Baked Snook

Friday, March 18, 2022
Our Baked Snook recipe, is one of the most delicious buttery-baked meaty white fish on the planet.

Snook is not only a culinary delight in flavor it's also a highly prized game fish due to its aggressive fighting ability.

This wonderous fish is excellent for eating and if you have the chance to live in areas to catch one to enjoy add this recipe to your seafood collection.

There are only certain time slots out of the year you're allowed to fish for this kind of fish and the rules have very strict catch limits for size restrictions so be aware of when fishing for one for all beginners out there.

We have several ways you can prepare snook, it is so versatile no matter if you love fish pan-fried, baked, or air-fried using some of our flavorful coatings or just leaving it plain dressed with herbs it will be a homerun meal.

Included in our recipe card will be several suggestions on how to prepare this fish to make a memorable meal you'll never forget that will leave you wanting to have more and being a new favorite for seafood lovers.

There are five different species of snook fish in Florida where we catch them, and all of them can be found in brackish and freshwater.

We usually use a small baitfish to catch snook called mullet and it works very well.

Living in Florida we have been pretty lucky to have caught them by just surf fishing at the ocean, but there are several areas where snook is plentiful to catch in season and certain parts of the year in many other canals and fishing areas.

With a few simple ingredients, this gourmet snook can be on your tables in around 30 minutes and will be a wonderful addition to your seafood recipe collection like our Lemony Herb Mahi Mahi we'd love for you to try.

This recipe will make your mouth water while it bakes, the aroma is fabulous.

When we lived and fished in Central N.Y. years ago before moving to Florida, we would catch a northern fish called walleye, and the snook in our opinion is comparable in taste and texture.

If you're a seafood lover you may also like to try some of our other favorite recipes in our Christmas recipes for 7 Fishes post.

Scroll through our tips and cooking methods and print off this delicious recipe!


a white fish baked in butter, wine and topped with bread crumbs





baked snook with breadcrumbs in a wine butter sauce

Baked, Panfried or Air Fried


Baking snook is the easiest especially when you have an extra-large catch.


The snook in the photo with my husband is around 28 inches just the beginning of a legal size you can catch and after he filleted this fish it's a hearty large size to feed at least 6 people just using one side of the snook!


We have also Air-Fried smaller pieces in this flavorful breadcrumb coating and served it as an appetizer.


Grilling snook outdoors is another wonderful way to cook this fish using a cast-iron skillet in a buttery lemon sauce in a cast-iron skillet.


Of course, you can always Pan-Fry coated snook with one of our favorite recipes from the Best Fish Frys you will ever eat where we have several coating recipes available for you to try.

You can also add many other ingredients to the sheet pan while baking for a whole all-in-one-pan meal using some of our additional suggestions below.


freshly caught snook about to be filet on a board



Other Meat Substitutions and Suggestions

  • smoked salmon
  • Mahi-mahi
  • haddock
  • crab meat or another shellfish you prefer
  • chicken breast boneless cubed
  • boneless pork tenderloin
  • cubed boneless steak
  • venison tenderloin
  • boneless veal or lamb



husband holding a freshly caught snook



Tips and Sheet Pan Additions

  • use any kind of white wine or chicken broth for non-alcohol
  • remember fresh fish cooks quickly
  • do not overcook seafood use a meat thermometer 
  • if you prefer more of a poached fish add chicken broth to the sheet pan or frying pan
  • sliced potatoes, sliced onions, asparagus, a zucchini squash medley are all great additions to your sheet pan for baking
  • lemon juice and butter are the two flavors of choice for this seafood in our opinion 
  • cover the dish with foil and 10 minutes before it completed cooking remove to brown the crumbs or broil the top
  • taste the buttery lemon sauce to ensure enough salt and pepper to taste are to your liking
  • add a little hot sauce for our spicy seafood lovers to the butter while baking
  • Other Cooking Methods:
  • outdoor grilling: oil spray a cast-iron skillet, melt some butter, lemon juice, seasoning, sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs, and cook the snook testing the thickest part with a meat thermometer that the internal temperature reads 145 degrees
  • air fryer:  place in an ovenproof casserole dish at 425 degrees oil spray a baking dish and the top of the snook sprinkle with butter bread crumbs for 6 to 8  minutes or until the fish's internal temperature reads 145 degrees serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice on top
  • pan-fried: we coat the fish with one of our Best Fish Fry coating recipes and deep fry in a cast-iron skillet



snook on a baking sheet ready for the oven with herbs and spices



More Recipes We Love



Italian Christmas Eve Seafood Recipes


Best Fried Fish Recipe Coatings


Stuffed Flounder with Shrimp and Crab


Grilled Lemon Herb Mahi Mahi


Spanish Mackerel


raw snook filet


Pin for later






Tasty Snook



This light breadcrumb buttery lemon topped baked snook is by far our favorite cooking method however you have several to choose from in our recipe card below.


It's super easy to make and again you can add whatever you like to the sheet pan and have that all in one pan meal.


Two last thoughts, do read the tips and suggestions and we hope you get a chance to have a freshly caught snook if not, this recipe is great with any hearty fish you catch so good luck!


Baked Snook

Baked Snook

Yield: 4
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Freshly caught snook, a white meaty fish baked in the oven topped with seasoned breadcrumbs in a buttery wine sauce on a sheet pan

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Snook ( or Chilean seabass, haddock, halibut, or other white fish (4 long pieces)
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (slice the lemon for garnishing after cooked if desired)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 3/4 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs or more depending on the size of the filet
  • 1 cup white wine preferably Pinot Grigio
  • 1/2 cup butter cut in slices (1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup freshly minced Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill
  • salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
  • Garnish with slices of lemon and squeeze juice over the top when cooking is completed

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper oil sprayed.
  3. Place the snook on the baking sheet.
  4. Sprinkle the top with granulated garlic powder evenly and zest.
  5. Add the dill, parsley, minced garlic to the top.
  6. Generously sprinkle the top of the fish with breadcrumbs.
  7. Dot with slices of butter.
  8. Pour the wine on top of the parchment paper around the edges of the fish not touching the crumbs.
  9. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
  10. Remove foil and continue baking.
  11. Check the fish in the thickest part of the fish with a meat thermometer and when it reads 145 degrees internally (which takes around 25 to 30 minutes) it is done.
  12. Broil the top for crispier breadcrumbs if desired (which we do) for around 2 minutes on high.
  13. Serve with lemon slices to drizzle over the top.

Notes

Other Fish and Substitutions

  • smoked salmon
  • Mahi-mahi
  • haddock
  • shellfish of any kind
  • chicken breast boneless cubed
  • boneless pork tenderloin
  • cubed boneless steak
  • boneless veal, lamb, or venison tenderloin

Tips and Sheet Pan Additions

  • use any kind of white wine or chicken broth for non-alcohol
  • remember fresh fish cooks quickly
  • do not overcook seafood use a meat thermometer 
  • if you prefer more of a poached fish add chicken broth to the sheet pan or frying pan
  • sliced potatoes, sliced onions, asparagus, a zucchini squash medley are all great additions to your sheet pan for baking
  • lemon juice and butter are the two flavors of choice for this seafood in our opinion 
  • cover the dish with foil and 10 minutes before it completed cooking remove to brown the crumbs or broil the top
  • taste the buttery lemon sauce to ensure enough salt and pepper to taste are to your liking
  • add a little hot sauce for our spicy seafood lovers to the butter while baking
  • Other Cooking Methods:
  • outdoor grilling: oil spray a cast-iron skillet, melt some butter, lemon juice, seasoning, sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs, and cook the snook testing the thickest part with a meat thermometer that the internal temperature reads 145 degrees
  • air fryer: place in an ovenproof casserole dish at 425 degrees oil spray a baking dish and the top of the snook sprinkle with butter bread crumbs for 6 to 8 minutes or until the fish's internal temperature reads 145 degrees serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice on top
  • pan-fried: we coat the fish with one of our Best Fish Fry coating recipes and deep fry in a cast-iron skillet


Nutrition Facts

Calories

298.31

Fat (grams)

23.44

Sat. Fat (grams)

14.68

Carbs (grams)

3.29

Fiber (grams)

0.54

Net carbs

2.76

Sugar (grams)

0.2

Protein (grams)

8.64

Sodium (milligrams)

209.64

Cholesterol (grams)

80.08
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French, Italian, American


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Other Favorite Seafood Recipes



Drunken Smoked Salmon


Barbecued Salmon


Lemon Dill Salmon


baked snook with breadcrumbs in a wine butter sauce


8 comments

  1. I love Snook fish and this recipe looks amazing. I usually grill mine with veggies- this will be a nice change up for us! I am super excited to try your version! Now I just have to get the hubby off his duff during the proper season to make it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not a fish I've ever seen in the local market but I have had it on vacation! This is such a great way to prepare it simply with big flavor, great recipe.

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  3. I've never seen snook, but this looks like a delicious way to prepare any white fish! A great idea for Lent :)

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  4. Loved this snook recipe! The flavor was on spot and it was very easy to make.

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  5. I am going to have to keep a look out for this. I like the idea of air frying it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a tasty way to make the most of snook!

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  7. While I've heard of snook while in FL, I don't think I've ever eaten it. While it isn't available here, I want to try your recipe on a piece of cod I have it the freezer and if I go very light on the bread crumbs, I think I can sneak it in on my diet.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Freshly caught fish tastes the best! This looks so amazing with the crisp skin and meaty flaky flesh.

    ReplyDelete

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