Living in Houston has spoiled me when it comes to Thai food, and this pan seared red snapper with Prik Nam Pla is inspired by the bold, bright flavors I keep chasing around the city.
There’s no marinade needed for this red snapper so it’s easy, AND comes together quickly. It’s just lightly seasoned, cooked hot, and finished with a fragrant oil. The Prik Nam Pla does the heavy lifting, just like it should.
Why This Recipe Works
Red snapper is lean and delicate, which means it benefits from restraint. Keeping the skin on protects the fish while also giving you texture when it hits a hot pan. Searing the flesh side first creates an amazing crust and helps the fillet hold together when you flip it.
Instead of butter or a heavy sauce, I use avocado oil (which is pretty much tasteless) infused with garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. The aromatics stay subtle and supportive, leaving room for the Prik Nam Pla to shine. The result is clean, balanced, and bold without being heavy.
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Best Way to Cook Red Snapper
There are a few great ways to cook red snapper, but pan searing and grilling rise to the top of the list in my book.
Pan searing is ideal in almost any environment. You can easily manage the heat, and get consistent results year round. It’s also the best method for achieving crispy skin without overcooking the fish or risking it sticking to a grill grate.
Grilling red snapper works perfectly when the weather cooperates, but it does require some skill. You get that smoke and char associated with grilling, you just need to ensure you have very clean grill grates and flip the fillets carefully.
About the Prik Nam Pla
Prik Nam Pla is a classic Thai dipping sauce that brings me back to my days in Thailand while in the Marine Corps. It’s perfect for Red Snapper, and made with fish sauce, lime juice, chilies, sugar, and aromatics.
It’s salty, acidic, spicy, and just lightly sweet. My version lands at a medium heat level, making it approachable for most people.
If you like more heat, add extra Thai chilies. If you prefer it more mild, remove the seeds from the chilis, or scale them back altogether. Either way, the sauce should taste bold and bright, not aggressive to the level it burns you down.
Sourcing Prik Nam Pla Ingredients
Most of the ingredients in this recipe are easy to source, but Bird’s Eye Chilies (Thai chilies) can be hit or miss depending on where you live, especially the red ones. If you have a local Asian market, that’s your best bet.
If not, Thai chilies are readily available online from vendors like my friends at Soda City Greens (literally the best Etsy seller I’ve dealt with) or ImportFood if you need them for next day delivery.
Lemongrass can also sometimes be a regional challenge, and if you can’t find it, lemon zest is a sutable substitute. Serrano peppers are the closest substitute for the chilies, with jalapeños working in a pinch.
The fish sauce also matters here, big time. Use a good Thai fish sauce like Squid brand. Cheaper, generic fish sauces tend to taste harsh and just plain funky, which can overpower the sauce.
How To Make Pan Seared Red Snapper with Prik Nam Pla
Step 1: Pat the red snapper fillets completely dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in several places, cutting just through the skin so the fish lays flat while cooking. Season the flesh side evenly with kosher salt and white pepper, then set aside.
Step 2: Combine all of the Prik Nam Pla ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, then set aside to let the flavors bloom.
Step 3: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the red snapper flesh side down, working in batches if necessary. Cook for about three minutes, or until the flesh is golden brown, then flip and cook skin side down for 1-2 minutes.
Tip: Don’t rush the sear. Once the fish hits the pan, leave it alone. The flesh will release naturally when it is ready to flip, and that patience is what gives you a golden brown sear.
Step 4: Add an additional tablespoon or two of avocado oil if needed, then tilt the pan so the oil pools to one side. Add the garlic, lemongrass, and ginger to the hot oil and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Spoon the infused oil over the flesh side of the fish several times to finish cooking.
Step 5: Remove the red snapper from the pan and serve immediately with the Prik Nam Pla on the side.
Pan Seared Red Snapper FAQs
Yes. Branzino, black sea bass, or striped bass all work well. Just choose a firm, skin-on white fish and adjust cooking time as needed.
This version is medium heat. Removing the chili seeds keeps it more mild, and you can always add more chilies if you like extra heat.
Use a high quality Thai fish sauce like Squid brand or even Red Boat. I’m all about saving a couple bucks, but fish sauce isn’t the place to skrimp.
Serrano peppers are the closest substitute, and work pretty well. Jalapeños can work but the sauce will be noticeably different.
Absolutely. Grill skin side down over medium heat, keep the grates well oiled, and flip only once. Grilling works especially well in warmer months.
Ingredients
- 8 red snapper filets
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp white pepper
- 3 tbsp avocado oil more as needed
- 3 cloves garlic unpeeled
- 1 stalk lemon grass OR zest from two lemons lemongrass cut into 1" pieces
- 1 " fresh ginger peeled and sliced
Prik Nam Pla
- 6-8 Bird's Eye Chilis (red and green) sliced
- ½ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ½ small shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp white sugar
Instructions
- Pat the red snapper fillets completely dry. Score the skin in several places, cutting just through the skin so the fish lays flat in the pan. Season the flesh side evenly with kosher salt and white pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine all Prik Nam Pla ingredients and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the snapper flesh side down. Cook for 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Flip the fish and cook skin side down for 1-2 minutes. Add additional oil if needed, tilt the pan, and add the garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then spoon the infused oil repeatedly over the flesh side of the fish for 30 seconds.
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately with Prik Nam Pla.