Red Snapper in Crazy Water (AKA The BEST Way to Cook Red Snapper!)

Garlic, tomatoes and white wine come together for an incredibly flavorful broth, making this the BEST way to cook red snapper.

This easy red snapper recipe is just as fun as it sounds! The “crazy water” is incredibly flavorful, despite being easy enough for a total seafood beginner. The fish cooks right in this broth, infusing it with tons of flavor. This is also a quite gentle way of cooking the fish, so you won't wind up with overcooked, rubbery fish, which is easy to do!

Sourdough is the perfect accompaniment because you're going to want something to sop up all of that deliciousness. If you're gluten free and can't find gluten free sourdough though, my gluten free corn muffins also pair well with this dish.

Don't eat grains? Serve it over cauliflower rice! You do you.

As with all Prep Dish recipes, this one is specifically designed for meal prep. Make sure to check out the prep-ahead instructions below the recipe!

 

What makes this the BEST way to cook red snapper?

3 things make this the best way to cook red snapper (in my humble opinion 😉 ) :

1. It's EASY: This is the perfect fish recipe for beginners. It's straight from our Prep Dish Super Fast meal plans, which are designed to enable you to prep 5 healthy dinners in just 1 hour. In short, it's incredibly easy and requires very little effort, especially for such a festive recipe.

2. So much flavor: Cooking the fish in the “crazy water,” or flavorful broth, imparts so much flavor. Fresh garlic, tomatoes and wine – it's hard to beat that! I love the slight kick from the red pepper flakes but you can of course omit if you're serving to young kids who are sensitive to spice.

3. Forgiving Cooking Method: I know some people are intimidated by cooking fish and I think part of it is that it's so easy to overcook. Gently simmering the fish in the broth on low heat makes it easy to avoid overcooking the fish.

What makes this a healthy red snapper recipe?

This healthy red snapper recipe packs in so much nutrition! Check out some of the nutritional benefits from its key ingredients:

Fish (Vitamin D, Omega-3s)

In addition to protein, fish is an excellent source of Vitamin D and Omega-3s. Regularly eating fish may help prevent heart disease and protect your brain.

Garlic (Beneficial Sulfur Compounds, Manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Selenium)

Garlic has been used in homeopathic remedies for thousands of years and is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and some types of cancer. Eating garlic may also help prevent colds and other minor illnesses.

Scientists believe these substantial health benefits may stem primarily from garlic's sulfur compounds such as allicin, diallyl disulfide and sallyl cysteine.

Tomatoes (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Potassium, Antioxidants)

Packed with antioxidants, tomatoes may help reduce the risk of several kinds of cancer. Furthermore, they contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and potassium, many of which most people don't get enough of.

Sourdough (Selenium, Folate, Iron)

Because of its unique fermentation process, sourdough bread offers several nutritional benefits not found in other types of bread. It's lower in gluten (though not gluten free unless specified) and also has a lower glycemic index (i.e., it won't spike your blood sugar as much). This is likely due to how the fermentation process effects the carbohydrates' structure in the bread. Sourdough may also act as a prebiotic, positively impacting your gut bacteria. Finally, sourdough may offer more nutrients that you can actually absorb and be easier to digest because its lactic acid bacteria help get rid of antinutrients like phytates.

White Wine (Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, Vitamin B6)

Most studies on the health benefits of wine have focused on red wine. That's because the grapes for red wine are fermented with the grape skins, increasing the nutrients in red wine compared to white, which is fermented without the skins. White wine does, however, still have a lot of the same nutrients as red wine, just in smaller quantities. If you don't like cooking with wine, simply omit!

Italian Seasoning (Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron, Antioxidants)

Italian seasoning blends vary but most include at least basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary, each of which contributes significant nutritional benefits. An excellent source of Vitamin K, basil may also reduce memory loss, blood pressure, and depression. Oregano is antibacterial and contains antioxidants, vitamin K, vitamin E, calcium and iron. Rosemary is excellent for your brain. Just inhaling the scent can improve memory, focus and mood. Thyme is thought to potentially help lower blood pressure, improve immunity and even improve your mood.

What's a good substitute for red snapper?

Red snapper is a white fish. You can substitute a different white fish for this recipe if you can't find red snapper at your grocery store. Good substitutes for snapper include grouper, rockfish and monkfish. Tilapia and cod will also work.

Is this a good meal prep recipe?

Yes! Snapper in crazy water works well for meal prep. Why? With a little bit of chopping ahead of time, the dish comes together super quickly, which is generally what you're looking for with meal prep!

To prep ahead, mince your garlic and halve your cherry tomatoes. Next, make the “crazy water.” Cook the garlic and tomatoes and add the water, wine and spices. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and smash a few of the tomatoes. Cool and store in the fridge until you're ready to finish cooking the dish.

On “dish day,” or the day you plan to enjoy the snapper, simply bring the crazy water to a boil, place the seasoned fish in and simmer for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with sourdough and enjoy!

I want more impressive seafood recipes!

I'm not sure what it is about seafood (maybe the fact that many people only enjoy it when dining out?) but it can seem quite impressive, despite cooking quite quickly. Here are a few more impressive seafood recipes. I promise though, none of them are hard!