Go Back
Crispy skin red snapper fillet on a white plate with green mango and herb salad, lime wedges, and sliced chili

Crispy Skin Snapper with Green Mango Salad

Pan-seared red snapper with crackling skin served alongside a tart green mango and herb salad dressed in fish sauce and lime.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 370

Ingredients
  

Snapper
  • 4 fillets (about 160 g each) skin-on red snapper fillets patted completely dry
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (grapeseed or sunflower)
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp white pepper
Green Mango Salad
  • 2 medium (about 400 g total) green (unripe) mango peeled and julienned
  • 3 small shallots thinly sliced
  • 2 bird's eye chili thinly sliced, seeds in or out depending on heat preference
  • 0.5 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
  • 0.5 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves
  • 3 tbsp toasted cashews roughly chopped
Dressing
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice about 2 limes
  • 1.5 tbsp palm sugar grated or packed. Brown sugar works as a substitute.
  • 1 garlic clove finely grated or minced

Method
 

Prepare the Salad and Dressing
  1. Whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and grated garlic in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust - it should be sour first, then savory, with mild sweetness underneath.
  2. Combine the julienned green mango, sliced shallots, and bird's eye chili in a large mixing bowl. Toss together and set aside without the dressing.
Prepare the Snapper
  1. Pat each snapper fillet completely dry on both sides with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin with 3 shallow diagonal cuts about 1 cm deep to prevent curling.
  2. Season the flesh side with fine sea salt and white pepper. Leave the skin unseasoned at this stage to keep it as dry as possible.
Sear the Snapper
  1. Heat a 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat - the oil should shimmer and move freely when you tilt the pan.
  2. Place the fillets skin-side down into the hot oil. Immediately press each fillet flat with a fish spatula for 30 seconds to maintain full skin contact with the pan.
  3. Cook skin-side down for 5 to 6 minutes without moving, until the skin is deep golden and the flesh has turned opaque roughly 80 percent of the way up.
  4. Flip each fillet carefully and cook flesh-side down for 60 to 90 seconds until just cooked through. Remove from heat and rest for 1 minute.
Finish and Plate
  1. Add the mint, cilantro, and toasted cashews to the mango bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat, working quickly so the herbs stay fresh.
  2. Divide the mango salad between four plates. Place one snapper fillet skin-side up on each plate so the crispy skin stays exposed. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

For extra-crispy skin, season the fillets with salt and leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge for up to 1 hour before cooking - the surface dries out further and the skin crisps even faster in the pan.