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Red Snapper Veracruz is a traditional dish from Mexico. This spicy fish recipe is made with red snapper, onions, tomatoes, spicy chilies and fresh herbs and it is one of our favorite red snapper dishes. This flavorful traditional dish is a nice change from tacos and enchiladas.
Red snapper Veracruz is named after the city of Veracruz which is a port city located on the Gulf of Mexico. Red Snapper Veracruz is their signature dish where it is known as Huachinango a la Veracruzana. This mild-flavored fish is indigenous to the Gulf and it is incorporated into much of their cooking.
This classic dish is easy to prepare and so full of flavor! Typically this fragrant, spicy dish is prepared with whole fish but we are using fresh snapper fillets in this recipe.
There is a little Spanish flair here with the addition of sliced green olives and capers that really add to the layers of flavors. A bit of heat comes from the slivered jalepeno peppers but it is not overly spicy, just enough to enhance these wonderful flavors.
A sauce is created with chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, fresh oregano, cilantro and lime juice. Half of the sauce is added to a baking dish creating a cozy bed for the fillets as they are placed on, then they are smothered with the remaining sauce and baked in the oven for 20-minutes.
Red Snapper Veracruz is an easy dinner entrée which makes it perfect for a week-night dinner. Actually, it is perfect for any time and we all know that we need to include more fish in our daily lives.
Red snapper is low in calories, fat and full of protein, plus it is easy on the budget. We are confident that you will enjoy this flavorful and delicious recipe. 🙂
This recipe has been adapted from the Saveur Magazine of May 2007
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Ingredients
- 1 pound red snapper fillets, 2 to 4 fillets
- Salt
- 2 limes, divided
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion, peeled and chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons of caper liquid
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- ⅓ cup large green olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and sliced into slivers
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F
- Sprinkle filets with salt and place in a shallow pan. Squeeze juice from one lime over filets. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in onions and cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add capers and caper liquid, stir to combine.
- Stir in tomatoes, olives and jalapeño peppers. Cook and stir until jalapeño pepper softens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in oregano and cilantro.
- Oil or spray an oven-proof casserole dish, add 1/2 of the tomato-olive mixture, place the fillets on the mixture, squeeze the juice from ½ of a lime over the fish and add the remaining tomato-olive mixture. Squeeze additional lime juice over the top.
- Transfer to the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake until fish is flaky and no longer translucent, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve with fluffy white rice and lime wedges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This recipe looks lovely. I have mahi mahi fillets and was wondering if I could use them instead of red snapper.
Yes, Mahi Mahi will work fine in this recipe.
You don’t see many recipes for red snapper around. Love that its low fat, the topping looks full of flavour
Hi, Bintu….Yes, I agree that red snapper is often overlooked and deserves more attention. 🙂
I just love all the in-your-face flavors in this combo. We are eating fish at least once or twice a week and that veracruz topping is dynamite!
Hi, Lisa….Oh, you will love this flavorful, easy to prepare fish recipe. 🙂
What a great dinner! Thanks for sharing this incredible and colorful recipe!
Hi, Hannah….You are very welcome. Enjoy! 🙂
I love fish, and this looks like it has so much flavor! What a beautiful dish.
Thank you, Andrea 🙂 This fish recipe has a ton of really yummy flavors.
Oh this looks delicious, I haven’t cooked much with snapper but thinking this would work beautifully with many types of fish. Lovely!
Thank you, Kavey….Red snapper is a nice mild-flavored fish and this dish works well with cod, tilapia or mahi-mahi as well. The sauce is fantastic! 🙂
I love this dish! Haven’t made it in ages, though. Yours looks perfect — thanks.
Thanks, John…:)
What a GORGEOUS dish, Pat! I love this alternative to the usual cinco de mayo faire! And I love red snapper. Haven’t had it in a long time. Going to be trying this recipe soon! : )
Hi, Anne….thank you for your nice comments. I hope you try this red snapper Veracruz recipe, I am confident you will like it. 🙂