Because they cook so quickly, thin fish fillets like red snapper lend themselves well to high temperature oven-roasting. The fish is seasoned with a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper prior to roasting and topped with a warm, fresh salsa made with tomatoes, red onion, capers and parsley. Roasted red potatoes (see notes) and sautéed spinach round out a delicious, healthful meal.
Oven-Roasted Snapper with Tomato and Caper Salsa
Topped with a warm, fresh salsa made with tomatoes, capers, red onion and parsley, these simple oven-roasted snapper fillets make a deliciously easy and healthful entree.
Ingredients
- 1 lb red snapper fillets, or other mild white fish of your choice
- Juice of 1 lemon, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons red onion, chopped
- 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, well drained
- Fresh parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a shallow baking pan with foil and coat with nonstick spray.
- Place the snapper, skin side down on the prepared pan. Drizzle with about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil along with the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and remaining lemon juice and set aside.
- Roast the fish for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on thickness), until opaque in the center, but still moist. Do not overcook.
- To serve, transfer the fish to a platter and garnish with sprigs of parsley and lemon wedges.
Recipe Notes
About the fish:
We used snapper for this dish, but other mild, white fish fillets like flounder, sole or even tilapia would make fine substitutes.Roasted Red Potatoes:
Roasted red potatoes are a perfect side for this meal and can be cooked ahead in your 425° oven while you prepare the salsa. Scrub about 1-1/2 lbs of red potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces (either halves or quarters). Place them in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the baking pan you prepared for the fish. Roast the potatoes until tender, about 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer them to a serving dish and cover to keep warm while roasting the fish. Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
Jody Stoll says
I love this recipe. The Salsa topping is a perfect accomplishment for the delicate red snapper.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Jody,
Thanks for taking the time to let us know you enjoyed this dish. I love fresh salsa with roasted fish. We have two others on the site; fresh tomato and orange for salmon, and fresh corn and tomato for catfish.