Grilled Red Snapper

Red snapper is a firm white fish with reddish-pink skin. A variety of species are commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and along the eastern seaboard south of the Carolinas to northern South America as well as Southeast Asia. Its sweet, mild flavor lends itself well to many flavor profiles making it a popular choice among chefs and home cooks alike. Red snapper is readily available fresh or frozen behind most well-stocked seafood counters.

Red snapper is an excellent source of lean protein. Foods high in protein help curb hunger, keeping us satisfied longer. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 8-10 ounces of seafood each week. Only 1 in 10 consumers get the recommended two seafood servings a week, so aim to add more fish like red snapper to your meal plans. Learn more about the health benefits of seafood and budget-friendly ways to incorporate more seafood into your diet.

Red snapper can be bought whole or cut into fillets. Whole fish are relatively easy to cook, but if you're looking for something quick, opting for fillets is a better choice. Fillets can be bought fresh or frozen and they are usually sold skin-on. The skin crisps up nicely when it's cooked so you don't need to remove it. If you would like the skin removed, you can slide a sharp knife between the flesh and skin to take it off, or have it removed at the seafood counter before you take it home. Like most seafood, freshness is key. Try to cook your red snapper within a day of purchase (or within 24 hours of thawing).

Snapper is an easy fish to cook. You can grill it as we do here, roast it or sauté it. Snapper is a somewhat firm fish so it holds together well on the grill. We remove the skin in this recipe to shave off a few calories but leaving the skin on can further help keep it together when you're cooking it. (And yes, you can eat the skin!) In this recipe, we load up red snapper fillets with the bold flavors of smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder, oregano, thyme and cayenne for some heat. This is a popular way to flavor red snapper, especially as it picks up additional smokey flavors from the grill. That being said, simply adding a little salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon would taste great too.

Grilled red snapper pairs well with many side dishes. You can make easy and healthy side dishes on the grill, such as Summer Grilled Vegetables, Grilled Broccoli Wedges with Herb Vinaigrette, Grilled Sweet Potato Slices, Grilled Peach Salad or Grilled Eggplant Salad.

Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer and Jan Valdez