This healthy snapper recipe, Snapper Barbados, combines lime juice, parsley, thyme, shallots, garlic and spices for a delicious tropical snapper dish.
Do you remember that awesome book I told you about where I found the inspiration for my Curried Ham with Mangoes recipe? Well, it’s back, baby. That’s right, Tropic Cooking strikes again!
Snapper Barbados, baby.
Just saying the name makes me feel like I’m on vacation. I wish I had a little emoticon to put here of a sunglasses-wearing character relaxing in a beach chair. Man, that’s some bad writing… “sunglasses-wearing?” Jeeeeze.
Okay. So. This fish. It’s really easy.
You turn on your broiler, pull out a sheet pan, throw everything but the fish in the blender (because, you know, fish in a blender is gross), spread it over the fish and put it all in the oven for a few minutes.
Here it is raw:
And here it is cooked:
BAM! Dinner.
This is one of my favorite snapper fish recipes and it is so easy.
I love how all of the recipes I find in that book take about 5 minutes of forethought and 15 minutes of execution.
I adapted this Snapper Barbados recipe to limit it to ingredients I could find at my grocery store, so I don’t want to hear any excuses from you about “weird” ingredients or how you can’t find wild lime leaves or galangal root!
I know I have an odd affinity for hard-to-find ingredients, and let me just say I’m sorry for that. So for all of you that are still afraid to make a trip to an ethnic supermarket, this one’s for you.
Now you can’t say I never did anything for you!
This is a super healthy recipe full of fresh herbs and hardly any fat. I served it with some sauteed spinach because it only takes 47 seconds to wilt.
And also because spinach is full of fiber and it is great for WeightWatchers.
I don’t always share healthy recipes, but when I do, I make sure they are WeightWatchers friendly (<—I really hope you read that in the voice of the guy in the Dos Equis commercials).
Okay, one more thing of note: If you can’t find snapper, you can substitute with Rock Fish. Shh, Shh, it’s okay. I promise, it will be okay.
I hope you enjoyed my caffeine-fueled post today. Courtesy of “slamming black coffee because I’ve given up cream and sugar for as long as my resolve will hold.”
Here’s the Recipe!
Healthy Snapper Recipe: Snapper Barbados Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 10- oz snapper fillets
- 3/4 c. lime juice
- 1/2 c. chopped parsley
- 2 Tbsp. dried thyme
- 2 Tbsp. chopped shallots
- 3 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. cayenne
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Dash of hot pepper sauce
- 4 Tbsp. grapeseed or olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven's broiler to "High."
- Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
- Put the snapper fillets onto the foil in the baking sheet.
- Combine all of the ingredients other than the snapper in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until it forms a rough paste.
- Spread the paste onto the snapper fillets.
- Broil for 6-8 minutes or until the fish flakes when tested with a fork.
Nutrition

I prepared this dish last night and I guess I need a clarification. The photos — are they of this actual dish? It appears so light/golden – even the liquid at the bottom of the dish – almost like Panko breadcrumbs. But believe me, when you process a half cup of parsley, 2 Tablespoons of dried thyme and a Tablespoon of dark red powder (cayenne & paprika) with lime juice, you get a super-dark green paste in a red liquid. Perhaps I have mis-read the recipe but it in no way resembles the photos. Except for the fish underneath.
Take me to the tropics PLEASE!!!! Love seafood and this dish looks so fun and flavorful!
Hey, Erin! I could totally use a tropical vacation, too 🙂
Hi there – part of your Sits Tribe here! I’m trying to fall in love -or even like – with fish, so I’ll give this a try!
Hi Rachael! This recipe would be a great place to start – Snapper is really mild, and the marinade it bakes in has lots of flavor!
Hello,
I’m in your SITS girls tribe. I am just staying by to say “Hello” and I look forward to reading your posts. I love your recipes! I can’t wait to try them. Your post on the chocolate bundt cake. Omg! *drooling*
Hi, Lashonda! Welcome to TWK 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the Mayan Chocolate-Glazed Bundt Cake. Loving your site’s design!
This looks delicious! Snapper is one of my favorite fish. I look forward to connecting with you through our SITS tribe. Your photography is amazing!
Hi, Mandi! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂 Headed over to your site right now!