We snagged the freshest red snapper in Aruba, threw in some Italian party vibes with bell peppers and garlic, and voila – a peperonata-style red snapper with gnocchi dish that’s more at home in Italy than in the Caribbean! Fortunately, the experiment paid off. This red snapper fillet recipe got two thumbs up from us and our hosts. Above all, what sets this Caribbean red snapper recipe apart is its remarkable adaptability. You can effortlessly replicate it with any red snapper sourced from your local grocery store. As for all other ingredients? Just grab them from the store, no treasure hunt required. All in all, good food made better with one of our wine pairing recommendations. Smooth sailing! And don’t forget to let us know how you liked this dish.
Wine Pairing Recommendations
Undoubtedly, this is one of those dishes where paring wine with food is quite straight forward. Without a doubt, the best wine pairing recommendation for this peperonata-style red snapper recipe is Sauvignon Blanc.
Additionally, other less conventional white wine option to pair with this food is Viognier.
Even though we advise against red wine pairing, we highly recommend exploring the wine pairing possibilities with Bandolé Rosé or Spanish Rosado. Either of these Rosé selections can beautifully complement the Mediterranean flavors in the dish, resulting in a refreshingly harmonious wine food pairing.
Recipe at a glance
| Course: Dinner | Cuisine: North American | Servings: 4 |
| Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min |
Ingredients:
- 5 tbsp Cooking oil (preferably olive oil)
- ½ lb Gnocchi (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 Lemon
- 2 Bell peppers
- 2 Red snapper fillets
- 12 Garlic cloves
- ½ bunch Italian parsley
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Butter (optional)
Why we refer to this dish as Peperonata-Style:
The inspiration for the name comes from the traditional Italian Peperonata, a stew featuring bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes. Peperonata is typically served as a side dish to fish or as a pasta sauce. By comparison, our version isn’t a stew and gives the tomatoes a day off, but it still harmoniously accompanies both pasta and the fish.
Substitutions:
Firstly, if you can’t find Caribbean Red Snapper, don’t despair. Unless you’re a certified fish connoisseur, you can safely swap it out for any other snapper variety without noticing a difference. Secondly, the bell pepper selection for this dish is entirely up to you. In our case, we opted for the red and yellow colored bell pepper because they were readily available on the island.
Tools to use in this recipe
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Instructions
1. Prepare the Red Snapper:
- Firstly, if you purchased a whole fish, start by cleaning, descaling, and filleting it. Leave the skin on for added flavor.
- Next, make two deep cuts on the skin side of each fillet. This will help prevent fish from curling during frying.
- Generously season the fish fillets with salt and pepper on both sides and set them aside.
2. Prepare Ingredients:
- Mince the garlic, roughly chop the Italian parsley, and slice the bell peppers into long, thin strips.
3. Cook the Red Snapper:
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add a 2 tbsp. of the cooking oil.
- Place the fish fillets in the pan, skin side down, and fry until the skin becomes crisp, approximately 5 minutes.
- To prevent the fish from curling, press down gently with your hand or a spatula.
- Flip the fish and continue frying for an additional 3-5 minutes, adjusting the time based on the thickness of the fillets.
- For an extra touch, add butter to the pan, allowing it to melt and baste the fish for a shiny finish and crispy skin.
- Lastly, squeeze some fresh lemon over the cooked fish just as you are ready to do the plating
4. Cook the Gnocchi:
- Simultaneously, bring a pot of water to a boil, seasoned with salt.
- Then, add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
- Once cooked, drain the gnocchi and set it aside until ready to use.
5. Prepare Gnocchi-Bell Pepper Mixture:
- In another pan, heat the remaining cooking oil over medium heat and add the sliced bell peppers to the pan. Cook until bell peppers soften slightly
- Add garlic to the pan and fry briefly until it releases its flavors and turns slightly translucent (approximately 1-2 minutes).
- Then, add the cooked gnocchi to the pan and stir. Lastly, add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and continue cooking, allowing the ingredients to meld for an additional 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and fold in the chopped Italian parsley
6. Plate the Dish:
- Spoon the gnocchi-bell pepper mixture onto individual plates.
- Carefully place a slice of the crispy red snapper on top of each serving.
Recipe Card
Caribbean red snapper with gnocchi – easy recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Cooking oil preferably olive oil
- ½ lb Gnocchi homemade or store-bought
- 1 Lemon
- 2 Bell peppers
- 2 Red snapper fillets
- 12 Garlic cloves
- ½ bunch Italian parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Butter optional
Instructions
Prepare the Red Snapper:
- If you purchased a whole fish, start by cleaning, descaling, and filleting it. Leave the skin on for added flavor.
- Make two deep cuts on the skin side of each fillet. This will help prevent fish from curling during frying.
- Generously season the fish fillets with salt and pepper on both sides and set them aside.
Prepare Ingredients:
- Mince the garlic, roughly chop the Italian parsley, and slice the bell peppers into long, thin strips.
Cook the Red Snapper:
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add a 2 tbsp. of the cooking oil.
- Place the fish fillets in the pan, skin side down, and fry until the skin becomes crisp, approximately 5 minutes.
- To prevent the fish from curling, press down gently with your hand or a spatula.
- Flip the fish and continue frying for an additional 3-5 minutes, adjusting the time based on the thickness of the fillets.
- For an extra touch, add butter to the pan, allowing it to melt and baste the fish for a shiny finish and crispy skin.
- Squeeze some fresh lemon over the cooked fish just as you are ready to do the plating
Cook the Gnocchi:
- Simultaneously, bring a pot of water to a boil, seasoned with salt.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions.
- Once cooked, drain the gnocchi and set it aside until ready to use.
Prepare Gnocchi-Bell Pepper Mixture:
- In another pan, heat the remaining cooking oil over medium heat and add the sliced bell peppers to the pan. Cook until bell peppers soften slightly
- Add garlic to the pan and fry briefly until it releases its flavors and turns slightly translucent (approximately 1-2 minutes).
- Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan and stir. Then add some freshly squeezed lemon juice and continue cooking, allowing the ingredients to meld for an additional 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and fold in the chopped Italian parsley
Plate the Dish:
- Spoon the gnocchi-bell pepper mixture onto individual plates.
- Carefully place a slice of the crispy red snapper on top of each serving.
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