Broiled Red Snapper with Za’atar Salsa Verde

A quick, vibrant seafood dish that pairs crispy-skinned red snapper with a za'atar-spiced salsa verde loaded with herbs, lemon, garlic, and toasted pine nuts.

Why You'll Love This Recipe Broiled Red Snapper with Za'atar Salsa Verde

The snapper broils skin-side up for 8-10 minutes, so the skin blisters and crisps while the flesh stays just cooked. The salsa verde comes together with cilantro, parsley, garlic, za'atar, and red pepper flakes in olive oil, with lemon juice and toasted pine nuts stirred in right before serving.

Tips and Tricks

• Pat the snapper dry before broiling for maximum crisp skin.
• Toast pine nuts ahead of time and store in an airtight jar.
• Don't flip the fish. Broiling skin-side up gives it that crisp crackle.

Variations

• Swap red snapper for branzino, black bass, or even Arctic char.
• Add chopped preserved lemon to the salsa for a North African twist.
• Use dill or mint for a more cooling herb base.

Substitutions

• No za'atar? Use a mix of dried oregano, sumac, and sesame seeds.
• Pine nuts can be swapped for chopped almonds or walnuts.
• Flat-leaf parsley can stand in for cilantro if needed.

Best Served With

• Crispy smashed potatoes
• Grilled zucchini or eggplant
• Herbed couscous or bulgur
• A crisp white wine like Albariño or Vermentino

How to Store Leftovers

• Store leftover fish and salsa separately in airtight containers. Fish keeps up to 2 days refrigerated. Reheat gently in a skillet and top with salsa verde just before serving.

Common Questions

Broiled Red Snapper with Za'atar Salsa Verde

No ratings yet

A quick, vibrant seafood dish that pairs crispy-skinned red snapper with a za'atar-spiced salsa verde loaded with herbs, lemon, garlic, and toasted pine nuts.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Seafood

Cuisine: Californian, Mediterranean

Calories: 2064

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 tablespoon pine nuts
• 4 skin-on red snapper fillets ~6 oz each, boneless, patted dry
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ cup olive oil for fish
• ¾ cup olive oil for salsa verde
• ½ cup cilantro finely chopped
• ½ cup parsley finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove finely minced
• 2 teaspoon za'atar
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Equipment

• Sheet pan or broiler tray
• Small Skillet
• Mixing bowl

Method

 

1. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, until golden and fragrant (~3 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board, let cool, and roughly chop.
2. Preheat broiler. Season flesh side of snapper with salt, pepper, and coriander.
3. Drizzle 2 tablespoon olive oil onto a baking sheet. Set snapper skin side up on the sheet.
4. Drizzle another 2 tablespoon olive oil over the skin side, then season with more salt and pepper.
5. Broil for 8-10 minutes, until skin is blistered and crisp and fish is just cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, mix together cilantro, parsley, garlic, za'atar, red pepper flakes, and ½ cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Stir in lemon juice and chopped pine nuts just before serving.
8. Plate the fish skin side up and spoon za'atar salsa verde over the top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 2064kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 4gFat: 230gSaturated Fat: 31gPolyunsaturated Fat: 30gMonounsaturated Fat: 162gSodium: 26mgPotassium: 354mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3073IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 5mg

Notes

Storage: The crispy skin won't survive the fridge, reheat leftover fish gently in a low oven if you must, though it's best the day it's made. The za'atar salsa verde keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, just bring it to room temperature and stir before spooning over anything.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!