Whole Red Snapper with Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri & Margarita Butter

Gluten-Free | Low-Carb | Keto-Friendly

If a whole roasted fish looks impressive enough to make people think you spent all afternoon cooking, I'm not going to be the one to tell them otherwise.

Especially when it's covered in cilantro-lime chimichurri and melted Margarita Butter served in a salt-rimmed tequila shot glass.

We can keep that part between us. 😂

This starts with one of my favorite ridiculously easy dinners: whole roasted red snapper.

The fish gets scored, seasoned, stuffed with lemon and roasted whole until the meat is tender, juicy and practically falling away from the bones.

Then we make it considerably less innocent.

A generous coating of my Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri adds garlic, herbs, citrus and just enough heat.

And because apparently that wasn't enough, we're pouring Margarita Butter over the whole thing.

Yes. Margarita Butter.

Butter. Lime. Tequila. Salt.

Basically everything good about a margarita except this one belongs on your fish.

And yes, I served it in a tequila shot glass with a salted rim.

Sometimes you have to commit to the bit. 🍹😂

JUMP TO MARGARITA BUTTER RECIPE

Why Whole Red Snapper?

Whole fish is one of those foods that looks much harder to make than it actually is.

Which is precisely why I love serving it.

You get crispy-ish roasted skin, incredibly moist meat protected by the bones while it cooks, and a centerpiece that looks like you did something terribly sophisticated.

You didn't.

My basic Whole Roasted Red Snapper method walks through everything — how to prep and score the fish, season the cavity, add garlic and lemon, and roast it until perfectly flaky.

For this version, we're using that same technique and changing what happens after it comes out of the oven.

And that's where things get fun.

First: Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri

While the snapper is roasting, make the chimichurri.

Mine is loaded with fresh cilantro, lime, garlic and enough acidity to cut through the richness of the fish and butter.

And because we're not delicately drizzling three decorative drops of sauce around the plate...

Spoon that stuff all over the fish.

The full recipe and measurements are here:

Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri Recipe

You can make the chimichurri ahead of time, which makes this an especially easy dinner for entertaining.

Then: Margarita Butter 🍹

This might be my new favorite way to finish fish.

And it takes approximately no effort.

Margarita Butter is essentially a warm lime-tequila compound butter without bothering with the whole compound part.

We're melting it and pouring it over dinner.

Much more efficient. 😂

Quick Margarita Butter

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons salted butter

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon tequila

• ½ teaspoon lime zest

• Pinch of salt, if needed

• 
  

Optional: a tiny drizzle of agave if you want more of that sweet-tart margarita thing going on.

Make It

Melt the butter gently over low heat.

Remove it from the heat and stir in the lime juice, tequila and lime zest.

Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.

That's it.

No blender. No food processor. No emulsifying anything while whispering encouraging words to your sauce.

Melt. Stir. Pour.

Important tequila note:

Since the tequila is added after the butter comes off the heat, this version retains some alcohol and a more noticeable tequila flavor.

If you want the flavor without as much alcohol, add the tequila to the melted butter while it's still over low heat and let it gently cook for a minute or two before removing it from the heat and adding the lime.

Either works.

Obviously, We Need a Salted Rim

Is this necessary?

Absolutely not.

Are we doing it anyway?

Obviously.

Run a lime wedge around the rim of a tequila shot glass and dip it into coarse salt.

Pour in the warm Margarita Butter and serve it alongside the fish.

Now everyone gets to pour buttery tequila-lime goodness over their own piece.

Or you can hoard the shot glass.

I'm not policing portions here.

The Best Part

Once you break through the chimichurri-covered skin, the snapper underneath should be moist, tender and flaky, pulling cleanly away from the bones in big pieces.

Then that warm Margarita Butter runs down into all those little crevices...

Lime.

Garlic.

Cilantro.

Tequila.

Butter.

Tender roasted fish.

This is why we don't need sad gluten-free food.

What to Serve With It

I kept the rest of the plate simple because there is already plenty happening with the fish.

Roasted cauliflower, tomatoes and mild chiles are perfect because they can catch any chimichurri and Margarita Butter that accidentally wander off the snapper.

"Accidentally."

You could also serve this with rice, roasted potatoes, grilled corn, a simple chopped salad or warm gluten-free tortillas.

And, naturally, an actual margarita wouldn't exactly hurt the situation.

Make It Ahead

This is also sneakily good entertaining food.

The chimichurri can be made ahead, and the snapper can be cleaned, scored and seasoned earlier in the day and kept refrigerated.

When you're ready for dinner, roast the fish.

While it rests for a few minutes, melt together the Margarita Butter.

Then spoon on the chimichurri, pour yourself a drink, fill the little salt-rimmed shot glass with butter and carry the whole ridiculous-looking platter to the table.

Everyone thinks you went to tremendous effort.

Again...

We don't need to correct them.

Whole Red Snapper with Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri & Margarita Butter

Tender whole roasted red snapper covered in garlicky cilantro-lime chimichurri and finished with warm tequila-lime Margarita Butter. It looks like restaurant food but is ridiculously simple to make at home.

Gluten-Free | Low-Carb | Keto-Friendly

You'll Need

• 1 whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled

• Seasonings, garlic and lemon for roasting

• Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri

• Margarita Butter

• Lime and coarse salt for serving

Make It

Prepare and roast the snapper according to my Whole Roasted Red Snapper technique.

While the fish cooks, prepare the Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri (I prefer to make the chimi ahead of time to let the flavors meld a bit).

Make the Margarita Butter by gently melting the butter and combining it with tequila, fresh lime juice and lime zest.

When the snapper is done, spoon plenty of chimichurri over the fish.

Serve immediately with warm Margarita Butter for pouring over the tender fish as you eat.

Preferably from a salt-rimmed tequila glass.

Because presentation matters. 😂

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