Easy Broiled Red Snapper With Cajun Seasonings

Red snapper with cream shrimp sauce on plate

Diana Rattray

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings

Red snapper is a thin, lean fish that is best cooked with the skin on and on high heat, such as under the boiler or on the grill. This gives the edible skin a crispy texture—for some people, it’s the most delicious part of the snapper filet. Cooking the snapper fast also prevents it from drying out, keeps in the moisture, and prevents the fish from falling apart because it’s been overcooked.

This easy weeknight dinner recipe is a minimalist recipe that calls for only five ingredients. The red snapper is simply seasoned with a little oil and Cajun or Creole seasonings. Which seasoning you use depends on your personal preference. Creole seasoning is only moderately spicy, it contains mostly sweet paprika and dried herbs such as oregano and thyme. Cajun seasoning is spicier, in addition to cayenne pepper, it contains garlic powder, onion, and black pepper. Whichever seasoning you use, check the ingredient list if the blend already contains salt, which some blends do, and adjust adding salt to the fish accordingly.

To notch this dish up for special occasions, serve the fish with a rich creamy shrimp sauce or a sherry cream sauce. If you prefer to leave the delicate fish flavor unadorned, a compound butter such as lemon butter or coriander butter is a good option. Serve the fish with rice or orzo and a green salad or cooked greens on the side. Because the fish only takes 10 minutes to cook, have the side dishes and accompaniments ready and keep them warm if needed so you are ready to serve immediately when the fish is done.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil, as needed

  • 2 to 4 skin-on red snapper fillets, about 6 ounces each

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Cajun or Creole seasoning, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat broiler. Lightly brush broiler pan rack with oil or spray with olive oil spray.

  2. Brush or rub the skin side of the fillets with a little olive oil and then lightly sprinkle with a little salt, pepper, and seasoning.

  3. Place fillets, skin-side down, on the broiler rack.

  4. Season the top with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning and drizzle with a little more olive oil.

  5. Place the fillets under the broiler, about 5 to 6 inches from the heat, and broil until the fish is done or starts to flake, about 10 minutes.

  6. Serve immediately, with creamy shrimp sauce, sherry cream sauce, or a light, fruity salsa.

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
71 Calories
4g Fat
1g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 71
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 979mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 169mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)