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Flavorful Veracruz-Style Red Snapper (Huachinango a la Veracruzana Inspired)

Make authentic Veracruz-Style Red Snapper! This easy recipe features baked fish in a vibrant homemade sauce with tomatoes, olives, capers, and fresh herbs

Ingredients

Scale

Here’s the complete list of ingredients, with precise measurements:

Veracruz Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ medium white onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1 tablespoon caper juice (from the jar of capers)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ⅓ cup pitted, sliced green olives (such as Castelvetrano)
  • 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

Snapper:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil (for baking dishes)
  • 2 (7 ounce) red snapper fillets
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 medium limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup total)

(Implied garnish from similar recipes: Fresh parsley or cilantro, though not explicitly listed in the final garnish section, oregano is mentioned for sauce). I will stick to the recipe’s listed garnishes if any. Recipe doesn’t list garnish explicitly in ingredients, but step 5 for sauce says “stir in oregano” off heat. The header for previous similar “My Chicken Parmesan” did list parsley, but this one does not. Sticking to the text. No specific garnish beyond sauce components.

These quantities yield 2 servings as per the recipe note.

Have all vegetables and aromatics prepped before starting the sauce.

Instructions

Let’s create this flavorful Veracruz-Style Red Snapper:

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dishes:

  • Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
  • Brush the bottom of two small individual baking dishes (or one larger baking dish that can comfortably hold both fillets without overcrowding) with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil each.

2. Make the Veracruz Sauce:

  • Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium or large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the diced white onion. Cook and stir until the onion is translucent and softened, about 6 to 7 minutes.
  • Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Stir in the capers and the caper juice.
  • Add the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green olives, and chopped jalapeño pepper to the skillet. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to collapse slightly and the jalapeño softens.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh oregano. Set the sauce aside briefly.

3. Prepare and Assemble Snapper:

  • In each prepared baking dish, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the Veracruz sauce onto the bottom.
  • Place one red snapper fillet on top of the sauce in each dish.
  • Season each snapper fillet with cayenne pepper, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.
  • Spoon the remaining Veracruz sauce evenly over the top of both seasoned snapper fillets, ensuring they are well-covered.
  • Drizzle the fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) evenly over the sauced fillets.

4. Bake the Snapper:

  • Carefully place the baking dishes in the preheated oven.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The fish is done when it is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 140-145°F (60-63°C).

5. Serve:

  • Carefully remove the baking dishes from the oven.
  • Serve the Veracruz-Style Red Snapper hot, directly from the baking dishes or transferred to plates, with plenty of the delicious sauce.

A vibrant, healthy, and flavorful fish dinner!

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/flavorful-veracruz-style-red-snapper/