Description
Bake whole snapper with a flavorful garlic and dill butter sauce in this Whole Baked Fish recipe perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish:
- 2 x 800 g / 1.6 lb whole snapper, scaled, gutted, and cleaned (Note 1)
- 1 ½ tsp kosher/cooking salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Stuffing:
- ½ cup fresh dill sprigs, packed
- ½ cup parsley leaves, packed
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced (8 slices)
Dill Garlic Butter:
- 150 g / 10 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 tsp garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking tray with parchment or foil. - Prepare the Fish
Pat fish dry with paper towels. Season inside and out with salt and black pepper. Drizzle olive oil over both sides. - Prepare Stuffing
In a small bowl, combine dill, parsley, garlic slices, and lemon slices. Stuff the cavity of each fish evenly with the mixture. - Prepare Dill Garlic Butter
Mix cubed butter with minced garlic and chopped dill. Set aside. - Bake the Fish
Place stuffed fish on the prepared tray. Distribute small cubes of dill garlic butter on top of each fish. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. - Serve
Transfer fish to a serving platter. Spoon melted butter from the pan over the fish and garnish with additional dill or lemon slices as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Any firm white fish can substitute for snapper (e.g., sea bass or branzino).
Ensure fish is cleaned and scaled properly to avoid tough skin.