot pan.
- Allow the snapper to brown for just about 1 minute, be careful not to let it burn, the honey will caramelize quickly.
- Very Gently use a long metal spatula to turn the snapper over, keeping the topping in place. Cook on this side of the snapper for another minute to sear it when removing from the pan if any of the pecans fell off replace them in the spots that need them.
- Place in a baking dish with a little water and continue to cook in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Margarita Sauce
- in a small saute pan, add 1 tbsp of butter and after it melts, add in brown sugar and blend well.
- Add in lime juice and tequila, allow the alcohol in the tequila to burn off.
- Add in the last tbsp of butter and allow the mixture to thicken.
- Do not overheat the sauce or it will break, wait until you are ready to serve the snapper before the final heating of the margarita sauce
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes from my site
My Quick & Easy Mussels Recipe to turn your Evening Meal into an Italian Feast- Frutti di Mare Recipe an Italian Classic
- Quick and Easy Shrimp Fra Diavolo Recipe
- White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Blondies
- The Outer Banks of North Carolina has Something for Everyone #OBXnow
- Grilled Peaches and Cream Gelato – National Ice Cream Month
Evie says
This was fantastic! Bonus points for being simple & quick but tastes high end. Was worried it would be sweet, but it was beautifully balanced. In fact I ran out of honey and had to sub brown rice syrup, worked great! Any suggestions for other kinds of fish that would work? I live in the midwest where it’s hard to find quality seafood and I would love to have this in regular rotation! Thanks Chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Evie
this would be good on anytype of mild white flesh fish like Mahi-Mahi, It would even work on salmon. I would not use on sport fish like Tuna or Swordfish. You might even want to try it on chicken breasts.
Darlene says
Amazing! When I first saw pecans with a margarita sauce I wasn’t sure how that would fair together, but one of the best recipes I’ve ever made. The pecans caramelized beautifully, very crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Very easy to make!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Darlene. It was a very popular special at the restaurants I’ve worked at. I hope you find more recipes on my blog to try!
Sara says
Love, love this recipe! Fantastic crunchy crust, just enough of a kick and the sauce makes it special. I appreciate Chef Dennis’ easy going attitude towards substitutions and culinary tips. Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley says
you really made my day with your comment Sara. I try to inspire people to cook and if they use the ingredients they love they’ll be happier cooking and eating!
Elicia says
I made this recipe (except I used pistachios instead of pecans) & my husband said it was the best fish he’s had in his whole life! That said a lot as we have fish all the time.
Steve W says
OK – first off, I NEVER EVER comment on recipe sites. This would be a first. I am a complete amateur wanna-be chef that does all the cooking in my house by choice. We are pescatarians so we eat a lot of fish. Salmon, shrimp, grouper, halibut, trout, Mahi Mahi, you name it. I made this for my family with a side of garlic green beans and a couscous/rice mix. Both my 15 year old and my wife said this was THE BEST FISH I EVER MADE. And like I said, I have made a ton of recipes over the years. I avoided all temptation to change anything in the recipe – no additional seasonings, no changing amounts of anything, etc. I simply doubled the recipe to make 4 filets.
Absolutely amazing! This will be in my regular rotation for sure. Hats off to you Dennis!
Steve W.
Chef Dennis Littley says
thank you for the great comment Steve you made my day!
deb Hull says
This was beyond wonderful! There aren’t enough stars. My husband and I enjoyed this so much! It’s a restaurant quality dish, Easy to make and delicious to eat, Can’t wait to prepare this for guests.
Chef Dennis Littley says
thank you for the wonderful comment Deb, I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed my recipe!
Jason says
Made this exactly as written. Not only is this dish one of the best I’ve made, it’s one of the best tasting dishes I’ve ever eaten. Thank you Chef!
Jennifer Gerschultz says
In true reflection, I am a pretty snobby, classic cook at home, and I’m a professional that spends a lot of money on good great restaurants when I’m traveling with clients. This recipe was amazing!!! My family, including a 3 year old and a 1.5 year old, devoured it.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Wow, now this is the kind of comment I live for, you made my day! And thanks for the great rating!
Susan Mason says
Fantastic, it was pretty simple and ingredients that most cooks already have in their home.
Charity Beth Long says
This recipe is totally date night food! But it looks approachable. Like we’ll have plenty of time to watch a movie after. Am I right?
Sara says
This looks so good! I do not have any red snapper. I couldn’t get it at my grocery here in the mid west. But, I do have a really nice cod from Alaska, do you think I could make it with this recipe?
Debbie says
You had me at pecan crusted. This snapper sounds divine and something I will be trying soon. Sometimes recipes like this seem complicated but you make it sound so simple. That lime margarita sauce sounds like the perfect compliment to such a delicious snapper.
Jennifer Banz says
The sauce on this was amazing. Thank you so much for a delicious recipe!
Jess says
Wow! The red snapper sounds more than amazing and that Sauce! Oh my goodness! LIME MARGARITA sauce! Oh heck yes! Bring it on! I can not wait to try this recipe out with all of these amazing flavors going on!
Sharon says
The sweet, spicy and citrus topping is a perfect pairing for this red snapper recipe.
GUNJAN C Dudani says
This looks like a nice satisfying wholesome meal. The ingredients sounds healthy too. I would love to try it.
Veronika says
Love this recipe idea! Especially the lime margarita sauce! Will definitely put it on the menu and make it next week!
Pam Greer says
I love restaurant quality meals that I can make at home! And, thanks for the tip about seeing where the seafood came from!
rika says
That looks so good! I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love fish!
Tami Price says
My husband and I had some friends over for dinner the other night and made this recipe! It was amazing! Our guests were blown away from all the flavor! Thanks so much for sharing!
Chef Dennis Littley says
you’re very welcome Tami and thank you for a great review and comment! I hope you find more recipes from my blog to try.
Barbies Beauty Bits says
Holy yumminess, I want to try this. I am a big fan of fresh fish, I live on the ocean, so I’d lovee to prepare this dish
Beth says
This looks so good! My mom almost always chooses snapper when it is available because she loves the taste so much. I’ve never tried to prepare it, but I should try and make this for her birthday dinner. It has all her favorite flavors.
Dhemz says
oh, my goodness! That sounds fancy and looks very tasty. I would love to make this sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Rena says
I love red snapper and this looks like it’s going to be amazing and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Kathy says
Wow, this sure does look amazing. I really need to give this a try. I’ve been looking for some healthier and new recipes. This is something I sure need to try.
Melissa Dixon says
Wow, this one looks like a recipe I really need to try out. I love the idea of eating more seafood and this would be perfect.
Lynndee says
Oh, my! Tequila is one of the ingredients? Now I’m so curious how this tastes like. Can’t wait to give it a try.
Ruth I says
This is one of my most favorite dishes. I can eat this everyday! Literally! I am so happy seeing this recipe.
Tasheena says
This dish looks really savory. Looking forward to making this recipe for my family.
Terri Steffes says
This looks like a lovely fish dish. My husband enjoys making encrusted dishes. You have made the process so easy.
Jacque Hastert says
I bet that the addition of pecans gives this snapper just the right amount of crunch. I can’t wait to give this a try in my kitchen.
Brianne Tursi Manz says
WOW! This looks so amazing! I love your recipes. They give me hope that I too can make chef-level dishes!
Melanie says
So we went to the beach recently but I did not get to have any fish while I was there. Bummer! I will have to make this recipe to make up for it.
Amber Myers says
I will have to share this post with my mom. She likes having fish for dinner and I bet she’ll enjoy this recipe.
cait says
oh my gosh that sounds so good- were big fans of salmon but never thought to try snapper. ill def try with this pecan encrusted recipe!
melissa chapman says
That snapper looks amazing and the addition of shrimp makes it a masterpiece. My son loves seafood so i have to try and make this for him.
Pam Wattenbarger says
That looks so good! I had pecan-encrusted snapper a couple of weeks ago and can only imagine how good it will be with the addition of the sauce.
Ralph Hartsock says
I adapted the recipe to my modified Atkins way of eating, in which I try to limit my carb intake to 40 net carbs or less. I tried of Stevia on the corner. Maybe this is a solution for diabetics. My primary physian recommends grilled snapper, other fish, shrimp, and crab, along with pecans, almonds, and other high fiber nuts.
Honey, regular sugar, and cow’s milk are on the No list.
But the adapted recipe is worth repeating. Thanks.
Ralph Hartsock says
I later noticed in my cupboard was Maple Grove Farms Vermont Sugar Free Syrup, which would have the same adhesive effect as the Honey, without the sugars. That will make the recipe a winner for me.
Trish says
Question: recipe calls for two tablespoons honey but instructions say rub a teaspoon each on the filets. I can guess with the homey but the Cajun seasoning calls for a tablespoon and when I made this before it was very spicy…so perhaps the Cajun seasoning is a teaspoon rather than tablespoon?
Chef Dennis Littley says
thanks for the heads up, I changed the seasoning to 1-2 teaspoons
Marg says
Caught a boatload of red snapper off of Islamorada last week. Cooked up some using this recipe last night. Super easy and so delicious! Cooking in the oven in a bit of water after searing made it very moist. Will use this recipe again and will follow you for others! Thanks!!
Gale wismiller says
I served this the last 2 nights at the restaurant where I’m head chef !!! Rave reviews!! Will definitely serve this again
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you so much for letting me know and for the great review Gale! It was one of the favorites at my restaurant too!
Frank Nuckols says
Great dish , super easy! My family really enjoyed it, teenage daughter described it as “refreshing “.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thats what I like to hear Frank. Thanks for the great review and taking the time to leave a comment!
Sherie Robins says
We have some red snapper waiting for me to do something creative with, and I just couldn’t think of anything special until I happened upon your recipe. This one is a keeper. The Margarita sauce and that hint of honey with the pecans are what elevate this dish. A mix of fantastic flavors. When they say “umami,” your recipe checks all of the boxes. And I’ve found a new chef to follow.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Sherie! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Michael Quick says
Chef Dennis, I stumbled upon your recipe when searching for a crusted recipe to go with my red snapper. Yours did not disappoint! The honey I think was key to this recipe. I’ve never used that when crusting a fish! I had some local honey that tasted wonderful with the pecans. I did add a little fresh grated Parmesan to the panko and pecans. I also was able to get some fresh NC shrimp and I cooked them in the margarita sauce. Beautiful with a glass of Italian white wine! Thank you so much!
P.S I don’t ever review recipes but it was so good I wanted to give you you props!
Mike from the Crystal Coast
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment and review Michael. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe and the honey is the big difference in the recipe.
Hope you find more of my recipes to enjoy!
Melissa Torres says
YUM. In MN we don’t have a lot of great seafood however, when you cook what you do have in amazing flavors, it’s delicious. This looks wonderful – can’t wait to try it!
chels says
I LOVE crusted fish, but I’ve never cooked Red Snapper. I need to expand my horizons!
Thành Đạt says
I hate to eat fish, except for the snapper. But i have never been to florida. It’s great to have a chance to come there and try this recipe. Thanks for sharing ^^
Abbi Cain says
Wow! This looks incredible! I love fish but am not always brave enough to cook it myself. 🙂
Cassie says
Oh my goodness, it’s 10 am and now I’m getting hungry. This looks and sounds amazing. I appreciate your detailed instruction.
Chelf says
Hi chef! This looks delicious!Pecans elevate everything right? We are having falafel bowls tonight!
Maysz says
Wow! this Pecan Encrusted Red Snapper. Looks yum I love shrimp though. I i\\’ll try to cook this one!
Stephanie says
This is such a Florida recipe! I need to make it next time I am there, I know my dad would love this, too.
Jennifer says
I’m not a fan of pecans but I’ll definitely think about using it now thanks to this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Nicole says
Oh my goodness, that pecan crust looks absolutely delicious. I’m not a very adventurous cook but perhaps I can talk my husband into making this one for me!
Angela Tolsma says
I am very jealous of your access to fresh seafood. Moving to a landlocked state has made it difficult to get good seafood. This sounds so delicious a pecan crust would be awesome!
Christa says
Pecans ade one of those ingredients i love but don’t use often enough. That’s gotta change!
Kate Loves Travel says
This looks so good! I have to be honest though, I’ve never eaten red snapper… I must give it a try!
M. Blair says
We just returned from a fishing trip in Florida with some red snapper. We’re going to try this out today. Sounds delicious.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!
Tami Stout says
I like your “soapbox”! I never purchase farm raised fish. Fresh caught only! Cannot wait to try this recipe!
We visit Key Colony Beach in the Marathon area of the Florida Keys a few times a year. I eat AS MUCH FRESH FISH AS POSSIBLE while I’m there! We just had to empty part of our damaged condo last week. The devastation is unbelievable. My prayers are with the residents and small business owners! God bless you all!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Tami. The folks in the Keys are resilient and I know Florida will do everything they can to get them back on their feet.
Mary @ LOVE the secret ingredient says
It looks gorgeous before and after! And soapbox very appreciated, it’s important to know where our food comes from and how it is sourced!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Mary and thanks for stopping by!
Tes says
Such a beautiful fresh snapper! I wish I can get gorgeous produce like that where I live. The lime margarita sauce sounds so fresh and delicious.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you Tes, it was a delicious dish!
Larry says
Looks really good Chef and we have a piece of snapper in the fridge if I can find it.
Chef Dennis Littley says
thanks Larry! It’s another delicious way to prepare snapper!
Bret R says
Just cooked it tonight after catching a few monster red snapper. I will say the absolute best fish I have ever eaten. Thank you!!!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe! Hope you find more on my blog to try.