My pan seared snapper is one of those over-the-top delicious dishes that make you look like a gourmet home chef, y'all!! Fresh fish, seasoned liberally and seared on both sides in butter. Then covered with a lemony, garlicky sauce that infuses into the buttery fish during the very last seconds of cooking. Ultra-flavorful, tender and juicy, this scrumptious, sizzling main dish is on the dinner table in just about 20ish minutes. Yep and yay...

A vintage enameled cast iron skillet filled with Pan Seared Snapper with yellow flowers.

Pan Seared Snapper absorbs the garlic, lemon and spice flavors while cooking, so every bite is just as ultra-flavorful as it is tender and juicy.

All of a Sudden, I Was in a Fish Frame of Mind, Y'all...

I was out grocery shopping the other day when my eyes fell upon a pack of snapper. I was actually there to pick up chicken thighs. So, in seconds, my usual chicken craving fell by the wayside. And, just like that, I was in a snapper state of mind.

I'm aaaalllll about fish, y'all!! I love it stewed down. And, I love fish baked in the oven.

But, my very favorite way to cook fish is to pan-sear it in my vintage enameled cast iron skillet. I don't know, y'all, but there's just something about this particular method that I crave. I like how fast the fish cooks right in front of your eyes. And, I also like how the fish seems to 'drink' the buttery sauce as it cooks.

So, I took my fish home and decided to create this pan seared snapper with garlic, lemon and butter/olive oil sauce, y'all. And it did not disappoint. Nope!

Super full of flavor and with a soft, meaty texture, this dish tastes like you just picked it up from a fancy-dancy restaurant. Yep. The natural brown butter that's made throughout the searing process incorporates itself perfectly into the citrus and garlic-studded olive oil.

And, the result is a melt-in-your-mouth pan seared snapper that's full of high and low flavor notes that dance aaaallll over your tongue. Indeed.

A side shot of Pan Seared Snapper in a cast iron skillet.

The sauce absorbs quickly into the fish, filling each bite with garlicky, buttery and ultra-seasoned flavors that just get better with each bite.

How to Make Pan Seared Snapper

Start by mixing the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and finely chopped parsley in a bowl. Then, gather the rest of the ingredients:

Snapper fillets, butter, seasonings, and minced garlic, olive oil and freshly chopped parsley leaves are all you need to make this mouthwatering pan seared snapper recipe.

Sprinkle the seasonings over both sides of the snapper:

Seasoning the fillets liberally with spices helps to establish a solid flavor profile base for the dish.

Now, melt the butter in your enameled cast iron skillet:

Let the butter melt completely so that the fish sears on both side equally.

Next, place the fish skin-side down in the hot skillet, and cook for a couple of minutes:

Start the fillets skin-side down to seal the skin onto the fish for a more beautiful plate presentation.

Then, flip the snapper over and sear the other side:

Snapper fish fillets skin side-up in a pan.

Sear the other side for just a couple of minutes.

Flip the fish over one more time:

The snapper fillets should have a nice char on them at this stage of the recipe.

Finally, spoon the sauce evenly over the fillets for the last few seconds of cook time:

A spoon drizzling garlic sauce over fish fillets in a pan.

Spooning the sauce over the fish ensures that it falls evenly over the fillets for optimal taste, texture and table presentation.

And that's it, y'all!

The first thing that you notice about this pan seared snapper is the abundance of complementary flavors and textures. The browned butter, garlic, fresh parsley and lemon sauce electrify your taste buds. And, the soft, flaky fish fillets glide down your throat, satiating you with their light yet hearty sustenance.

This is definitely the dish to bookmark for when you need something just as quick as it is fantastic, y'all. An ace-in-the-hole recipe for family or company that doubles or even triples well for special events.

Share this pan seared snapper with those whose love for you is just as saucy and sassy as it is safe and secure. And see y'all on the yum side...

A round white plate topped with Pan Fried Snapper.

While the recipe is written for two, larger fillets can feed up to four people.

Pan Seared Snapper

Seasoned on both sides, pan seared on both sides and then and topped with a garlic, lemon and butter sauce, this melt-in-your-mouth snapper is easy, at-home gourmet deliciousness.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pan seared red snapper, pan seared snapper, pan seared snapper recipe, snapper with lemon butter sauce

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 6

Servings: people

Author: Lyn Corinne Liner

Ingredients

For the Seasoned Fish

2 8 to 10-ounce fresh snapper fillets, skin-on
¾ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried paprika
liberal salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Pan Seared Snapper

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

Season both sides of the snapper with the onion powder, paprika, and salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
Heat an enamled cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Melt the butter in the pan.
Place the seasoned snapper fillets skin-side down in the skillet.
Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skin is browned lightly and pulls away from the skillet easily.
Flip the snapper fillets to skin-side up in the pan.
Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until just cooked through, then flip the fillets again.
Spoon the olive oil, parsley and garlic mixture over the fillets.
Cook for 1 additional minute, then remove from heat.
Serve immediately.

Notes

The garlic lemon butter sauce is absorbed into the fish during the residual cooking process that occurs for a few minutes after removing the skillet from heat. For a saucy pan seared grouper, it's important to serve the fish right away.

I like to flip the fish fillets two times so that I can keep a better eye on them. I've had some fillets stick to the pan pretty badly when I only flipped them only once throughout the searing process. So, I find that I can serve much more evenly cooked stovetop fish if I flip them two times.

Thicker fillets usually cook 3 minutes per side, while thinner fillets only take about 2 minutes per side to cook through.

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The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.

See our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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