Whole Baked Snapper

This Whole Baked Snapper is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy fish.  In this recipe, we season the snapper and stuff with citrus. It is roasted until the skin is golden and the flesh is moist and flakes off easily. 

Why Make This Whole Baked Snapper

Although it seems like an intense undertaking, this is one of the simplest meals you will make. It checks all the boxes, easy prep, quick cooking, fast cleanup, and delicious. While we love the original Pargo Frito (Fried Whole Snapper), it really isn’t the healthiest option.

This recipe allows you to get everything you love from Pargo Frito, but it is quicker and easier and definitely better for you. While baking the whole fish could seem slightly intimidating, we promise you that it is no different than doing a filet. The only actual difference will be the taste, because we don’t think it gets better than eating a fish cooked whole.

This whole baked snapper recipe calls for one fish per person. We prefer using small snappers. Their skin gets crispy and the flesh is flaky white and mild. It’s the least “fishiest” fish to use. Small fish tend to be more delicate and tastier and will also cook more evenly. 

This recipe uses citrus to stuff inside the cavity but you can vary the citrus and add more things. Herbs and green onions would add a lot of flavor. 

Tips for Choosing Your Whole Snapper at the Market:

• Bigger isn’t always better. Smaller fish aren’t just tastier, they also contain less mercury than larger fish, 
• Buy fish where you see a lot of people buying fish. You want a place with a lot of turnaround so you are getting the freshest seafood.  
• We like using yellowtail, hog snapper or red snapper.
• The eyes should be completely clear and bright. 
• The fish should smell like the sea. It should not smell bad or overly fishy.
• When you are at the fish market explain to the fishmonger that you want to fry the fish whole. The fishmonger with gut the fish, scale it and clean it.

Whole Baked Snapper vs Frying a Whole Snapper:

We love a great Whole Fried Snapper, but roasting a whole fish really allows you to appreciate the flavor of the fish. It’s simplicity is delicious. It’s of course a lot healthier and lighter as well. When you fry fish you have to be watching it carefully, whereas baking fish is just putting it in the oven and forgetting about it until your timer rings. 

Love fish? Check out our other Fish Recipes that are just as light and delicious as this one. 

Whole Baked Snapper

Recipe by Abuelas Cuban CounterCourse: Entree, Healthy Recipes

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• 2 yellowtail snappers (each about 1 to 1 ½ pound each)

• 1 orange, sliced (discard the sides)

• 2 limes, sliced (discard the sides)

• 2 tablespoons of avocado oil

• 2 teaspoons of salt 

• 1 teaspoon of seasoning (creole, sazon or cajun seasoning will work)

• Garnish: finely chopped parsley, Flaky Maldon sea salt, lemon or lime wedges

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Clean the fish and dry well with paper towel. Lay the fish on the sheet pan. Cut two diagonal slits down the fish. (just slice until you feel the bone, but not deep enough to cut the bone)
• Spread the oil evenly all over and inside the fish. Sprinkle with salt and seasoning on both sides and inside the cavity. Stuff the cavity with the citrus. 
  
  
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the flesh is plump and white. 
  Garnish and serve while it’s still hot.